Web Series AFIN 165
CHATEAU LAURIER - SEASON 2
Directed by 
James Stewart
AFIN 2023 Winner
- 2023
- 1h 10m
-
Canada - Romance
- Historical
- Crime
Stills
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Credits
Produced by
Synopsis
Edwardian newlyweds Hattie and Vivian navigate their lives on the other side of happily ever after and learn that life as heirs to the grand Chateau Laurier hotel comes with slings, arrows, enemies, opportunities and strife.
When the grand hotel was opened in Ottawa in 1912 it represented all that was extravagant and privileged at the dawn of a new century. The surrounding town was little more than a frontier. This is Canada in the moment it blooms onto the world stage, growing pains and all. Chateau Laurier follows the struggle to control power of the hotel (and beyond) between Briar Hays (Tymika Tafari), the new owner of the hotel, her estranged brother Vivian (Luke Humphrey), his wide-eyed new wife Hattie (Kate Ross Leckie), her acerbic Aunt Esme (Fiona Reid)…and Gabriel Sabot, the Cajun-creole boss of Lowertown (Emmanuel Kabongo).
The show has a core cast of recurring characters vying for power in the family-run hotel in 1912 Ottawa. Uniquely Canadian, Chateau Laurier is told with a flair for the dramatic, with diverse, distinct, entertaining characters and a dose of humour.
New Season 2 cast include Tymika Tafari (Apple TV+ The Marijuana Conspiracy), Emmanuel Kobongo (21 Thunder), Joel Oulette (Trickster), Brittany Raymond (The Next Step), Katie Uhlmann (Nurses) and Jason Gray (Reign).
Retuning cast include series leads Kate Ross Leckie (Alias Grace), Luke Humphrey (Tiny Pretty Things), Fiona Reid (Harry Potter on Broadway), Kent Staines (Anne with an E) and Fraser Elsdon (Y: The Last Man).
Director's Statement
I grew up in Ottawa and always wanted to make a film about the storied hotel and the stories within its walls. Chateau Laurier harkens back to a fictional time when power was fluid, morals cheap and diversity was the order of the day - Ottawa 1912.
What makes this one special
From the Judges
From the Judges
A sprawling, ensemble-driven period drama, this installment carries a canny sense of story that stands on its own even for newcomers to the world. The panel found the locations, props, and costumes wonderfully spot on, an assured production and costume design that grounds every frame in its setting. They came away admiring how completely that craft brings the series' milieu to life.
Director's Biography
James Stewart Director
James Stewart was the creative force behind the 3D version of Werner Herzog’s CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS, a film that won the 2010 Lumière Award for Best 3D Documentary, a film that regularly makes the lists of All-time Best 3D films and was described by The Guardian as “the reinvention of the cinema medium.” A TED speaker and East Timor advocate, James has twice been awarded for his directing work supporting PTSD awareness among first responders. His first short film TEEN, a story of childhood sexual abuse, won the audience award at the Belfast Children’s Film Festival. More recently James worked with Oprah creating Elliot Page’s first ever interview - an intimate virtual experience connecting 6 times zones and 3 cites (GLADD Award winner). James produced and directed the 6-episode Season 2 of his historical drama series CHATEAU LAURIER which was nominated for both the 2019 CSA and WGC awards. Other 2021 projects include BET ON YOURSELF a 12 x 60:00 series with Fred Van Vleet and THINK - a 90-minute branded content film about technology shot across Canada. James is winner of the 2019 Telefilm Canada New Voices Award and is a writer/director best known for his award-winning film FOXED! which has over 30 million views and opened #1 on iTunes. His gothic tragedy DAILY BATTLES premiered at TED and has screened around the world at art galleries and over 20 film festivals. In addition, James has directed over 100 commercials, 3D and VR projects. His first feature-length screenplay FOXED! won five major competitions including the 2019 Vail Film Festival $10,000 Grand Prize. FOXED is a fantasy adventure about coexistence, inclusivity, and oppression. It was shortlisted for the 2019 Sundance Screenwriters Lab. http://www.genevafilmco.com
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CHATEAU LAURIER - SEASON 2 was Winner of Best Costume Design and a Nominee for Best Production Design at the AFIN International Film Festival 2023, a Top 100 Best Reviewed and IMDb-qualifying festival.
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