Details
Union:
Non union
Area of media:
Short Film
Network:
Paid?:
Yes
Rates:
Union Status: Non-Union
Compensation: Average to Low pay, commensurate with experience
Deadline:
July 7, 2025
Shooting starts:
Oct 16, 2025 3 full shoot days, Mod Oct - Mid Nov
Shooting finishes:
Nov 16, 2025
Shooting locations:
Etobicoke (GTA)
Cities for response:
Toronto, Montréal
Storyline
A quiet, observational short film exploring the intimacy and emotional texture of a caregiving relationship. The story centers on Marina, a young live-in caregiver, and Sylvia, a woman living with early-onset dementia in its mid-stage. Told with naturalistic performances and a handheld, documentary-like visual style.
Roles
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Lead | Marina | Female 20 - 30 Years old |
Description Ethnicity: Open, Non-White (Character is a recent immigrant – all backgrounds welcome; accents welcome)Languages: Must be able to speak a language other than English Character Description – Marina: Marina is a hardworking woman in her early-to-mid 20s who recently immigrated to Canada. Back home, she was a trained nurse—but her credentials don't transfer here. She now works as a live-in personal support worker while pursuing her studies in healthcare. Marina has been living and working with Sylvia for many months. Their relationship has become familiar, built on gentleness, consistency, and care. She genuinely loves Sylvia and feels at home in her role, despite the challenges of caregiving. She maintains strong ties with her family overseas through WhatsApp messages and phone calls, and while she misses them deeply, she is determined to build a life in Canada. Marina has an inner strength and a deep capacity for empathy. She’s always felt at ease around the elderly or ill—able to see their purity, and to remain present with their vulnerability. Visually, Marina carries a blend of youth and quiet resilience. She wears no makeup, often has dark circles under her eyes, and dresses in casual “home clothes”: leggings, oversized sweaters, scrunchies, socks and slides, chipped nail polish. She does not wear scrubs. Seeking: A performer with warmth, emotional openness, and the ability to convey internal worlds through subtle expression. Accents are welcome. Lived experience as an immigrant and/or caregiver is welcomed but not required. Experience with naturalistic acting, observational-style direction, or understated performances is an asset. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Lead | Sylvia | Female 55 - 70 Years old |
Description Ethnicity: OpenCharacter Description – Sylvia: Sylvia is a middle-class woman in her 50s/60s living with mid-advanced stage early-onset dementia. Though not elderly or frail, she requires near-constant support from live-in caregivers and lives in her family’s original home. Sylvia speaks rarely, and only in short, simple phrases. Her world has narrowed, and her gaze often appears distant or dreamlike. She is calm, with softened, understated expressions—a closed-lip smile, downcast eyes, subtle physical responses. Yet Sylvia is not passive. Her attention is drawn to small, tangible things—textures, movements, repetitive tasks—with a kind of quiet, childlike curiosity. These moments ground her, offering flickers of engagement and emotional presence. Her relationship with Marina is often wordless but deeply felt—built through the rhythm of care, touch, and proximity. The role is emotionally rich, primarily physical and observational, requiring nuanced, internalized performance. Seeking: A performer with strong physical and emotional control, comfortable with minimal dialogue and conveying subtle inner life. Open to performers with lived experience related to caregiving or cognitive change. | ||