''Mad Ship'' is a 2012 Canadian film directed by David Mortin.

Plot

A poor young Scandinavian immigrant couple winds up in Canada in search of prosperity, but the hardship of the Great Depression takes a toll in a way they never feared when they went in search of the dream. ''Mad Ship'' tells the true story of a Scandinavian immigrant who built a boat to carry the body of his dead wife.

Cast

Nikolaj Lie Kaas Nikolaj Lie Kaas (; born 22 May 1973) is a Danish actor whose career rose in the 1990s. Kaas graduated from the National Theater School in Denmark in 1998. He first appeared on screen in Søren Kragh-Jacobsen's film ''The Boys from St. Petri'' i ...

as Tomas *

Gil Bellows Gil Bellows (born June 28, 1967) is a Canadian actor, screenwriter, and director. He is best known for the roles of Tommy Williams in the 1994 movie '' The Shawshank Redemption'', Billy Thomas in the Fox television series '' Ally McBeal'' (1997� ...

as Cameron *

Rachel Blanchard Rachel Blanchard (born 19 March 1976) is a Canadian actress.Rachel Blanchard's bio
at ...

as Adeline *

Martha Burns Martha Burns (born 23 April 1957)"Martha Burns ret ...

as Judith *

Aidan Devine Aidan Devine is an English–Canadian film actor. He was born in England and immigrated with his family to Canada at the age of 15. He studied at Dawson College's Dome Theatre in Montreal, Quebec and began his acting career in Montreal. He woul ...

as Edmund *

Gage Munroe Gage Munroe (born January 4, 1999) is a Canadian actor. He has performed roles on television programs like '' Stoked'', '' Murdoch Mysteries'', '' Mr Moon'', '' Falling Skies'' and ''Alphas'', and has appeared in films like the 2008 Canadian drama ...

as Petter *

Line Verndal Line Cecilie Verndal (born 23 March 1972) a Norwegian actress, born in Oslo. She has worked in various Norwegian theatres and has the main role of Marit in the Norwegian drama-series ''Himmelblå ''Himmelblå'' (in English: ''Blue sky'') was ...

as Solveig

Development

The house and barn used in the film were built on the set.

Reception

''Mad Ship'' received mostly mixed reviews. said "Continuity might have conferred something of the stark, affecting sobriety of a Scandinavian film that Mad Ship seems to be aiming for." The Toronto Star said "There’s more to Mad Ship than what is on the surface, and Mortin — ably assisted by Michael Marshall’s gorgeous cinematography — gets there in the end. But not without a few rough seas in the telling of the tale." Canada.com said "Despite the excellent period production design that allows us to enter 1920s Manitoba, its desperate message of survival seems crafted for today’s world as economic uncertainty, hefty unemployment and poor stewardship of the land has left the rest of us searching for a rescue vessel on the greasy plains of 21st century progress." Digital Journal said "It's a strange film, although one with gorgeous visual images to spare."

Release

''Mad Ship'' will be screened at the Raindance Film Festival.

References

2012 films Canadian drama films Films set in Manitoba 2010s Canadian films {{2010s-Canada-film-stub