Year: 2014
Runtime: 87 min
Starring: Stephen Bogaert, Lori Ravensborg, Alejandro Rae, Alana Hawley, Mikaela Cochrane, Joe Perry, Kris Demeanor, Mandy Stobo
Producers: Kyle Thomas, Alexander Carson and Cameron Macgowan
Writer/Director:Kyle Thomas
A multi-narrative drama that chronicles the life of a small town in the badlands of Alberta over the course of one year. The film is divided into four chapters, each focusing on a different set of characters, including a pregnant teenager, a hard-drinking musician, an reclusive taxidermist, and an ambitious RCMP officer. The film’s intertwining stories combine to render a rich portrait of rural life in central Alberta. The film was released theatrically and online in 2015 by A71 Entertainment.
Notable Screenings
Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 2014) Vancouver International Film Festival (Sept 2014)
WATCH: The Valley Below – Behind-the-scenes
Accolades & Praise
Vancouver Film Critics Circle -Nomination-Best First Film by Canadian Director (Dec 2014)
2 Canadian Screen Award Nominations – Supporting Actor & Original Song (Mar 2015)
“First-time feature writer-director Kyle Thomas has made a deliberately small film set in small-town Alberta, and he was clearly aware of the many sinkholes into which it could fall, because he avoids all of them deftly… The Valley Below is a superb first feature, and it will be fascinating to see where this new talent turns his lens next.“— Chris Knight, National Post
“Calgary native Kyle Thomas’s assured first feature, which consists of four interrelated dramas set in Drumheller, Alta., didn’t get the praise it deserved with its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival last year. Away from the festival lights, though, this slow-burn collection of narratives, with its moody cinematography, original soundtrack and emotionally authentic performances, looks even stronger.“— Liam Lacey, The Globe & Mail
“This is a movie that gnaws away at you ever-so slowly and before you know it, the picture’s ripped your guts out. Basically, Thomas has delivered a film that is as muted as it is charged with the kind of emotion that explodes when you least expect it… The Valley Below is a film that indelibly aptures the myriad of exterior and interior vistas with a high level of artistry, always rooted in character and tone. Thomas elicits performances from his entire cast – from leads down to background extras – that ring with raw truth“— Greg Klymkiw, The Film Corner
