Sleeping Giant captures the ruckus and adrenaline of boyhood

Growing up is never quite how it seems in the movies — unless it's a movie like Sleeping Giant.

On the surface, Andrew Cividino's debut feature sounds like a typical coming-of-age story. A city kid spending his summer up in northern Ontario, hanging with local boys while seeking a little adventure and romance.

But underneath that familiar surface, the film manages to get at the irreverence, joy, and complexity of being young right now.

Sleeping Giant screened at Cannes last year, and earned some nods at this year's Canadian Screen Awards. And just this week, the Toronto International Film Festival named Cividino their Len Blum artist-in-residence for 2016.

In April, the rising director joined Shad to discuss his film, why it both resembles and differs from his own adolescent memories, and how he paid tribute to the coming-of-age genre while also pushing its boundaries.

"I want the film to be representational, but with no fear to flourish ... interfere, pause for a laugh or exaggerate," Cividino explains, "it has to be as honest as a doc, but it can't be afraid to lie to get at truths or a good kick." 

Authenticity and familiarity were so important to Cividino that he began casting by going to Thunder Bay high schools and handing out fliers in malls. Having no luck, Cividino eventually posted an ad on Kijiji where he found two of his lead actors. 

Sleeping Giant is now available on DVD, online, and on demand. 

*This interview originally aired on April 7, 2016