The Sparky Book

2006 Canadian film
  • 2006 (2006)
Running time
14 minutesCountryCanadaLanguageEnglishBudget$CAD274,000 (estimated)

The Sparky Book is a 2006 animated/live-action short film by Newfoundland filmmaker Mary Lewis, about the near-death of a young girl who undergoes heart transplant surgery, and the death of her beloved pet dog, Sparky.[1]

The story is based on the experiences of the director's own sister, Leah, who had two kidney transplants as a child. Michael Winter wrote a short story The Sparky Book after their dog had died. Director Lewis then loosely based her film on the short story. The film is narrated by a goldfish, voiced by Gordon Pinsent, with voice of Sparky by Joel Thomas Hynes. Leah Lewis appears in the film as "Bridget," a character based upon herself.[2][3]

Produced by the National Film Board of Canada, the film received the Golden Sheaf Award for best experimental film and the Bill Boyle Award for Excellence in Screenwriting at Flicks: Saskatchewan International Youth Film Festival.[4] In 2008, The Sparky Book was the sole film from Newfoundland and Labrador to be selected for CBC TV's "Short Film Faceoff", a six-part series showcasing films from Atlantic Canada.[2][3]

References

  1. ^ "The Sparky Book" (PDF). Teachers' guide. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
  2. ^ a b Wicks, Heidi (15 May 2008). "Newfoundland filmmaker faces off". The Telegram. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
  3. ^ a b "The Sparky Book a labour of love for Newfoundland filmmaker Mary Lewis". Western Star. 12 August 2009. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
  4. ^ "The Sparky Book". Collection. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 30 September 2010.

External links

  • Watch The Sparky Book at NFB.ca
  • The Sparky Book at IMDb Edit this at Wikidata