'I was always the biggest film buff': 20 questions with award-winning N.L. filmmaker Christian Sparkes
The King Tide, directed by Christian Sparkes and filmed primarily in Keels, N.L. will be released this week. - Sanuda Ranawake
A Newfoundland-based filmmaker is gearing up for the release of a new movie this week.
Christian Sparkes is the director of the movie The King Tide, which tells the story of a picturesque village cut off from the outside world.
Filmed primarily in Keels, on the Bonavista Peninsula, the movie was written and developed by William Woods and Albert Shin.
“They developed it over many years. I believe they had two writer friends who had travelled to Fogo for leisure and came up with the idea while they were on that trip. It was brought to me late in the process; I didn't develop it,” Sparkes says.
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Surprisingly, Sparkes doesn’t watch his own movies – he prefers to sit out even at screenings.
“I don't watch it. I won't. I can't sit in and watch them ever on the big screen. Typically, three or four years later, I'll have a peek just by chance. But no, I don't enjoy watching. I'm thrilled that friends and family get to go to the theatre that I grew up watching movies in and now see one of my own,” he says.
“I'll go just introduce it. And then I'll go wander around the mall for an hour and a half and then come back for a Q&A. I find I won't like it and then that feeling will spread amongst the crowd.”
Sparkes hasn’t seen his last movie Hammer yet, except for a few bits and pieces.
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The King Tide is not the first movie for Sparkes; his previous film, Cast No Shadow, was a major success, bringing home the title for “Best Atlantic Feature Film or Video” at the Atlantic Film Festival and being nominated for the “Best Motion Picture” award at the Canadian Screen Awards.
“With Cast No Shadow, I developed that with my friend, the writer and actor Joel Hines. I had read one of his novellas, and a bunch of his poetry, and then pitched him on repurposing his own work for our future film and adding a troll and some other elements,” Sparkes says.
“He was amenable to that. Within a year, actually, we had the funding and we began the shoot. I kind of developed that from the ground up with Joel. In the case of The King Tide, I was brought on late. It was already written and developed and funded before I was brought on board.”
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Sparkes has been making movies since 2005, a calling for him since he was a young age.
“I was always the biggest film buff out of all my friends. That was kind of always my thing, but it never occurred to me that I could make movies for a living because I didn't know anyone who did it and then I went away to art school,” Sparkes says.
“I was figuring I’d do graphic design, and my first semester, someone told me that they were getting a film program next year. And the moment I heard that, I never questioned, I said, 'That's exactly what I'm going to do.' And that's what I did.”
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After he finished his education, it was off to the races making movies.
“I did a Bachelor of Fine Arts major in film. And then I came home and made a mockumentary with my friend Matt Tucker that won some awards. Then made a short film with my friend Allison White that also won a bunch of awards and played TIFF and did well for itself,” he says.
Sparkes will launch another movie after The King Tide, named Sweetland, coming in fall 2024.
The King Tide, directed by Christian Sparkes and filmed primarily in Keels, N.L. will be released this week. - Contributed
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1. What is your full name?
Christian Andrew Sparks.
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2. Where and when were you born and where do you live today?
I was born at the Grace Hospital in April of ‘79. And I live now probably about 15 minutes from there in Outer Cove, Newfoundland. Just on the outskirts of downtown.
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3. What is one thing you would like people to know about you?
I'd like them to know the exact reason we're here is because I'm a filmmaker and I make movies and I specifically make movies about Newfoundland’s people and culture. I think a lot of people know and love movies. But, in a place like St. John’s, they probably don't know anyone who makes them, (as opposed to) if you were in Toronto or LA or something. I think it's fairly novel. People love movies so much.
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4. What will people be surprised to learn about you?
When I was born, I was born cross-eyed and I had to get laser surgery. If I get too tired now, one eye starts to wander back to the middle, it's hilarious.
The King Tide, directed by Christian Sparkes and filmed primarily in Keels, N.L. will be released this week. - Contributed
5. What is the hardest thing you've done?
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Just making independent movies is extremely difficult. Trying to match your ambition with the money that you have and trying to make those two things meet can be very challenging.
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6. Can you describe one experience that changed your life?
Since we're on the topic of film, I had a friend in high school named Tina Borgess, (who) lent me a VHS copy of Space Odyssey, 2001, and I'd always been a film fan, but watching that film completely changed my thinking on what was possible with film.
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7. What is your greatest indulgence?
Sleep.
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8. What is your favourite television series?
Chernobyl. I think it was on HBO, it was a show on Chernobyl, Russia, and the nuclear meltdown. It's fascinating and the series is so well made. Side note, one of the actors in Chernobyl is the lead of a film that I have coming out soon called Sweetland. Mark Lewis Jones, he's been in Chernobyl, Last Jedi, and Game of Thrones, really talented Welsh actor.
The King Tide, directed by Christian Sparkes and filmed primarily in Keels, N.L. will be released this week. - Contributed
9. What is your favourite movie?
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This changes all the time, but the one I go back to the most as a stylistic reference and an inspiration is probably Steve McQueen’s Hunger.
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10. What music do you like to listen to?
Right now, I'm listening to a band that has a new album called Khruangbin. They're a band out of Houston. It's very chill, it's a bassist, a guitarist, and almost has a very laid-back kind of stoner vibe. It's mostly instrumental, almost music, you would imagine hearing on a beach just chilling out.
Radiohead has probably been my long-standing favorite band or the band I've returned to the most. In Rainbows and OK Computer in particular.
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11. How do you like to relax?
I'm lucky I have a property in Outer Cove with a lot of land, so being out in the garden, cutting down trees, or taking care of the property is my favourite way to relax.
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12. Who would play you in a movie about your life?
I would say Woody Harrelson, probably. I've been told that's who I look like, which I find very funny.
The King Tide, directed by Christian Sparkes and filmed primarily in Keels, N.L. will be released this week. - Contributed
13. What is your greatest fear?
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Probably just health issues. Poor health.
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14. What is your greatest joy?
Family and filmmaking.
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15. What is your most treasured possession?
I don't have a kind of treasured material possession. All my friends and family are treasured. My mother's kidney. That's my most treasured possession. She gave me a kidney 22 years ago.
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16. What is the best advice you got from a parent or mentor?
My father once asked me if I wanted to be an artist or technician. And he didn't say it in the nicest way. That really kind of spurred me on to consider that question in a deep way.
The King Tide, directed by Christian Sparkes and filmed primarily in Keels, N.L. will be released this week. - Contributed
17. What would you say is your best quality? And what would you say is your worst quality?
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The best quality, hopefully I give others space to talk and be themselves. And my worst quality, sometimes I can rush to judgment, rush to a harsh judgment.
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18. Where is your favourite place in the world?
Probably Bowring Park the public park that grew up next to. I spent every day growing up with my three brothers getting up to no good.
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19. What advice would you give your 12-year-old self?
Just be confident.
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20. Which three people would join you for your dream dinner party, living or dead, doesn't matter.
Stanley Kubrick great filmmaker. Tom York and my father, he’s not with us anymore.
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Sanuda Ranawake is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter covering Indigenous and rural issues.
Sanuda Ranawake, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Telegram
