A short film written & directed by Toronto artist Todd Klinck, with co-director John Palmer.
Lunch is about a high school drug dealer/porn producer, his escort mom, his mute hustler best friend, and his 8 year old drug runners. It takes place over a lunch break. Shot in 2003, this short stars Mandy Goodhandy, Bobby Del Rio and Zion Lee.
NOTE FROM THE CREATOR:
John Palmer brought me onto his project "Sugar" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_%282004_film%29) in 1997. I was 22. It was an adaptation of a collection of zines by Toronto provocateur Bruce LaBruce. Palmer is a theatrical legend in Toronto - he is one of those artists who will die without having achieved financial success, but who will be recognized as a visionary. Palmer cast Keanu Reeves in Keanu's very first acting role - a play written by Brad Fraser called Wolfboy. Palmer discovered iconic Canadian character actor Maury Chakin in the 60's or 70's in a clown troupe. Hollywood character legend Saul Rubinek also was a regular on the Sugar set - he helped me help keep order on the set.
Palmer was a rebel. Difficult to work with by the time we made Sugar. Often angry and cantankerous. Hated the producers. Despised them. I think the feeling was mutual. I was the young fresh face who was to help make the script adaptation contemporary. The LaBruce stories were set in the 80's. We could not afford to rent period piece vehicles and costumes.
We were gearing up to funding for Sugar. Showcase was interested. TLA Video, a new online company, was interested. There were some other Canada Council style grants. Our producers said "Klinck and Palmer, please make a short film. Something that will appease the funding bodies." Because it was zero budget, they didn't interfere. Me and Palmer were like "Yeah! Let's do this shit!"
I had written a script. The sensibility of "Lunch" is actually the sensibility that I envisioned for Sugar. (Didn't happen in Sugar - even though I got a Genie nominated, I wanted minimalism). We delivered Lunch to the producers. They were HORRIFIED. Me and Palmer had a big LOL (and this was WAY before the expression LOL even existed...) The producers wrung their hands, went back to the drawing board. To their credit, they did their job. They got the money. It was considered a "low budget" film, at $500,000. To me, a half million is not that low budget.
End result: funding came in. Sugar shot. Genie nominated for best adapted screenplay. I rented a tux. Genie nominated for best supporting actor (Brendan Fehr). Sarah Polley participated as a memorable cameo. We got great reviews.
In the shuffle, we forgot about Lunch. It was not needed. But a few months ago, I remembered it. I was like "fuck, that was a good movie". I am proud of it. So here it is for you - hopefully it is still enjoyable after 12 years trapped in a dusty drawer. Big props to Bobby DelRio and Zion Lee-both have become working artists. This was during their childhood. Mine too.
- Todd Klinck
Lunch is about a high school drug dealer/porn producer, his escort mom, his mute hustler best friend, and his 8 year old drug runners. It takes place over a lunch break. Shot in 2003, this short stars Mandy Goodhandy, Bobby Del Rio and Zion Lee.
NOTE FROM THE CREATOR:
John Palmer brought me onto his project "Sugar" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_%282004_film%29) in 1997. I was 22. It was an adaptation of a collection of zines by Toronto provocateur Bruce LaBruce. Palmer is a theatrical legend in Toronto - he is one of those artists who will die without having achieved financial success, but who will be recognized as a visionary. Palmer cast Keanu Reeves in Keanu's very first acting role - a play written by Brad Fraser called Wolfboy. Palmer discovered iconic Canadian character actor Maury Chakin in the 60's or 70's in a clown troupe. Hollywood character legend Saul Rubinek also was a regular on the Sugar set - he helped me help keep order on the set.
Palmer was a rebel. Difficult to work with by the time we made Sugar. Often angry and cantankerous. Hated the producers. Despised them. I think the feeling was mutual. I was the young fresh face who was to help make the script adaptation contemporary. The LaBruce stories were set in the 80's. We could not afford to rent period piece vehicles and costumes.
We were gearing up to funding for Sugar. Showcase was interested. TLA Video, a new online company, was interested. There were some other Canada Council style grants. Our producers said "Klinck and Palmer, please make a short film. Something that will appease the funding bodies." Because it was zero budget, they didn't interfere. Me and Palmer were like "Yeah! Let's do this shit!"
I had written a script. The sensibility of "Lunch" is actually the sensibility that I envisioned for Sugar. (Didn't happen in Sugar - even though I got a Genie nominated, I wanted minimalism). We delivered Lunch to the producers. They were HORRIFIED. Me and Palmer had a big LOL (and this was WAY before the expression LOL even existed...) The producers wrung their hands, went back to the drawing board. To their credit, they did their job. They got the money. It was considered a "low budget" film, at $500,000. To me, a half million is not that low budget.
End result: funding came in. Sugar shot. Genie nominated for best adapted screenplay. I rented a tux. Genie nominated for best supporting actor (Brendan Fehr). Sarah Polley participated as a memorable cameo. We got great reviews.
In the shuffle, we forgot about Lunch. It was not needed. But a few months ago, I remembered it. I was like "fuck, that was a good movie". I am proud of it. So here it is for you - hopefully it is still enjoyable after 12 years trapped in a dusty drawer. Big props to Bobby DelRio and Zion Lee-both have become working artists. This was during their childhood. Mine too.
- Todd Klinck
Category
š„
Short film