As the COVID-19 pandemic upended daily life a few years ago, R.T. Thorne found himself facing 91裸聊视频渆xistential fears.91裸聊视频�

With the food supply chain disrupted and people stockpiling toilet paper, the Calgary-born director started questioning whether the world he knew was ever as stable as it seemed.

91裸聊视频淚f a sickness that we can91裸聊视频檛 even control knocks us off our rocker like that, are we really that safe? Are we really that firm in what we know?91裸聊视频� Thorne recalls wondering.

91裸聊视频淪o it started to make me think, 91裸聊视频楥an I provide for my kids if everything were to shut down? Can I grow food? Do I know how to do that? Can I protect them?91裸聊视频�

Thorne says those uncertainties were key inspirations for his debut film 91裸聊视频�40 Acres,91裸聊视频� which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival this week.

The post-apocalyptic thriller centres on Hailey Freeman, an ex-military matriarch played by Danielle Deadwyler who leads her family in a future ravaged by famine. Faced with the threat of a ruthless band of cannibals intent on overtaking their farm, she clashes with her son Emanuel, played by Toronto91裸聊视频檚 Kataem O91裸聊视频機onnor, on the best way to survive a crumbling world.

91裸聊视频淎t its heart, it91裸聊视频檚 a mother and son story,91裸聊视频� says Thorne, who cut his teeth directing music videos for artists including Sean Paul and Keshia Chant茅 before creating 2020 sci-fi series 91裸聊视频淯topia Falls91裸聊视频� and helming 2022 period drama 91裸聊视频淭he Porter,91裸聊视频� both of which aired on CBC.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a thriller that91裸聊视频檚 about two different ideologies of how to move forward in a family.91裸聊视频�

While Hailey believes her family91裸聊视频檚 safety depends on complete isolation, Emanuel craves connection, eager to explore the world outside their farm after encountering a young woman from a nearby homestead, played by Toronto-born Milcania Diaz-Rojas.

Thorne and co-writer Glenn Taylor weave the dystopian survival story together with a metaphor for the complex history of land ownership in North America. Hailey is a descendant of a Black family of farmers who settled in Canada after the American Civil War, while her partner, Michael Greyeyes91裸聊视频� Galen, is Indigenous.

91裸聊视频淚 wanted to make a story about a family I91裸聊视频檝e never seen on screen before. It91裸聊视频檚 a blended Black and Indigenous family,91裸聊视频� says Thorne.

91裸聊视频淚 think there are so many stories in Canada that can be told.91裸聊视频�

Thorne says 91裸聊视频�40 Acres91裸聊视频� draws on several current political and economic challenges, from racial inequality to food insecurity to Indigenous land rights.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e been in this space for almost a decade where socially there have been a lot of things that have been happening in the world that are causing a lot of people worry,91裸聊视频� he says.

91裸聊视频淗opefully (we can) put these ideas out there and let people contemplate it, but take them for a little ride as well.91裸聊视频�

Thorne says his film has been eight years in the making and premiering it at TIFF has been a 91裸聊视频渄ream come true.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e been coming to this festival for over 20 years as a film lover, just seeing amazing films that just rocked my world,91裸聊视频� he says.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 honoured to be able to come here and have my debut film at the festival that I love.91裸聊视频�

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Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press