North of Albany (French: Au nord d'Albany) is a 2022 Canadian drama film directed by Marianne Farley (in her directorial debut) from a screenplay she co-wrote with Claude Brie. It stars Céline Bonnier, Zeneb Blanchet, and Eliott Plamondon as a Canadian family who run away to the United States. The film was shot in the province of Quebec in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2020. The film premiered at Cinéfest on September 19, 2022, and was released in theaters on December 2, 2022, by Maison 4:3.
A single mother, Annie, flees from the Canadian city of Montreal with her two children Sarah and Felix after Sarah physically attacks a bully.[3] The family's car breaks down, stranding them in the Adirondacks in the American state of New York. There, they meet local mechanic Paul who helps them confront the real reasons they are on the run.[4]
In June 2019, Telefilm Canada revealed three films, including North of Albany, it would fund in the upcoming months.[1][5] In December 2019, SODEC announced they would also finance it.[6]Marianne Farley got the idea for the film after her car broke down close to the Adirondack Park while she was visiting her brother in the US.[7][8] Calling the mishap a "shitty adventure", Farley wrote the initial screenplay with her then-spouse Claude Brie.[3][9] Farley also produced the film with Benoit Beaulieu under their production banner Slykid & Skykid. It is the company's second project after 2020's Our Own (Les Nôtres).[4]
^Townsend, Kelly (June 18, 2019). "Telefilm awards $1.3M to three Quebec films". Playback. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved November 13, 2020. A total of $1.3 million will be provided under Telefilm's selective component production program for projects with a budget under $2.5 million.
^Ramond, Charles-Henri (June 18, 2019). "Téléfilm Canada soutient 3 longs métrages québécois" [Telefilm Canada supports 3 Quebec feature films]. Films du Québec (in French). Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
^Ramond, Charles-Henri (December 16, 2019). "La SODEC soutient 12 projets de fiction" [SODEC supports 12 fiction projects]. Films du Québec (in French). Archived from the original on November 2, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
^Ramond, Charles-Henri (October 9, 2020). "Marianne Farley tourne Au nord d'Albany" [Marianne Farley is filming North of Albany]. Films du Québec (in French). Archived from the original on November 2, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
^Karine Paradis, Par (November 21, 2020). "Découvrez le nouveau look de Céline Bonnier" [Discover Céline Bonnier's new look]. enVedette.ca (in French). Archived from the original on November 21, 2020. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
^Ramond, Charles-Henri (June 23, 2022). "Au nord d'Albany, en salle le 11 novembre" [North of Albany, in theaters November 11]. Films du Québec (in French). Retrieved October 1, 2022.