Plague City: SARS in Toronto is a 2005 medical thriller television movie directed by David Wu, set during the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Toronto.[1] The locations and characters were composite characters or fictionalized versions of actual Toronto medical personnel and facilities.[2]
| Plague City: SARS in Toronto | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Collin Friesen Pete McCormack |
| Directed by | David Wu |
| Starring | Kari Matchett Ron White Rick Roberts |
| Music by | Lawrence Shragge |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producer | Wendy Grean |
| Cinematography | David Herrington |
| Editor | David Wu |
| Running time | 93 minutes |
| Production companies | Lionsgate Television Slanted Wheel Entertainment |
| Original release | |
| Network | CTV |
| Release | May 29, 2005 |
Produced by CTV as part of its "Signature Series" of television films dramatizing significant Canadian news stories,[3] it was filmed in Toronto and Hamilton.[4] It was written by Collin Friesen and Pete McCormack.[5]
The film aired on May 29, 2005, on CTV.[6]
Cast
edit- Kari Matchett as Amy
- Ron White as Dr. Royce
- Rick Roberts as Dr. Jeremy Neville
- Lannette New as Rosie
- Rahnuma Panthaky as Laura Weston
- Merwin Mondesir as Rob Connell
- George Chiang as Tom Kwan
- Brian Markinson
- James Gallanders
- Leslie Carlson
- Alina Lee as Rosie's Mother
- Grace Lynn Kung as April
- James McGowan as Ed
- Grahame Wood as Paul
Critical response
editJohn Doyle of The Globe and Mail wrote that the film "is in some ways, absurdly ambitious. It tries to capture an entire city's plight while sticking to the facts. It has many mundane TV-movie moments, but it's a grimly compelling production."[2]
Awards
edit| Award | Date of Ceremony | Category | Nominees | Result | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Directors Guild of Canada | 2006 | Outstanding Direction - Television Movie/Mini-Series | David Wu | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Sound Editing - Television Movie/Mini-Series | Richard Calistan, Rob Hegedus, Kevin Howard | Nominated | |||
| Gemini Awards | November 4, 2006 | Best Photography in a Dramatic Program or Series | David Herrington | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ Joel Rubinoff, "SARS flick is . . . cough cough . . . a bit sick". Waterloo Region Record, May 28, 2005.
- ^ a b John Doyle, "No SARS jokes, please". The Globe and Mail, May 27, 2005.
- ^ "Plague City filmed in Toronto". Peterborough Examiner, January 8, 2005.
- ^ "CTV filming movie about Toronto SARS outbreak". The Globe and Mail, December 10, 2004.
- ^ "Ex-Winnipegger's voice tells SARS story". Winnipeg Free Press, May 28, 2005.
- ^ "SARS crisis becomes made-for-TV movie: Plague City tells story of 2003 outbreak in Toronto". Sudbury Star, May 28, 2005.