Short Film
Details
Union:
Union or Non union
Area of media:
Short Film
Network:
York University
Paid?:
Yes
Rates:
ACTRA Student Film, pay is $200.00 CAD/ day - ACTRA Student Film Agreement
Deadline:
Sept 16, 2025
Callbacks:
TBA
Shooting starts:
Sept 22, 2025 Outside Shoot dates: September 22 - 26
Shooting finishes:
Sept 26, 2025 *Includes possible weekend shoot dates
Shooting locations:
Toronto, ON
Cities for response:
Toronto
Storyline
As children, Márton and Nora run through a forest in Hungary until, suddenly, Nora disappears. Now an immigrant in Toronto, Márton lives in a rundown apartment with his cat, works at a bakery factory, and regularly helps his elderly neighbor, Dorothy, with groceries. His father, still in Hungary, constantly criticizes him for working at the factory, dismissing both his job and the people he works with. One evening, Márton arrives home to find his cat missing. At work, he becomes convinced that a new coworker, Nora, who also speaks Hungarian, is the same girl from his childhood. He shares his memory of her with Hamid, a fellow worker who feels at home in Canada, unlike Márton, who struggles with isolation. Sensing Márton’s loneliness, Hamid invites him for dinner, but Márton declines. When Hamid later tells him that Nora will no longer be coming into work, Márton becomes deeply unsettled. Márton learns from the superintendent that Dorothy has passed away. Inside her apartment, he is relieved to find his missing cat in her bedroom. That night, Márton dreams of his childhood and sees Nora’s lifeless body floating in a river. He wakes up in a cold sweat and calls his father in Hungary, desperate for clarity. His father, however, dismisses him, belittling his fixation on the past instead of focusing on his problems in the present. Márton hangs up, sits in silence, and fights back tears. Finally, he walks to Hamd’s house and rings the doorbell.
Roles
Role typeRoleGender & Age range
LeadMARTONMale 35 - 45 Years old
Description
Male - late 30's to early 40's. LOOKING FOR PERFORMERS WHO SPEAK HUNGARIAN (OR ANY OTHER EASTERN EUROPEAN LANGUAGE). First language is Hungarian and speaks english with an accent. Introverted. He has a lot going on inside that he does not share with others... LEAD. These roles were originally written as Hungarian speaking, but they are open to any Eastern European languages. Please note your talent’s First language in your submission.
Role typeRoleGender & Age range
PrincipalFATHERMale 60 - 88 Years old
Description
Male - late 60's to 80's. LOOKING FOR PERFORMERS WHO SPEAK HUNGARIAN (OR ANY OTHER EASTERN EUROPEAN LANGUAGE). First language is Hungarian. Has a deep voice. This character's voice will be heard in the film but he will not be seen... PRINCIPAL (mostly voiceover, but seen on camera). These roles were originally written as Hungarian speaking, but they are open to any Eastern European languages. Please note your talent’s First language in your submission.
Role typeRoleGender & Age range
PrincipalNORAFemale 35 - 45 Years old
Description
Female - late 30's to early 40's. LOOKING FOR PERFORMERS WHO SPEAK HUNGARIAN (OR ANY OTHER EASTERN EUROPEAN LANGUAGE).First language is Hungarian and speaks english with an accent. Reserved, with hidden depth... PRINCIPAL. These roles were originally written as Hungarian speaking, but they are open to any Eastern European languages. Please note your talent’s First language in your submission.
Role typeRoleGender & Age range
PrincipalHAMIDMale 45 - 59 Years old
Description
Male - late 40's to late 50's. Arabic or Iranian. First language is Arabic or Persian. Extroverted and friendly with a warm and approachable presence
Role typeRoleGender & Age range
Small PrincipalCARLMale 40 - 65 Years old
Description
Male - 40's to 60's. Friendly superintendent in the building... SMALL PRINCIPAL
Role typeRoleGender & Age range
ActorDOROTHYFemale 70 - 88 Years old
Description
Female - early 70's to 80's. First language is English. Friendly and kind.
Role typeRoleGender & Age range
ActorMARTON AS A CHILDMale 9 - 12 Years old
Description
Male - around ten years old. Fluency in Hungarian preferred.... ACTOR (may be non-speaking). These roles were originally written as Hungarian speaking, but they are open to any Eastern European languages. Please note your talent’s language in which they have fluency in, in your submission.
Role typeRoleGender & Age range
ActorNORA AS A CHILDFemale 9 - 12 Years old
Description
Female - around ten years old. Fluency in Hungarian preferred... ACTOR (may be non-speaking). These roles were originally written as Hungarian speaking, but they are open to any Eastern European languages. Please note your talent’s language in which they have fluency in, in your submission.
Role typeRoleGender & Age range
ActorMOTHERFemale 30 - 35 Years old
Description
Female - early 30s. A mother playing with her daughter... ACTOR (1 line)
Role typeRoleGender & Age range
Non SpeakingDAUGHTERFemale 3 - 5 Years old
Description
3 to 5 years old. A child playing with her mother... ACTOR (no lines).