Rosemary House of Rock Island Productions and Judy Holm and Michael McNamara of Markham Street Films Inc. are delighted to announce that Hold Fast, the feature film based on Kevin Major’s classic Newfoundland novel, is a go!

Justin Simms (Down to the Dirt) will direct. Key crew members include Production Designer Shelley Cornick (Grown Up Movie Star) and Director of Photography Catherine Lutes (Molly Maxwell). Mark Bragg (Down to the Dirt) is the film’s composer and Chris Darlington (Crackie) will edit.

Winner of the Governor General’s Award in 1978, Hold Fast went on to sell over 200,000 copies in Canada and become a story treasured by generations of young people.

Hold Fast has been adapted for the screen by NL filmmaker Rosemary House, with support from Telefilm Canada, the Harold Greenberg Fund and The Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation. Production is being financed by Telefilm Canada, the NLFDC, the NL and ON Film Tax Credits and the Shaw Rocket Fund with eOne Entertainment distributing.

The camera started rolling on May 28 and the film will be shot entirely on the island of Newfoundland, with locations in and around St. John’s, Mount Pearl, Bauline, Tors Cove, La Manche Provincial Park and Gros Morne National Park.

The cast, save for the talented Canadian star Molly Parker (Deadwood, Rare Birds, Men with Brooms) all come from the Rock. After months of auditions throughout the province, Avery Ash of Hants Harbour (Michael) and Douglas Sullivan of St. Johns (Curtis) have been cast as the film’s young leads. Taylor Vincent of Springdale (Brenda) and Tim Myles of St Johns (Lewis) round out the teenage cast.

Adult roles include Aiden Flynn (Love and Savagery, Republic of Doyle) as Uncle Ted (Ms. Parker plays Aunt Ellen), Andy Jones (Rare Birds, BeatDown) as the Guard and Des Walsh (Spoiled, Hard Light) as Jack, Michael’s beloved Grandad.

Producer Rosemary House (Bloomsday Cabaret, Rain Drizzle and Fog) is thrilled: “I’m incredibly proud and excited to be able to bring this iconic Newfoundland novel to the screen!” Producers Holm and McNamara, (Victoria Day, Acquainted with the Night), add, “We’re delighted both to be working with Rosemary and to be part of a film whose heritage is so splendidly Canadian”. “Hold Fast was the first Newfoundland novel I ever read” says Director Simms. “It’s an honour to be directing the film”. And Kevin Major says “Wow, wow, triple wow!”

Hold Fast will be released theatrically in Canada in 2013.

For further information contact:

Rosemary House | rosemaryhouse2@mac.com
Judy Holm | jholm@markhamstreet.com