''Looking for Miracles'' is a 1989

made-for-TV film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

based on the memoir of the same name by

A.E. Hotchner Aaron Edward Hotchner (June 28, 1917 – February 15, 2020) was an American editor, novelist, playwright, and biographer.Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

, it is a story of growing up and relationships, focusing on the experience of two brothers at a

summer camp A summer camp or sleepaway camp is a supervised program for children conducted during the summer months in some countries. Children and adolescents who attend summer camp are known as ''campers''. Summer school is usually a part of the academ ...

during the Great Depression. The director, producer, and co-writer is Kevin Sullivan.

Synopsis

Set in the summer of 1935, 16-year-old Ryan Delaney (Greg Spottiswood) wants to go to university on a scholarship, but his struggling mother (Patricia Phillips) wants him to stay home, find work, and take care of his 10-year-old brother Sullivan (

Zachary Bennett Zachary Bennett is a Canadian actor and musician, who is known for playing Felix King in '' Road to Avonlea''. He also co-starred in the 2006 TV film ''Jekyll + Hyde'' and for voicing Coach Clydesdale on '' Corn & Peg''. He also currently voices ...

). Due to circumstances relating to the Depression, the brothers were separated and have recently reunited. Ryan is easily annoyed by his little brother. Desperate to find a job, Ryan manages to gain a position as a counselor at Camp Hochelaga despite the fact that he is not qualified; he is too young, has never been to camp, and cannot swim, none of which he reveals during his interview with the camp director, Chief Berman ( Joe Flaherty). The ruse is so effective that Ryan is offered the lead counselor position for the group of age 10 boys. After his mother tells him that he cannot go to camp without Sullivan, Ryan convinces Chief Berman to allow the young boy to attend. Being age 10, Sullivan is assigned to Ryan's group. At the start of camp, Ryan struggles in his position. When he is asked to move a vehicle on the first day, he does not reveal that he cannot drive and ends up having a minor accident. A counselor in Ryan's group named Mo (Hugh Thompson) quickly becomes suspicious of him and comes to realize that he is not qualified. However, he keeps Ryan's secret and the two become good friends. They work together to manage their group of campers, which includes a troubled brat who goes by the nickname of Ratface (Noah Godfrey). Ratface initially is a constant behavior problem for the counselors and is mean to Sullivan. Eventually, though, they come to understand Ratface's troubled home life and the two boys become friends. The film is a story of growing up. By the end, Ryan and Sullivan develop a close relationship.

Cast

*Greg Spottiswood as Ryan Delaney *

as Sullivan Delaney * Joe Flaherty as Chief Berman *

Patricia Gage Patricia "Pat" Gage (3 March 1940 – 31 January 2010)In Memoriam � ...

as Grace Gibson *Patricia Phillips as Mrs. Delaney *Noah Godfrey as Ratface *Paul Haddad as Paul * Dean Hamilton as Babe *Hugh Thompson as Mo *Eric Fink as Floyd

Awards

* 1989 -

ACE Award The CableACE Award (earlier known as the ACE Awards; ACE was an acronym for "Award for Cable Excellence") is a defunct award that was given by what was then the National Cable Television Association from 1978 to 1997 to honor excellence in Ame ...

for Best Art Direction * 1989 - ACE Award for Best Costume Design * 1989 - ACE Award for Best Movie * 1989 - Chris Award for Art & Culture -

Columbus International Film & Video Festival The Columbus International Film + Animation Festival is a Columbus, Ohio, United States annual film festival which is designed to encourage and promote the use of film and video in all forms of education and communication. It is the first and ol ...

* 1989 - Giffoni Award - Giffoni Film Festival * 1989 - Ollie Award for Best Outstanding Family Programming - American Children’s Television Festival * 1989 - Silver Hugo Award for Feature Films Made for TV -

Chicago International Film Festival The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964 by Michael Kutza, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America. Its logo is a stark, black and white close up of the comp ...

* 1989 - Silver Medal for Teen Special Category -

New York Film Festival The New York Film Festival (NYFF) is a film festival held every fall in New York City, presented by Film at Lincoln Center (FLC). Founded in 1963 by Richard Roud and Amos Vogel with the support of Lincoln Center president William Schuman, i ...

* 1990 - Bronze Award for Feature Made for Television - The Houston International Film Festival * 1990 - Emmy Award for Best Actor (Greg Spottiswood) * 1990 - Emmy Award nomination for Best Actor (

) * 1990 - Gemini Award for Best Supporting Actor ( Joe Flaherty) * 1990 - Gold Apple Award - National Educational Film & Video Festival * 1990 - International Monitor Award for Best Director ( Kevin Sullivan) * 1991 - Best Children’s Film – Canadian Film Celebration, Calgary * 1991 - European Jury Prize for Best Screenplay - Umbriafiction TV Festival, Italy

References

External links

Sullivan Entertainment: ''Looking For Miracles''
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Looking For Miracles 1980s coming-of-age films 1980s teen drama films Canadian drama television films English-language Canadian films Films about brothers Films about children Films directed by Kevin Sullivan Films set in 1935 Films about summer camps 1989 films 1989 television films 1989 in Canadian television 1980s Canadian films