It tells the story of a 15 year old and a 50 year old oilman who learn to grow up together over guitar lessons. Meet the Director at the Calgary premiere.
Mason McConnell invited the magazine to the Calgary screening, he is the editor of the Alberta-made film called Guitar Lessons, which is directed by Aaron James. The film stars Corb Lund and Conway Kootenay, has a mostly Indigenous cast, and an all-Canadian crew.
The film has already played in over 45 towns in Alberta, BC, Saskatchewan and Manitoba since late September, and we're making our big city debut in Calgary and Edmonton this Friday, December 2nd. The director, Aaron James, will be hosting a Q&A after our 6:30pm show at the Kensington Plaza Theatre in Calgary, and a few of the cast members - Roseanne Supernault, Kaden Noskiye, and William Auger - will be attending and staying for a meet and greet after the Q&A.
Leland Parenteau is a 15-year-old Native American boy, living in Northern Canada. After inheriting a broken guitar from a father he never knew, he sets about to find a teacher in the community, who can instruct him to play. Ray Mitchell is the local 50-year-old oilfield contractor. Ray is handsome and wealthy, with a weakness for women. It is well known among locals, that back-in-the-day, Ray was something of a rock star - but he went to the oil patch of Alberta and found success. He has not opened a guitar case since. When Leland approaches Ray to ask for guitar lessons, Ray quickly blows him off - but Leland doesn’t take no for an answer.
Then one day Ray sees the broken-down guitar Leland is carrying around and recognizes it immediately as one an old bandmate of his played. From there Ray starts taking an interest in the boy, and the guitar. When Leland withstands a beating rather than help some local thugs rob Ray’s garage of its vintage motorcycles, Ray’s investment in the boy increases. Encouraged by the few people close to him, Ray relents, and the guitar lessons commence. And a poor 15-year old Metis boy, and a rich 50-year-old colonizer, learn to grow up together… over guitar lessons.
Starring: Corb Lund, Conway Kootenay, Roseanne Supernault, Kat Winter, Director: Aaron James, Filmed in High Level, Alberta
Friday, December 2nd, at 6:30 PM
Address: 1133 Kensington Rd NW, Calgary, AB T2N 3P4
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