Private Project

we

In the pursuit for love and happiness, ETHAN, a man with great ambitions and a big heart, must face many obstacles, some that threaten to halt his quest. Set on filling an emptiness left by the death of his parents years ago, Ethan can’t seem to find that one connection we all desire. Yet he continues moving forward despite the many drawbacks he faces. But love is not Ethan’s only goal. Having grown up in Toronto and witnessing the melting pot of cultures remain somewhat divided, Ethan wants to unify his city. He just doesn’t know how. Seeking to understand those around him and build bonds with them is a task more daunting than it seems. Ethan’s kind soul draws people to him but something prevents that connection from lasting a lifetime. His heart has been broken before, his self-esteem shot completely. But Ethan hasn’t learned his lesson. Instead, he continues to force himself into relationships that aren’t any good for him. Every girl he falls for is from a different culture, each one offering him a taste of another life. First Nations, Jewish, Korean, Iranian, South American…the list goes on. Things start off well with each of these women, but soon enough, they break his heart…or he breaks theirs. And every time that happens, depression returns like a dark cloud over his existence. All the while, Ethan must find and maintain a steady job to avoid falling back into poverty, find his way in life, and preserve his sanity in the process. In an interweaving of snippets taken from Ethan’s noble voyage, there are stories of accomplishment, defeat, discrimination, sorrow, hopefulness, and glee. As Ethan makes his way through a kaleidoscope world searching for the better side of humanity and love at the same time, he’ll meet an eclectic mix of people who help him comprehend life and its complexity. Each person that enters his life will illustrate different aspects of an ever-changing world and an ever-growing Toronto.

Title Designer
Jay Johnson

Biography

Jay has designed Main Titles for many of the most memorable films of the recent past. His designs have complimented and enhanced those films. Film makers like Quentin Tarantino “Inglorious Basterds”, “Kill Bill”, and “Pulp Fiction”, choose Jay for all of their film title designs.

Composers
Martin Phipps

Martin recently composed the score of the film Woman in Gold in collaboration with Hans Zimmer. He also scored the BBC adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility.

Matt Dunkley

Matt Dunkley is known for his work on Inception (2010), World War Z (2013) and Ghost in the Shell (2017).

SOUND DEPARTMENT

Supervising Sound Editor, Re-recording Mixer
Steph Carrier

Known for THE NUT JOB, NINE LIVES, SPARK: A SPACE TAIL. In 2012 he was nominated for a Genie Awards for excellence in overall sound for the film “The Big Bang Club”.

MUSIC EDITOR
Kevin Banks

Known for THE SHAPGE OF WATER, RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION/THE FINAL CHAPTER/AFTER LIFE, POMPEII, HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION

SOUND EFFECTS EDITOR
Kristi McIntyre

Known for THE NUN, BOOK CLUB, POWER RANGERS

DIALOGUE EDITOR
Cailey Milito

Known for Workin’ Moms, Schitt’s Creek

DIGITAL COLOURIST
Glen Castinho

Glen Castinho, Head of DI and Senior Colourist at Poland’s Alvernia Studio. Glen Castinho is a seasoned Digital Colorist / DI Consultant. He worked on ARBITRAGE with Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon and Tim Roth. Known for BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG, KILL BULJO, and VAMPS with Alicia Silverstone & Sigourney Weaver.

  • Mani Nasry
    Director
  • Alejandro Leopardi
    Writer
  • Mani Nasry
    Producer
  • Cory Lee
    Key Cast
  • Humberly González
    Key Cast
  • Sera-Lys McArthur
    Key Cast
  • Shiva Negar
    Key Cast
  • Shauna Bonaduce
    Key Cast
  • Clare Preuss
    Key Cast
  • Joan Gregson
    Key Cast
  • Krista Morin
    Key Cast
  • Lara Daans
    Key Cast
  • Marcia Bennett
    Key Cast
  • Rosalba Martinni
    Key Cast
  • Tamara Almeida
    Key Cast
  • A.C Peterson
    Key Cast
  • Brandon Ludwig
    Key Cast
  • Juan Carlos Velis
    Key Cast
  • Mani Nasry
    Key Cast
  • Anita La Selva
    Key Cast
    "Margaret"
  • Janice Kingsley
    Key Cast
    "Lilly"
  • Gabe Grey
    Key Cast
    "Will"
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Biography, Drama
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 26 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    January 14, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    30,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Mani Nasry

Film Director and Actor Mani Nasry’s Journey to success!

Mani Nasry is an exceptionally talented actor and filmmaker and artist with a sophisticated breadth of education, skills, experience, and professional accomplishments. He trained as an actor, producer, and director in New York, Los Angeles, and Toronto, with great hopes to see his career blossom to the highest level. Mani has enjoyed great success in Feature & Short Films as he has appeared in dozens of acclaimed projects, ranging from mainstream Hollywood fares such as The Glow, Covert Affairs, The L.A. Complex, and Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium to acclaimed independent projects such as Galaxy Donuts, The Babysitter, In The Pin We Trust and 482-LOVE. Throughout his career, Mani has won and been nominated for numerous awards based on feature films which helped him pave his way into the industry. Awards ranging from, Best Performance By An Actor In a Leading Role, to a nomination for Best International Actor with his newest feature film We.

“My aim in life is like everyone else and that’s to find love and happiness,” said Mani Nasry, Actor, producer, and director. “For me finding love and happiness in what you do is the main focus, I find love and am happy within the film industry and that’s why I strive to accomplish more.”

As an actor he trained in New York at H.B Studio, Stella Adler Studio of Acting, Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute and at the Actors Studio in New York founded by Elia Kazan, now operated by Al Pacino & Ellen Burstyn. He spent 2 years working with various acting teacher in L.A such as Sharon Chatten, Eric Morris, and Allan Miller.

For Mani, the decision to work in the film industry guided his academic decisions from an early age. He attended a Toronto high school renowned for excellence in the arts and was accepted into one of the highly competitive film program at Ryerson University. Notably, he went to Ryerson with an already well-established career in theatre, film, television and commercial work, and a range of multi-faceted achievements including producing, cinematography, casting, writing, directing, acting, and editing. On his own, he added stints in New York and Los Angeles with leading acting teachers, as well as learning the grace and style of many forms of dance and athletics. With courses perceptively, he has also recognized the importance of acquiring an understanding of the business side of the industry, and the varied aspects of technology and production.

Mani was raised and groomed in Canada, his mindset and lifestyle have always been different, which gave him a strive to do better and work harder. He worked with many acting and film teachers to polish his film skills, it was in high school where he found a deeper interest in film that led him to New York and Los Angeles. The journey to where Mani Nasry is today was not easy, with that, he has channeled it in everything he does to this day. Besides his current acting, producing and directing career, Mani Nasry played various challenging roles in various short films at colleges and universities such as Sheridan, Humber, York University and earned a bachelor’s degree of Fine Arts at Ryerson University. Nasry made a life-changing decision to travel to New York on his own at 19 years old to follow his dreams, in 2002 he gained his ACTRA. Upon polishing his skills, Nasry landed his first major role, a $5 million film called The Glow with well-known actors Dean Cain and Portia De Ross.

He currently completed his first feature film called We, which took over 5 years to make. The film follows Ethan, a man with big ambitions and an even bigger heart as he searches for love in the years following the death of his parents. Mani brought authenticity and life to the leading character of Ethan. He not only acted in it but also directed and produced the film. He imbued a character with layers and complexities that allowed for the audience to empathize with him and root for him. The film was fully improvised on a 200-page script. Mani is a master improviser, working with uncertainties and inherent risk to create a fresh and invigorating performance not only from himself but helping all actors accomplish the same results, the work electrified the entire production.

His first feature film we has joined the international film festival circuit and has provided to be a bona fide success. The film has been selected to screen as an official selection at several highly distinguished festivals including the Indian Cine Film Festival, where it won Best Feature Film, and The Desert Edge Global Film Festival recently granted Nasry the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Award for We.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

This is my first feature film about understanding each other, that we are all from the same source and it doesn’t matter what skin tone you are or where you from, what matters is that our blood is of the same colour, we are all connected and one. We wanted audiences to see people of different ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds as human being without portraying them as evil people, the way the media constructs them. We asked people of colour to speak in their own voices and allow them camera time and not just as extras or one line actors. The film teaches us to be generous, to respond to evil with kindness and gentleness, to care and love one another.

Each nations has it own difficulties and we wanted to give an essence to what's happening in their lives. Never pass a judgement until we have walked a mile in their shoes. To build a bridge of empathy with each other and cut lines between us, that is why the film is called WE. We must understand that we are all inferior and superior to one another. Whatever we do to others, we are only doing unto ourselves. This film shows the beauty of nature, the different seasons, different cultures united as one.

We wanted to show how beautiful a country can be when you can eat in different restaurants, share our experiences with different cultures with and be with one another in order to better understand each other. A country like Canada is a great example of unity, there is no need to build lines and walls around us. The country has built a bridge and welcomed people from all over the world to come together and share their cultures, religion and experiences.

Diversity is limited in the entrainment industy. You will have to fight a battle in order to be in the movies. We are all striving to overcome employment and build a better life.

This film gives equal opportunities and to start a new narrative. Let's all contribute our skills and talents to the economy with equal opportunities. We are all immigrants in one way or another. No one is here to stay, we have a limited time. Let's work to service all without passing judgements.

We are one.