Photo courtesy of: Cabot McNenlyBrian J. Smith (Sense8)
Ohio University’s Film Division in the College of Fine Arts, Athens Center for Film and Video and the Athena Cinema will present a special screening of “22 Chaser,” directed by OHIO Assistant Professor of Film Rafal Sokolowski, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23. The event is free and open to the public.
Based on a screenplay by Jeremy Boxen (“Imposters,” “Orphan Black,” “Killjoys”), “22 Chaser” follows one of the city's last decent tow truck drivers as he risks everything on a desperate quest to become a chaser and provide for his struggling family. The film stars Brian J. Smith (“Sense8”), Raoul Trujillo (“Sicario”), Tiio Horn (“What Would Sal Do?”), Aaron Ashmore (“Killjoys”) and John Kapelos (“The Breakfast Club”).
“One of the most surprising homegrown efforts of the year. Unpredictable and captivating from start to finish, ‘22 Chaser’ might end up being the best Canadian thriller of 2018,” said Andrew Parker in a film review in the The Gate.
Premiering in Canada in April 2018, “22 Chaser” was produced through the Canadian Film Centre’s CFC Features program supported by the Government of Ontario, with production support and financing by the CFC and The Movie Network, a division of Bell Media, Telefilm Canada and The Ontario Media Development Corporation.
The film was released theatrically by levelFILM and has been picked up for distribution by The Gravitas Ventures. It will hit US theaters on Oct. 12 in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Orlando, Miami, Phoenix, Seattle and Detroit.
An assistant professor of film at Ohio University, Sokolowski is an award-winning film and theatre director whose work has been exhibited worldwide and is supported by the National Film Board of Canada, the Canada and Ontario Arts Councils and Bravo!FACT. He is the artistic director of Blind Dog Films, which specializes in developing and producing narrative fiction. He previously taught film and directing at York University and Ryerson University and was a guest artist-teacher at the National Theatre School of Canada, Soulpepper Theatre Company and Warsaw College of Communications and Media. Sokolowski’s “Three Mothers,” starring Kristin Booth and Camilla Scott, screened at many international festivals, including the 2009 CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival, and his most recent film, “Seventh Day,” won Best Short Film at the 2013 Ekran - Toronto Polish Film Festival. Sokolowski is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada, holds an MFA from York University and is an apprentice of the National Theatre Academy of Krakow (directing).
Sokolowski received a College of Fine Arts Creative Research Grant allowing him to work on this film in Toronto, during the preproduction, filming and post. Throughout the process he has shared the work with his students, including a casting presentation shared with students from the Theater Division. He will be present for the Oct. 23 screening event and question-and-answer session.
Read more about the film’s debut sold out premier screening last spring at the Canadian Film Center.