What a wild ride 2023 was. I’m so happy to have finished Len & His Spitfire in November of 2022, so that it could spend 2023 on the Festival Circuit. It started out with the premiere in Calgary in March at a grassroots puppet festival that I had taken part in in the past (CAOS Animovies). Then came Dawson City, and Yorkton Film Festival, with a nomination for Best of Sask. And then the Okotoks Film Festival, which was new to me and turned out to be such an amazing festival to attend. I met some awesome filmmakers there, and I was able to visit my old CCS coworkers, who I hadn’t seen since getting laid off together when the pandemic hit in 2020.
Then the icing on the cake happened in October, when Len & His Spitfire received a couple awards at the Saskatchewan International Film Festival.
There were so many obstacles along the road to finishing this film, I felt at times a little like that Friends’ gif where they’re moving the couch in the staircase and Ross is yelling, “PIVOT! PIVOT!”
Back when I started this project, 11 years ago now, I envisioned the narrator being one of my University Film School friends, Paul Crepeau, who had a very specific timbre to his voice. But the day after wrapping the shoot, he tragically passed away at age 61 of a heart attack. That same week, Sarah’s Aunt, who we loved dearly, passed away suddenly from Strep Throat. Those losses hit me pretty hard and so I took a break from creating.
I returned to the project a year later and ended up finishing picture lock. But then came the audio, and I still had no ideas for a new narrator. I spent a few years chipping away at the soundscape creating my own foley, from footsteps to doors shutting. I took a bit of time away again, and concentrated on big life events, ie. working a full-time job to save up for a down payment on a house. Once we got our house, I was laid off due to pandemic cutbacks, so I figured there was no time like the present to get back to filmmaking.
That’s when I decided that I needed my Dad to narrate the film. It only made sense, since he did have a similar 
timbre to his father, Len. He was very apprehensive when I approached him with the request. In fact he downright refused it to begin with! So I printed the script, highlighted his parts, ambushed him in the kitchen with a microphone and told him to just read it like he was reading one of his grandkids a bedtime story (which I don’t know that he had ever actually done before!). I went into the other room, so that he didn’t have to perform in front of anyone, and then just let him do his thing.
Dad was so proud to be able to see the film’s success on the Festival Circuit. For the past decade, he would ask me, every time I came home for a visit, “So how’s Len & His Spitfire coming along?” It was that nagging support that gave me the kick in the pants to finally finish the project. And I’m so glad I finished it when I did, because Dad was able to see it and experience it being shared with the world before sadly passing away in November 2023. I haven’t posted since he passed away because I’ve had a hard time finding the words. He was my number one supporter, and I’m just so sad that he’s gone. It just doesn’t feel real. But I know he would want me to continue.
Below are the festivals I missed announcing at the end of 2023 that Len & His Spitfire was accepted into. I’m just so grateful for this amazing journey that my grandfather’s story has taken me on. Thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way. I see you, and I appreciate you.
I’m excited to announce that Len & His Spitfire has won two awards at the 2023 Saskatchewan International Film Festival (SIFF). I won for BEST DIRECTOR – SHORT FILM, and BEST OF SASKATCHEWAN. I was able to take my mother with me to walk the red carpet, and she had a blast. Then the next day I visited my dad in hospital to show him the awards; he was over the moon! Just goes to show, NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS!!!!
During an interview with Global News I was able to explain a bit more about the research that went into my paper puppet film based on my grandpa Len’s time as a Spitfire pilot in WWII. Using snippets from his brother Lew’s book, The Flying Duddridge’s of Hanley, I was able to put stories to his photography. I was also lucky enough to get Great Uncle Lew’s blessing to use his stories in my film.
Firstly we have the Saskatchewan International Film Festival happening in Humbolt & Saskatoon, SK (Event date Oct.14-21); screening Oct.15th 8:43pm at Reel attractions movie theatre in Humbolt.
Next we have the BC premiere, in New Westminster as part of the New West Film Fest happening Oct.20-22 at Landmark Cinemas.
Happening at the same time will be the Italian premiere as part of the Phlegraean Film Festival in beautiful Bacoli, Napoli, Italy; Oct.18-22, where Len & His Spitfire is nominated for Best Short Animation. I’m super excited about this festival because there is a scene in the film that takes place in Italy, so an Italian screening of the film seems fitting and kismet!
Last but not least, Cannes Continental Film Festival (online) will be happening November 30th. That’s all for now folks, THANKS for following my adventure and stay tuned for more Len & His Spitfire news in the near future.
I was interviewed a few months back by the Regina Leaderpost newspaper, regarding Len & His Spitfire’s nomination for Best of Saskatchewan in RIFFA. Figured I’d share with y’all!
Len & His Spitfire is screening at a theatre near you! If you’re in Maryland, Regina, Baker City, or Fulton, you’ll have the chance to watch this epic prairie story on the big screen. Here’s to hoping I’ll get a few more selections in the future to bring my film to more audiences across the world. Stay tuned!
Reel Puppetry Film Festival held at the University of Maryland, screening date July 19th, 2023. Fun fact, Heather Henson (Jim Henson’s daughter) will be in attendance at this festival and will be presenting a Panel Talk. EPIC! Really wish I could be there, but alas I have not updated my passport since travelling to Mexico a decade ago. Gotta get on that!
Regina International Film Festival Awards, in Regina, Saskatchewan, happening August 1st to 5th, 2023; nominated for Best of Saskatchewan. Screening date TBA.
The 14th Annual We Like ‘Em Short Film Festival in Baker City, Oregon, happening August 24th through 27th, 2023. Screening date and time TBA.
The Art of Movie Making Film Festival in Fulton, New York, tentatively happening June 14-15, 2024.
I recently received a couple amazing opportunities to be interviewed about my short paper puppet film, Len & His Spitfire. The first was for the Yorkton newspaper, talking about the Yorkton Film Festival nomination of Best of Saskatchewan.
The second was an online article for a Canadian Cinema Toronto-based blog, Cinemorata, run by Canadian cinephile, Michael Thede. I was super impressed with how well both articles turned out, so I wanted to share them with y’all! I hope you enjoy. (Click on the pictures to access the article links).
It’s been a busy festival season for Len & His Spitfire. In late May I was in attendance at the Yorkton Film Festival, where Len & His Spitfire was nominated for Best of Saskatchewan. It had been ten years since attending this festival, and it was so lovely to be back. I got to chat with the CEO of CBC, Catherine Tait, while we both grabbed ourselves coffees before her Panel Talk. I also got to reconnect with some University of Regina filmmakers and Film professors who were also screening at the festival, and got to see a friend who I hadn’t seen since she was a guest at my wedding 8 years ago. A great festival filled with a sense of togetherness in the filmmaking community.
Next I was off to OFF (Okotoks Film Festival) in Alberta at the beginning of June, where Len & His Spitfire was nominated for Best Documentary. This was an absolutely lovely festival that put an emphasis on the film screenings. It was the first time that I got to screen in a real theatre, with the smell of popcorn in the air and the buzz of excitement. It was an amazing opportunity to meet filmmakers from across the world. During the filmmakers online meet up I was able to connect with a French filmmaker named Victor whose film, Fortissimo, was one of my favourites and ended up winning the Audience Choice Award. I also met a couple amazing local Calgary filmmakers, Aleisha Anderson and Nathan Horch whose feature film, Father of Nations, opened the festival. And a fun little tidbit, Len’s nephew, Gordon Bohrson, showed up to the screening to see the film and meet me for the first time. It was so nice to have family and friends show up and support me. Just an all around amazing experience.
I had an amazing weekend in Calgary, where I attended the debut screening of Len & His Spitfire at the Calgary Animated Objects Society (CAOS) Festival of Animated Objects, Animovies Screening. It was well received by the audience, and during the Q&A session following the screening, I was able to explain a bit about the creation process.
When the question of how long the film took to complete came up, my timeline was by far the longest compared to the 3 and 4 months it took the filmmakers sitting beside me. Len & His Spitfire has been an absolute labour of love, which I started back in 2013. It took me a good year to do pre-production, researching the story using Len’s brother’s book, The Flying Duddridge’s of Hanley, writing the script and creating storyboards, digitally creating the puppets in photoshop using Len’s photography, printing, cutting out and assembling the puppets and sets; then production took another year to complete, shooting a couple weekends a month with a small crew of 3 to 4; and then I stepped away from the project for 5 years; picture edit took a year, and the sound edit took a good two years to complete, as I had to create the majority of the sounds myself (ie. when a puppet is walking on screen, the footsteps are actually me walking and holding a mic next to my feet).
So all together, Len & His Spitfire took me ten years to complete. That story got a round of applause from the audience, which was really inspiring. I don’t think I’ve ever felt as supported for creating my art, than in that moment. It was pretty special, and it really made it all worth it. I set out to make a film that my grandpa Len would be proud of, and I think I succeeded.
Noelle Duddridge 