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Back in mid August I was busy doing some research in an effort to find some potential hidden gems to add to my TIFF 2019 line-up and came across this article on Deadline about a movie called The Giant. The article mentioned the company Camera Ready Pictures and included a line about how The Giant pertained to the company's mission. The Giant and Camera Ready Pictures' next feature, Hell House, are described as "character-driven arthouse thrillers which go in line with the company’s vision of boundary-pushing cinema." After reading that, it was a done deal. The Giant became a TIFF 2019 priority.

The movie stars Odessa Young as Charlotte, a teenager living in a small Georgia town who's world is rocked for a number of reasons. Not only does her missing boyfriend return to town the same night a series of murders kicks off, but she's also struggling to cope with her mother's recent suicide.

Just before The Giant celebrated its world premiere at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival, Young and director David Raboy swung by the Collider Lounge to talk about their experience making the movie. We covered everything from why Young initially passed on the gig to the good times had after work at the Red Roof Inn, shooting on 35mm, working in extreme humidity, and so much more. You can hear about all of that and watch the duo play a round of "Collider's Most Memorable" in the video interview at the top of this article.

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We also need to send a big thank you to our presenting sponsor Nordstrom Canada and supporting partners Marriott Bonvoy and Ciroc Vodka for supporting the Collider Lounge at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival and helping to make these interviews happen.

You can find a full breakdown of the interview and the official TIFF synopsis for The Giant below.

David Raboy & Odessa Young:

  • 00:50 - Raboy talks about working with Camera Ready Pictures and making "boundary pushing cinema."
  • 02:03 - Young's first impression of the script; she actually said no at first!
  • 05:00 - What the ensemble brought to the film that they didn't initially expect, specifically Madelyn Cline.
  • 07:35 - The humidity in the movie is the real deal.
  • 09:12 - Memories from the Red Roof Inn after filming.
  • 10:35 - Raboy's advice for anyone who wants to make a movie on 35mm.
  • 11:57 - "Collider's Most Memorable" begins!

Charlotte's (Odessa Young) life is changed forever when the teenager's small Georgia town is shaken by the beginning of a series of murders on the same night that her missing boyfriend coincidentally reappears. As an unknown killer on the loose preys on young women over the course of a summer, Charlotte has to navigate this new danger while also struggling to recover from the trauma of her mother's recent suicide.

Forced to recognize the world's indifference and lack of easy explanations, Charlotte must reconcile with her adolescent past as she faces an increasingly uncertain future, in this coming-of-age drama tinged with elements of horror and the supernatural.

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Image via TIFF
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Image via TIFF
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Image via TIFF