Within the first five minutes of meeting up with Lee Thorburn, It was really easy to tell that this guy had a huge passion for filmmaking.
"Dude, let me see your camera," the filmmaker said in an excited voice. "I actually recently sold mine that was pretty similar to this."
Before I could even decide what area of the studio to shoot the interview, Lee was holding my camera, examining it and saying things like "let me just check how good this camera's depth-of-field is." From that second on, not only did I know I would have a beautifully framed shot for my video package, but that this guy was a pro, that he knew what he was doing and that he had a huge love for the art-form.
Lee directed and wrote the script for his first ever full-length film called Juliet is the Sun; a love story between two, lost-in-the-world-and-trying-to-find-themselves, characters named Tristan and Michelle who unfortunately find themselves thrown into a world of drugs, prostitution and violence! Sounds like an awesome storyline, right? Well I wouldn't know, because other than being provided with little snippets of the film, I have yet to see it! A big bummer for a film fanatic wanting to review his film.
The Mississauga Independent Film Festival reviewed it however, and thought it was amazing. The crime/drama came out with an impressive second place finish in the feature-length category, furthering this critics thirst to watch it. Even though Juliet is the Sun didn't win, Mr. Lee Thorburn took home other, non-official victories from the Festival.
"We beat out Kevin Spacey's Casino Jack, so that was cool," Lee said laughing proudly. "Also, the festival director said that if he could've picked [a winner], 'cause he's not the judge, that he would have picked us, so I'll take that to heart."
The fact that Lee beat out a Hollywood picture is truly an amazing feat! It's almost more amazing when you take into account that the film was shot with under $5,000.
The film (supposedly, 'cause I haven't seen it) takes you on a wild ride through prostitution, drugs, gangster scenarios and a Romeo and Juliet like romance. With fight scenes and SWAT scenes and even the occasional scene with a gun (note the sarcasm), Lee Thorburn's Juliet is the Sun is sure to attract the crime and gangster movie fan. Perhaps he's a Martin Scorsese (my favourite director) in the making.
With that being said, what are your opinions on gangster and crime movies? And what do you guys think of the trailer (provided below)?
With that being said, what are your opinions on gangster and crime movies? And what do you guys think of the trailer (provided below)?
Be sure to be on the lookout for the DVD release of Juliet is the Sun sometime in early 2012.
** For a more in-depth look of Lee Thorburn, how he began and fun stories on set, check out the link below of my video interview with the filmmaker himself! **
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Check out the Juliet is the Sun trailer
Check out my video interview with Lee
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