‘I’m still a little in disbelief’: New film ‘Die Alone’ begins shooting in Regina

A group of extras waved signs in front of the Regina Sask. Poly campus on Monday, shouting on cue as actors weaved through them followed by a camera.

Regina and nearby areas are the set for the new film ‘Die Alone’ for a chunk of this summer.

Writer and director Lowell Dean calls it a post-apocalyptic love story.

“Our lead character has amnesia and he wakes up to find the worst possible situation, the world has collapsed and he’s separated from his girlfriend. So the whole movie is about this young man who partners with this tough older woman on a quest to find the woman he loves,” explained Dean.

While it might seem like the movie could have been inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic. Dean said he had the first draft of the script nearly a decade ago.

“I’ve had other projects come and go since then and this kind of became a bit of my white whale where I thought this movie will never happen. I’m still a little in disbelief but we’re on day two now so I’m assuming it’s actually happening,” he said.

Though it’s set in Saskatchewan, had it been made much sooner, the film likely wouldn’t have been made in the province because there wasn’t much of a filming incentive for anything with a budget of more than $1 million.

“It was kind of a foregone conclusion that we wouldn’t get to shoot it here even though, when I wrote it, these were the landscapes I was picturing,” explained Dean.

But with the new grant program from the provincial government he said they’re able to make it here and make it even bigger and better than he was originally thinking.

“We never anticipated that it could happen but to be back here with over 100 people working on this film, many of them friends I’ve worked with for decades, it’s surprising and doesn’t feel like reality,” said Dean.

“Not only did it make it possible to shoot it here, but it made it like this was the smartest place to do it by far.”

The movie is being made with the help of Minds Eye Entertainment, a production company that’s been in Saskatchewan for close to 40 years. ‘Die Alone’ is the first production it’s made under the new Saskatchewan grant system, and CEO and president Kevin Dewalt said they’re thrilled to be back.

“For us, born and raised here, have our company here, it’s just really a thrill to come back and to have an incentive which now competes with any incentive across the country,” said Dewalt.

After the provincial government got rid of the film tax credit in 2012 much of the industry dried up in Saskatchewan. Dewalt said they’ve spent the last several years making movies in other parts of the country but, in the case of this movie, it would be a shame to shoot something that’s set in one place, somewhere else.

“There’s something special about Saskatchewan – if you live here you know it, but if you don’t live here you don’t get it. And I think this is an opportunity for us to really show the landscape,” said Dewalt.

‘Die Alone’ has a budget between $5 and $9 million according to Dewalt. Two million dollars of that is coming from Creative Saskatchewan grants, and the province estimates that will create nearly $10 million in economic activity for Saskatchewan.

The movie is shooting a few days in Regina but will also be moving out to places in Qu’Appelle, Fort Qu’Appelle and Katepwa.

“We’re getting to take advantage of a lot of what Saskatchewan has to offer and the landscapes are going to be insane in this,” said Dean.

Dean has made previous movies in Saskatchewan and said he keeps coming back because his family and friends are from the province.

“I think, as writer, you write what you know and growing up here, these are the landscapes I picture, these are the kinds of characters I picture, so I’m sure one day I’ll write something that isn’t Saskatchewan-based but right now it just feels like the right thing to do,” he said.

Kimberley-Sue Murray plays Emma, the separated girlfriend, in the film and it’s the first time she’s shooting in Saskatchewan.

“It’s a beautiful story in a beautiful scenic – I mean this is the most beautiful place. I’m from eastern Quebec so it feels like home, everyone’s really lovely, the cast and crew,” said Murray.
She called the movie a beautiful love story and said you can feel on set that it’s a passion project.

“Our director, Lowell, has been on my radar for a couple years now so I’m just happy to be working with him,” Murray said.

Douglas Smith stars in the film, playing Ethan who’s searching for his girlfriend. This film is both his first time shooting the province but also visiting Saskatchewan at all.

“It’s very flat, I can see forever. Especially when we were on the eighth floor,” he said gesturing to the building behind him. “I’ve never seen so much land,” said Smith.

Carrie-Anne Moss, of The Matrix fame, stars as the survivalist who takes Ethan under wing. They’re joined in the cast by Frank Grillo, known for his roles in ‘Captain America’ and ‘The Purge’ movies.

‘Die Alone’ is expected to finish filming this summer and could hit theatres in Canada by summer or fall 2024.