Overview :
The Mark does something not many Canadian short films do: share a bilingual story!
Message from the Director:
"As a Quebecer who lives in Vancouver, my world is never unilingual; I am always going from French to English on a day to day basis. This is the reality of many Canadians, although it's not often shown on the big screen. Comparatively, in the states, bilingual shows have gained popularity, such as Jane the Virgin, Narcos and El Chapo among many others.
I believe in creating Canadian content and telling Canadian stories. We hope to represent the bilingual reality by creating Canadian content which showcases this as a primary focal point.
We hope you'll join us for our crazy adventure!"
- Marie-Catherine
Story :
In the wake of a bloody civil war, French Canada and Anglo Canada are divided by a massive wall. The wall brings an uneasy peace, and on both sides the totalitarian government destroys any semblance of the other’s culture.
Two friends on the Anglo side, Oliver and Jules, try to get by in a world where cruelty is the norm and bilinguals are hunted like dogs. But everything changes when Jules falls in love with Marianne, a bilingual in hiding. Meanwhile, Oliver hides a dark secret from everyone…
![]()
We really need $37,000 but chose $5000 as our goal in order to bypass paying indiegogo's 5% commission if we didn't meet it.
This is what the extra money will mean for THE MARK :
$5,000: Allows us to fairly compensate our hardworking crew and cast.
$15,000: Allows us to pay for camera rigs, jibs, dollies and additional crew to incorporate camera movement in action-heavy scenes.
$25,000: Allows us to use special effects essential to the story and hire professionals to keep the safety of our talent as the top priority.
$35,000 : Allows us to secure the funding for our post production team.
$37,000 : Allows our film to apply for Film Festivals and prepare for EPK packages.
Here’s what that could mean for you:
- Bigger stunts
- Louder explosions
- Your name behind the success of this project.
Why We Need You :
A dystopian Sci-Fi short film is a very labour intensive production. Added expenses include costumes, set decor, guns (and all the safety requirements around that), bullets, a horse, several locations (a speakeasy, a wall, an open fire party scene, etc). All increase the budget considerably.
Guns, bullets and gun wranglers are all added expenses in a film, and coupled with a cast of seven, you've got the need for a crowdfunding campaign.
WHAT WE HAVE FOR YOU:
We've set up a crowdfunding perk program that includes:
Executive Producer, Co-Producer and Associate Producer Credits
Posters
Be An Extra
Be a Guard
A digital download of the film when it finishes
Our thanks in print and on the film credit scroll
IS THIS ALL IT TAKES ?
No, we need more than we're asking for. A lot more. We've applied to other funding sources and we believe in our project so much we're crowdfunding for only 1/7 of our budget of $36,710 to film. If our campaign raises the whole $36,710 that would be awesome!
There is no way we can self-finance a film like this so you are the key. We need your help to go well past our goal and all the way to the finish line.
RISKS AND CHALLENGES
We know. You've backed a crowd-funded project before and that was the last you heard of it. Yes, it is a risk to donate to a crowdfunding campaign, especially one this ambitious but we are committed to making this film happen.
Our cast are busy working actors and are all on-board. Our crew is working day and night to make this project happen. We have the infrastructure to produce the content, and the funds we are raising are for production and production quality. That means most of the dollars will end up on the screen, which is exactly where you want them.
![]()
Marie-Catherine is a multitalented artist. She completed her studies in acting (Cégep Marie-Victorin, 2010) and cinéma (University of Montréal, 2016) and is a photographer at heart. As a photographer, she embarked on a journey that lead her to work in several countries from the “Muestra de Cine” in Mexico City to contract photography in Pai, Thailand.
In Canada, Marie-Catherine has worked in several departments. She worked as Project Manager and Videographer for non-profit organisations in QUÉBEC, before moving to the West Coast. In Vancouver, she specialized in Production Design. She is known for contributing on Corona, Shall we Play ?, Edible People, Flip, Terror, Better late than Never and Des Eaux pour me perdre.
As a photographer, Marie-Catherine was part of several exhibitions from Montréal, Québec to Victoria, BC. She produced The Daily Slammer, Does anyone shoot film anymore ?, T(re)eplant this, MUP Festival. She was also published in Aye Magazine 2018 and in A Fresh Coat of grit and new Layer of dust 2017 and 2018. She has been fortunate to work and study with many artists from different cultural and artistic backgrounds, including Armand Vaillancourt, Mostafa Keshvari, and Alexandre Landry.
She is currently directing and producing this short, while seeking a producer for her modern time female Western feature.
Producer : Shubham Chhabra
![]()
Shubham Chhabra is a producer and director based in Vancouver.
Growing up in India and moving and living in different parts of the world has shaped his outlook on film and telling stories. When he was young, he connected deeply with the works of Anurag Kashyap, which inspired him to become a filmmaker himself. Shubham aspires to go against the grain and explore themes of surrealism in his films as a way of showing how performative our reality can be - and that it’s in our nature to keep evolving.
His ultimate goal, however, is to tell stories to break down barriers for people who never realized that they too could create films.
Director of Photography : Parker Chen
![]()
Parker is a self-taught cinematographer hailing from Hong Kong, who arrived in Vancouver a year ago and has been working on many projects since. He started his first project and career as a DP for a feature film back in Hong Kong and has gained attention and traction. His second work called "The Windsor Paradox" (2018) was officially selected in festivals in the US, namely Austin Comedy, Feel the Reel International, and Top Shorts Online (honorable mention). Ultimately Parker decided to move away from home to further his career and fulfill his dream of becoming an influential Director of Photography.
Production Coordinator : Alwina Kast
![]()
Alwina Kast is a self-motivated and energetic Project Manager who came to Vancouver four months ago to fulfill her dream of becoming one of the best Production Manager in the film industry.
Born in Kazakhstan, raised in Germany and lived in the US for a while, she has a lot of multicultural background, which is a great advantage working with the stakeholders involved and different personalities in this business.
Costume Designer : Karyna Barros
![]()
Karyna was born in Brazil, and moved to Toronto in 1988, where she right away start sewing and designing costumes for children’s play. Her father worked for the Brazilian Federal Government, while her mother was a Costume Designer. Karyna learned to sew from her mother, and started making her own clothes from a young age. She also developed her love for film and theatre from an early age as her mother was a dancer, and an actor. Karyna moved to Vancouver BC in 1992 and worked on several Hallmark Movies, Life Time Chanel, feature films, commercials, TV/Web series, and short films. Karyna started to work in film in BC in the year 2000. From Costumer, to Costume Supervisor, wardrobe truck supervisor, instructor for Set and Truck supervisors, assistant costume designer and to costume designer. Karyna Designed Costumes for actors, Children in Theatre, Victorian gowns, futuristic costumes, and period pieces.
Karyna is Graduated in Mental Health, Physical Disability, Immigration Law, Art And Craft Of Film Director, Costume Design and Stylist.
MUA : Iveta Duong
![]()
My name is Iveta and I am a makeup artist from Prague, Czech Republic. Initially studying makeup in Hanoi, Vietnam, I relocated to Prague to work for M.A.C.cosmetics
In 2012 I became a freelancer and my work has since featured extensively in magazine editorials, TV shows, commercials,fashion shows, events and music videos. My clients have included many fashion designers and photographers and I’ve worked on various productions from Prague to Tokyo. From 2018 I started to do makeup for tv news in TV channel NOVA s.r.o. Prague
ACCOLADES – In 2015 – 1st place in makeup and hair competition – CREATIVE IMAGE TEAM 2015 theme Viva Frida
FILM WORK – Short film based on the Rusty Lake games: Rusty Lake Paradox, students films
Gaffer : John Heinekey
![]()
John Heinekey is an American born film enthusiast. he’s been living and lighting in Vancouver for the last two years.
THE CAST :
Oliver : Alan O'Silva
![]()
In 1994 Alan O'Silva said a joke to a girl in the city-centre of his small mountain home-town bordering Transylvania. The girl took his hand and presented him to the local youth theatre Ariel, ran by his future mentor Geny Migleczi. He was on stage in the same night on the theatre's evening performance. One month later, he booked a lead part in a huge Greek tragedy called 'The Danaides' after Aeschylus, directed by the multi-awarded Silviu Purcarete. The show toured the world for three and a half years, collecting many awards at the biggest theatre festivals such as Edinburgh International Festival in UK or Lincoln Center Festival in New York.
After that Alan did his Master of Drama degree at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama where he got empowered with the old/timeless Shakespeare and the new BBC fields of expression such as Radio, Television and Film. His one-man-show 'Fish On Dry Water' that he wrote / directed / performed was awarded four out five stars in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He also played the main suspect in the reputable detective TV series 'Taggart'.
It was here when Alan discovered his passion for cinematography, and never let it go. Ever since, he played in dozens of movies, TV series and commercials. But he never forgot his first love, theatre, and from time to time came back to it, such as playing Casio in 'Othello' by Shakespeare directed by the multi-awarded Andriy Zholdak.
Grégoire : Nick Preston
![]()
Nick Preston is an actor, singer, multi-instrumentalist and playwright. A graduate of the UBC BFA Acting program, he has worked across Western Canada in theatre, with recent credits include The Sound of Music (Chemainus), Prairie Nurse (Station Arts Centre, SK), Souvenir (Kelowna Actors Studio), It's a Wonderful Life (Gateway), and will next be performing in Alberta with All is Calm (Rosebud).
Between theatre contracts, Nick works in film and commercials, and will be premiering on Netflix in 2020 with The Haunting of Bly Manor.
As a creator, Nick's first original musical, The Great Canadian Porno: The Musical, premiered during the 2019 Vancouver Fringe Festival, and he has collectively developed, performed and travelled with the piece CAEZR: what would you die for...?
Marianne : Frédérique Roussel
![]()
Frédérique is a bilingual actress who studied acting at Vancouver Film School. She's been seen on stage in Peter Pan (Les Contes à Modeler), Sleeping Beauty (Vagabond Players), les monologues du vagin (Réseau-Femmes) et Bienvenue à Caribouville (La Boussole).
She has also worked for the big screen, notably in Fun House and Pour elle(s), which she wrote and produced herself. Frédérique is proud to say that her short film has won 2 prizes while touring in the film festival circuit, one of those prizes being Best Foreign Short Film!
After such a fulfilling experience, Frédérique has decided to further study screenwriting and to accept work behind the camera as well.
Jules : Michael Berdan
![]()
Born and raised in British Columbia, Michael’s interest in acting started at a young age, staging sci-fi episodics for friends and classmates, and years later pushing comedic boundaries as a writer and actor with Vancouver sketch comedy group The Classholes.
Blending the wry with the dramatic provided him opportunities in several independent short projects, and eventually a lead as Jeffrey Skilling in Lucy Prebble’s Enron, where he depicted the hubris and downfall of a brilliant and once-respected corporate chief hell-bent on winning at any cost.
Michael continues to balances a career in IT with his work as an actor, keeping his story going so he can help tell the stories of others.
Évangeline : Shahrzad Jamali
![]()
Born and raised in Iran, I have experienced so many things in life and that is one of the reasons I have chosen to become an actor, to be able to show those experiences in film and on screen. I was born into a family of performers, so even if I didn’t choose to be a performer it is still in my blood. It was very hard (at the same time very lucky) growing up in a family of artists and performers and live in Iran where there were so many restrictions and rules, and no freedom to express and where there is a constant fear of being caught for doing what you love. But that didn’t stop my family, my dad kept on doing what he does best, sing, and my aunt became one of the best actresses in theatre in her time.
Then we moved to Paris, where I could finally pursue my passion, dancing. I started modern ballet, jazz and contemporary at the age of 16 and I was told that I was a natural. That’s when it all started, the rush of going on stage and perform in front of an audience. That, however, stopped when we moved to Vancouver. I was so lost when I arrived in Vancouver and wasn’t sure what it was I wanted to do, so after a couple of years of searching, I decided to follow my other passion, art, and got into school for graphic design. That didn’t go so well, I did finish school and got my degree but was never really interested in working as a graphic designer, I wanted something more, something that was closer to me and my personality. So I ended up working in coffee shops, and still do!
About two years ago, my friend encouraged me to quit my job at the coffee shop and join the film industry, and I did. I started with some PA jobs here and there, then join Iatse as a graphic designer. It was all going well, but something was still missing. I then decided to do backgrounds and see how it is, I found an agent and started getting a lot of work. And there it was, what I’ve been looking for, being on set and in front of the camera was just wonderful. I started getting SAE and Picture Cast, which was even more fun and that’s when I decided this is what I want to do, act! Not gonna lie, it’s tough at my age to get into it but I don’t care, I’m getting into this industry knowing the ups and downs I’m going to face, but that will not stop me.
Agnès : Anais Collin
![]()
Anaïs Laverdure Collin was raised in a family of French-Canadian actors. She began performing on stage by the age of 12. Her most notable stage roles include a part in The Vagina's Monologue and Sophie in Gretzky takes it Black in 2018
Later on moving to Vancouver, British-Columbia to study at The Vancouver Academy of Dramatic Arts, where she graduated in 2017. In 2018 she attended a week Masterclass Intensif program at the renowned Tom Todoroff Studio Conservatory in New York City.
She then continued her studies in Vancouver at The Actors Chapel under the tutelage of Scott Bromley and perfected her American accent with internationally-renowned dialect coach Tony Alcantar.
She has since appeared in several short films, three commercials and multiple voice over projects. Among them, her role in the short film “The Lantern”, was recognized at both the LA Shorts Fest and the London Short Film Festival in 2019.
Anaïs is eagerly undertaking new skills training in dancing, singing and stage combat.
She is looking forward to playing the role of Agnès in her latest short film project: “The Mark”.
A native of Montréal, Québec, Canada, Anaïs now lives in Vancouver, BC.
Guard Commender : Alex Pfleger
![]()
Alexander Pfleger Habert has appeared in over a dozen short films, three indie features, three small-screen roles, and a nationally recognized tv spot for Shaw Communications.
You may have seen him acting alongside Joshua Sasse in No Tomorrow (The CW Network, 2016), co-hosting Guess The Story (Tongal, 2017), or interacting with the likes of acting veterans Frank Cassini and Aleks Paunovic in Volition (Smith Brothers, 2019), to name just a few.
Alexander's ability to speak several languages and impersonate a variety of dialects, has helped him create a unique and diverse range of characters to portray. Select films that Alexander has appeared in have been recognized by: BEAC National Awards, YoungCuts Film Festival Awards, Palm Spring ShortFest, and the Philip K. Dick Sci-Fi Film Fest Award.
Alexander started his acting studies in 2000 in the Theatre Workshop Program at John-Abbott College, in Montréal, Quebec, Canada. Later on moving to Vancouver, British-Columbia to study at The Vancouver Film School, where he graduated in 2004. In 2016, upon graduating from the InFocus Film School Foundation Program, he continued his passion for film by getting behind the lens, directing several of his own dramatic short films.
A native of Montréal, QC, Canada, Alexander now lives in Vancouver, BC.
Alexander can be reached at: alex_pfleger@hotmail.com or https://alexanderpflegerhabert.workbooklive.com
Female Guard : Rachelle Hay
![]()
Rachelle Hay is a Trinidadian Canadian actor with Chinese, English, Venezuelan and Spanish ancestry. She has trained under respected Vancouver veterans, Ben Ratner and Jeb Beach. Key roles to date include lead role in short film "Death", Feature Film "Moving Parts" and “Limetown” (Facebook Watch). Rachelle is also a content creator (IG @rachellehay).
