Private Project

Alter Boys -Short

Submerged in a series of meetings between two young men at the wooded borders of a conversion therapy camp. Each scene, a timestamp of one summer's haunting interplay of hope and ruin; and the echoing silence of both.

  • Jonathan Lawrence
    Director
  • Jonathan Lawrence
    Writer
  • Justin Otto
    Key Cast
    "Ben"
  • Jonathan Lawrence
    Key Cast
    "Scotty"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    20 minutes
  • Production Budget:
    4,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Jonathan Lawrence

Jonathan Lawrence is a Winnipeg based, Indigenous, LGBTQ filmmaker who has produced several award-winning short and feature films; often simultaneously fulfilling roles of writer, director, and actor.

His most recent work, a short film titled ALTER BOYS explores the budding relationship between two young men at the wooded borders of a remote conversion therapy camp. The project’s script won ACTRA MB’s inaugural Diversity Short Film Competition while the finished film went on to garner the 'Golden Boy' award for Best Film at the 2019 ACTRA MB Showcase. Jonathan is currently in the process of further developing ALTER BOYS, into an eight-episode limited drama series. The project was selected for Telefilm’s 2020 Talent to Watch Program, where it will be produced under their web-series stream. As well, the series has been selected as part of the inaugural, CFC/ Netflix Project Development Accelerator; a three-month program that will culminate with a final pitch to Netflix.

Jonathan is a professionally trained actor with an honours degree from the University of Winnipeg Department of Theatre & Film. Following graduation he went on to produce his first film, a feature titled WHEN THE WORLD WAS FLAT. The film went on to garner several accolades, including Best First-Time Director at the Canada International Film Festival, and Best Actor at both Helios Film Festival (Cincinnati) and Alt Film Festival (Toronto).

His next project, BLACKOUT explored the complexities of addiction and family as they play out during an intervention between a mother and her two sons. The film found success with several official selections including Winnipeg Aboriginal Film Festival, Canada Shorts, and Largo Film Festival (Geneva).The film also saw wins/ nominations for directing, ensemble, and best film.

Recently, Jonathan was able to showcase his work at the 2019 Banff World Media Festival as part of the Netflix-Banff Diversity of Voices Initiative where he was one of 25 pitch-program participants chosen from across Canada. Jonathan was also selected as one of six Canadian creators to attend the Indigenous Filmmaker Fellowship as part of the 2019 Whistler Film Festival to develop a new short-form project, LITTLE WHITE LIE. Apart from his own films, Jonathan has also kept busy acting and can be seen most recently in Shelagh Carter’s latest feature, INTO INVISIBLE LIGHT.

Jonathan has had the honor of working alongside a brilliantly talented ensemble of Canadian artists with the aim to create evocative work that draws on a distillation of human vulnerability and brokenness amid visceral landscapes and the beauty therein.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Film is so often synonymous as a platform for entertainment, though at its best it becomes a catalyst for change, conversation, and visibility- with Alter Boys we hope to capture a bit of everything,

Alter boys reminds us that the freedom to explore and express love and sexuality is so intrinsic to existing; it is also a privilege to do so without threat to personal autonomy or even safety.

The world harbors many malignant ideologies but love will not be made out to be one of them.

To evoke, inspire, and engage- this is why we tell these stories; this story.