Photos by Northern Shade Production Team
Northern Shade
A homegrown writer and director came home from Hollywood to show what he’s been up to — and what the world is about to see.
Writer-director Christopher Rucinski made the visit to screen a premiere of his debut feature film, Northern Shade.
Moviegoers gathered at the Bow Tie Criterion Cinemas Thursday evening for the screening, which was followed by a quick Q & A with Rucinski, actor Romano Orzari, and cinematographer Grzegorz Gill.
The film follows the arduous journey of army veteran Justin McLaughlin, played by Jesse Gavin, as he tries to rescue his brother from an extreme militia group while struggling to navigate being back home.
The Branford-born Rucinski decided to premier his feature here after shooting the entirety of the film in various parts of Connecticut. “The tone and the color palette” of the Quinnipiac River Marina inspired him to shoot the majority of the film here. (Click here to read a previous Independent story about the filming.)
As Rucinski discussed the scenes in the film, he recalled working at a video store in Branford as a high-schooler before going to Emerson to study film.
Christopher Rucinski.
Filming on the marina.
Clear imagery and arrangement of shots and scenes from beginning to end of the film pay homage to New Haven. But fire emerges as a running visual motif in the film as well. It opens as the camera zooms out from the window of a car as it erupts in flames. The camera then sees the fire-lit faces of two characters watching the vehicle crumble in the heat. Whenever McLaughlin thinks of a friend who was killed in action, it’s accompanied by the constant flick of a lighter.
The repetition of imagery like this, as well as shots throughout the film, create “reverence” that sits with audience members long after the film, Rucinski said in the post-screening discussion.
Opening scene.
“I would get so impressed with the way the scene was shot,” moviegoer Cecelia reflected after the final scene, adding that she was still “processing it.”
“The secret,” said cinematographer Grzegorz Gill, “is: less is more.”
Rucinski began writing the film back in 2019. When it was time to start shooting, Rucinski and his team had to completely alter the way they approached the project. COVID-19 meant going back and incorporating the remnants of the pandemic into the film, as well as cutting out a crowded bar scene.
They persisted, much like the characters in his film.
Rucinski was deeply invested in writing the character dynamics between the two brothers throughout the film. He said through their relationship, he wants audiences to remember to never “give up on someone who may be veering towards a path you don’t agree with.”
Actor Romano Orzari, who plays Billy, the extremist militia group’s leader, spoke of how he appreciated the complexity of human nature and relational dynamics through working on the film.
“We all like to think we live in black and white,” but Rucinski’s characters show us that “man, we live in grey,” noted Orzari.
Rucinski said he was moved to write about the particular dynamics brought up in the film after his research led him to learn about militia groups.
Director Christopher Rucinski, right, with Cinematographer Grzegorz Gill.
“How do you make that bridge with people who are entrenched in their beliefs?” Rucinski asked.
While the film closes with an ambiguous ending, Rucinski’s message of understanding and human connection is certainly clear.
Rucinski’s parents, whom he included in the film, were among audience members who applauded as the credits rolled.
Northern Shade will be screened again, followed by Q & As, at the Bow Tie Criterion Cinemas on July 14 and 21.
