Private Project

Tides of March

Roman Paradise Gone Wrong! — A modern day alternate reality remix of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.

Cassius and Brutus conspire on a modern day beachfront to murder the Roman Emperor, but what happens when Caesar is triumphant?

  • Jilian Tolzmann
    Director
    Dating Advice with Baba Yaga
  • Jilian Tolzmann
    Writer
    Dating Advice with Baba Yaga
  • Yorlene Bernido
    Writer
    Fly Love (Playwright, Studio 58)
  • Kelly Zhou
    Writer
  • Eve O'Dea
    Writer
  • Jilian Tolzmann
    Producer
    Dating Advice with Baba Yaga
  • Gabi Amaya
    Producer
    The Bunker
  • William Morgan
    Producer
    Dating Advice with Baba Yaga
  • William Morgan
    Director of Photography
    Dating Advice with Baba Yaga
  • Penny Handford
    Key Cast
    "Julius Caesar"
  • Sara Vickruck
    Key Cast
    "Cassius"
    D1GG3R
  • Sewit Haile
    Key Cast
    "Brutus"
    The Good Doctor
  • Brian Luneza
    Key Cast
    "Mark Antony"
  • Mo (Ka Wing) Yan
    Key Cast
    "Soothsayer"
  • Aurora Todd
    Key Cast
    "Livia"
  • Jilian Tolzmann
    Key Cast
    "Lucilius"
    Dating Advice with Baba Yaga
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, Comedy, Shakespearean
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 12, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    185 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    English
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - BCIT / ACE-IT
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • RunNGun 48 Hour Film Festival
    Vancouver
    Canada
    June 17, 2024
    Global Premiere
    Official Selection & Best Youth Team Nominee
Director Biography - Jilian Tolzmann

With a passion for telling compelling stories through nuanced comedy, Jilian Tolzmann is a multidisciplinary artist currently acting, directing, writing and producing on both screen and stage.

She has worked on theatre projects such as apprentice directing Touchstone Theatre's production of YAGA at Gateway Theatre as well as performing with various companies including The Cultch and Carousel Theatre. In addition to acting, Jilian has been a musician for 15 years. She also has a plethora of credits in additional departments, anywhere from costumes to art.

Jilian loves jumping into new creative challenges and experiences. A directorial highlight was her 2023 RunNGun 48 Hour Film best youth team nomination --a true example of her adventurous creative nature.

Pursuing acting, Jilian is a student at Studio 58 / Langara College.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Tides of March was written, shot and edited in 48 hours for the RunNGun 48 Hour Film Competition. This whirlwind weekend was an exciting celebration of filmmaking. I am proud of how efficiently the team worked to complete this film in 48 hours. Our amazing actors memorized Shakespeare lines on the day, having no prep as we just wrote the script the night before.

My team went into the weekend only knowing our premise: beachfront Julius Caesar. Luckily, the competition’s surprise elements served as magnificent inspiration.

From the moment the idea of a beach themed contemporary adaptation of Julius Caesar came to mind, I envisioned the poster idea with a character holding a sun hat. Then I was amazed when I became aware a hat was one of the surprise elements.

The other surprise element was at least one line in another language. This challenge inspired the creepy walla voiceover sequences which multicultural cast and crew created.

“Alternate reality” was the surprise theme, which launched us into flipping Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar play inside out to explore what if Caesar didn’t die? We wove the consequences of Caesar’s conquer into the surprise line: “Ever since I found ____, nothing has been the same.”, tying up the film with the impact of Caesar’s triumph.

Julius Caesar is a play that debates the certainty of fate vs free will. In this case, Caesar is triumphant and although the plot is turned upside down, like in Shakespeare’s play there is a tragic point of no return. We’d like to leave you with the same question of Shakespeare’s play: Is free will possible? Or even with the characters making brash decisions, were they still destined to meet a doomed fate?