Feature Film

Forgiveness

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Details

Episode:

Mitsue Search - NATIONAL

Union:

Union

Area of media:

Feature Film

Network:

Paid?:

Yes

Rates:

ACTRA.

Deadline:

Mar 28, 2023

Auditions:

National submissions - Will call for tape

Shooting starts:

Fall/Winter 2023

Shooting locations:

Manitoba and Newfoundland

Cities for response:

Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montréal, Ottawa, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Charlottetown, St. John's, Sudbury, Kelowna

Comments

Important Information: The ages are approximate. It's not yet determined if actors will play themselves both young and old. Ralph and Mitsue for instance may be played by two actors, or not, as their stories span about 20 years each.

This is a story about survival and growth—but the latter cannot occur unless one accepts and lets go of the past.

Ahead of the official commencement of pre-production, the producers are engaging in an advanced search nationwide to cast the staring role in this feature film.

The film is anticipated to shoot in both Manitoba and Newfoundland starting in the Fall 2023 and shooting across the Winter.

Additional roles specifically for the Japanese-Canadian community, among other roles across the script, will be announced in the coming weeks/months. Please only submit for Mitsue character at this time.

Storyline

Project Synopsis: When war is declared in the Pacific in 1941, Mitsue Sakamoto and Ralph MacLean (both Canadians from two very different cultures), are each forced to endure unspeakable violence, starvation, and racial injustice —one as a POW, the other as a prisoner of slave labour on an Alberta sugar-beet farm. Rebuilding their separate lives after the war proves difficult. When their children fall in love with each other, Mitsue and Ralph must face their demons through the interracial coupling. This is a true story which explores the frailty and brutality of human nature, the power of love and forgiveness.

This film is based upon the 2018 Canada Reads Winner and two-time national bestselling book, Forgiveness by Mark Sakamoto.

Roles

Role type	Role	Gender & Age range
Lead	MITSUE	Female 18 - 42 Years old
Description Japanese-Canadian. When we meet Mitsue in Vancouver, she is grieving for the loss of her older brother (Toru). In short time, she marries Hideo —a man she doesn't know, never mind love —to help save him from being separated from his own parents. Shipped east to Southern-Alberta, she is forced to live in horrible conditions and is separated from her own family. Mitsue fights through anger and hopelessness, to ultimately find love, have children and learn how to survive as a matriarch. She goes from being precocious and pampered, to having responsibility —to being the “shining branch” on the family tree. But still she fears any threat to the branch and the leaves which grow upon it, especially the threat of white-Canadian society. Ultimately, she comes to realize that her son's happiness (who is engaged in a mixed relationship), is more important than her fears and that for the family to grow and be strong, certain traditional values and her own hatred must be set aside. For Mitsue, the preparing of food —taught to her by her own mother —is an important means of coping. It is a way to heal through the hands, and to nourish others. VERY IMPORTANT: Please indicate if Performer can speak Japanese with submission (put in the submission notes please). While the script is predominantly performed in English, there are Japanese Dialogues througout the script.

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