Mayerthorpe (film)

Mayerthorpe, also known as Menace or To Serve and Protect: Tragedy at Mayerthorpe, is a Canadian dramatic television film which was directed by Ken Girotti and broadcast by CTV in 2008.[1] The film is a dramatization of the Mayerthorpe tragedy of 2005, in which four Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers were shot and killed while executing a search warrant against an illegal marijuana growing operation on the Mayerthorpe, Alberta, farm of James Roszko.[2]

Mayerthorpe
GenreDrama
Written byAndrew Wreggitt
Directed byKen Girotti
StarringHenry Czerny
Brian Markinson
Theme music composerJonathan Goldsmith
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducersTom Cox
Tim Gamble
Jordy Randall
Michael Shepard
Jon Slan
CinematographyMichael Storey
EditorMichele Conroy
Running time90 minutes
Production companiesSEVEN24 Films
Slanted Wheel Entertainment
Release
Original networkCTV
Original release
  • February 10, 2008 (2008-02-10)

The film stars Brian Markinson as Roszko, and Henry Czerny as Cpl. Alex Stanton, a fictional character who was inserted into the story to provide a narrative centre.[3] Its dramatic focus laid the blame squarely on Canada's justice system for inadequacies in dealing with repeat criminal offenders due to Roszko's prior criminal record.[4]

The cast also included Ben Cotton, Ty Olsson, Adam MacDonald and Gord Rand as the murdered officers Leo Johnston, Brock Myrol, Peter Schiemann and Anthony Gordon, Diane Ladd as Roszko's mother, and Waneta Storms, Landon Liboiron, Shaun Johnston, Peter MacNeill and Dan Petronijevic in supporting roles.

It was shot in Alberta, in and around the towns of Cochrane and Irricana.[4] The families of the slain officers were given a private advance screening of the film.[5]

The film was broadcast by CTV on February 10, 2008.[2]

Awards
Award Date of Ceremony Category Nominees Result Reference
Gemini Awards November 28, 2008 Best Television Movie Jordy Randall, Tom Cox, Jon Slan Won [6]
Best Actor in a Dramatic Program or Miniseries Henry Czerny Nominated [7]
Brian Markinson Nominated
Best Direction in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series Ken Girotti Nominated
Best Writing in a Dramatic Program or Miniseries Andrew Wreggitt Won [6]
Best Production Design or Art Direction in a Fiction Program or Series John Blackie Nominated [7]
Best Achievement in Casting Rhonda Fisekci, Susan Forrest Nominated
Alberta Film and Television Awards 2008 Best Made-for-TV Movie or Miniseries Mayerthorpe Won [8]
Best Performance by an Alberta Actor Landon Liboiron Won
Best Screenwriter, Drama Andrew Wreggitt Won
Directors Guild of Canada 2008 Best Direction in a Television Movie or Miniseries Ken Girotti Won [9]
Best Picture Editing in a Television Movie or Mini-Series Michele Conroy Nominated [10]
Best Production Design in a Television Movie or Mini-Series John Blackie Nominated
Writers Guild of Canada 2009 WGC Screenwriting Award Andrew Wreggitt Won [11]

References
  1. Dawn Walton, "Mayerthorpe movie heartbreaking for relatives". The Globe and Mail, February 6, 2008.
  2. Ryan Cormier, "Mayerthorpe massacre comes to small screen". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, February 9, 2008.
  3. Bill Harris, "'Huge sense of loss'". Ottawa Sun, February 10, 2008.
  4. Andrew Chung, "Taking aim at the courts; Tonight's CTV film about Mayerthorpe gives Mounties a pass". Toronto Star, February 10, 2008.
  5. Alexandra Burroughs, "Emotions drove Mayerthorpe; Filmmakers, families shared tears". Calgary Herald, February 9, 2008.
  6. Alex Strachan, "Mayerthorpe among Calgary's TV winners". Calgary Herald, October 23, 2008.
  7. Alex Strachan, "Mayerthorpe gets seven Gemini nods; CTV's retelling of RCMP tragedy up for best TV movie". Edmonton Journal, August 27, 2008.
  8. Elizabeth Withey, "Mayerthorpe docudrama takes three Rosies at award show; Edmonton's NFB office wins four, including two for The Dogwalker". Edmonton Journal, April 27, 2008.
  9. "Directors Guild honours Cronenberg". Victoria Times-Colonist, November 9, 2008.
  10. Etan Vlessing, "Cronenberg, Podeswa lead DGC noms". Playback, August 18, 2008.
  11. "Screenwriters honoured at annual ceremony". Nanaimo Daily News, April 23, 2009.
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