Friday, January 13, 2012


The film I just finished was based on this novel by Richard Van Camp. It's a deadly sliver of a book, and I heartily recommend it. Here's a little description, taken from the Lesser Blessed website:
'Larry is a Tlicho Indian growing up in the small northern town of Fort Simmer. His tongue, hallucinations and fantasies are hotter than the centre of the sun. At sixteen, he loves heavy metal music, the North and Juliet Hope, the high school “hottie”. When Johnny Beck, a Métis from Hay River, moves to town, Larry is ready for almost anything. Skinny as spaghetti, nervy and self-deprecating, Larry is an appealing mixture of bravado and vulnerability. His past holds many terrors: an abusive father, and an accident that almost killed him. But through his friendship with Johnny, and his lust for Juliet, he’s ready now to face his memories — and his future. The Lesser Blessed is an eye-opening depiction of what it is to be a young Native man in today’s modern world.'
I actually couldn't get my hands on a copy until the last three days of the shoot, when Benjamin Bratt showed up (like a knight in shining armour) with an extra copy. He plays Jed, Larry's rugged, worldly step-father. Here's a picture of Benjamin. Just in case you were wondering what he looks like.

But seriously, the book is a gem. Track it down, won't you?

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