Details
Union:
Union or Non union
Area of media:
Short Film
Network:
Paid?:
No
Rates:
Unpaid as per ACTRA/TMU agreement for 8+1 shoot day. Overtime paid at 35% of the ACTRA IPA, if incurred. Travel or reimbursement will be provided.
Deadline:
Jan 7, 2026
Shooting starts:
Feb 6, 2026 February 6th - 9th
Shooting finishes:
Feb 9, 2026 February 6th - 9th
Shooting locations:
Georgina, Ontario
Cities for response:
Toronto
Storyline
Left at his estranged grandmother Jean’s cabin, ten-year-old Malakai is fascinated by the expansive forest and the possibility of finding a bear. Jean is guarded, still buried in grief since her daughter Adele disappeared into the woods forty years ago. Curious and unaware of its haunting history, Malakai presses deep into the mysterious woods. He encounters Adele, a magical little girl hosting a tea party for her stuffed teddy bears. She carefully guides Malakai towards a grave before suddenly vanishing, leaving behind a fresh set of bear tracks. Malakai races back to Jean, determined to share his discovery. When he mentions Adele’s name, Jean can’t refuse but to go look. They return to the grave together, now faced with the bear. As Jean lowers her gun to the snow, she finally recognizes the creature as her lost daughter.
Roles
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Lead | MALAKAI | Male 9 - 11 Years old |
Description Male, 10 years old, black / mixed race. Curious and energetic, Malakai is an excellent dreamer. Intently observant, he quickly noticed his lack of supervision from adults and developed an expansive imagination. He’s perfectly content spending time alone, finding animals to be more fun than adults anyway. Fascinated by the forest and what’s within, his persistent inquisitiveness and wonder lead him to discover long kept secrets of the forest. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Lead | JEAN | Female 70 - 80 Years old |
Description Female, 76 year olds, black. Stoic and practical, Jean lives deep in the woods, alone. Haunted by the mystery of her daughter Adele’s sudden disappearance forty years ago, her grief bitters her. With no body found, it was determined she was eaten by a bear. Jean never believed it. Now with a child back in her care, she’s forced to reckon with her past trauma. Everyone said she was crazy for thinking her daughter’s spirit still frequented the forest. What if she was right? | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Lead | ADELE | Female 7 - 9 Years old |
Description Female, 8 years old, black. Equally quirky, gentle, and wise beyond her years, Adele spent much of her childhood talking to animals and trees. She disappeared as a child, transforming into a bear. Now simultaneously a little girl and the creature of the woods, when Malakai arrives at the cabin she recognizes his ability to consider the unfathomable. She befriends him, acting as his spiritual guide as she leads him closer to the end of the mystery, allowing her to finally reconnect with her mother. | ||