| Gods of Youth | |
| Director: | Kate Twa |
| Producer: | Kate Twa Ronan Reinart |
| Screenplay: | Kate Twa |
| Starring: | James Pizzinato Joey Pierce Anthony Shim Ashley Whillans Lynda Boyd Grace Park William MacDonald J. R. Bourne |
| Music: | Tyler Weiss Ben Lumsden |
| Cinematography: | Ronan Reinart |
| Editing: | Ronan Reinart |
| Studio: | Mutant Films Cucumber Satellite Theatre & Film Society |
| Distributor: | Novastar Corporation & Mutant Films Inc. |
| Runtime: | 87 minutes |
| Country: | Canada |
| Language: | English |
Gods of Youth (original title: Candyland) is a drama film written, directed and produced by Kate Twa. Other working titles were Meth, and Run Rabbit Run.
Following the next few days of two drug users that meet by coincidence, film school student Paul Moon (Anthony Shim) and meth making Jay King (Joey Pierce) who also deals ecstasy and cocaine, with Briana Clark (Ashley Whillans) (Paul's film school colleague), spiral into self-destructive and havoc wreaking misadventures before tragically succumbing to the paranoia inducing effects of meth.[1]
Preproduction began at least one year before principal photography,[2] as producers and actors interviewed "police officers, addicts, ex-addicts, hospice workers, parole officers, psychiatrists, and councillors" about the attraction and effects of the drug crystal methamphetamine.
The film was then shot over a one-year period, with actors delivering most of their dialogue as improvisation.
Completion financing was secured from Telefilm Canada in 2010,[3] and the final version was completed in January 2011.
Film drafts were screened to critical acclaim at the Cinefest Sudbury International Film Festival on September 17, 2008, The Beverly Hills International Film Festival on April 1, 2009, and the Rendezvous with Madness Film Festival (Toronto) on November 10, 2011.[4] Its first major release was its premiere on the Super Channel on February 16, 2012, and was broadcast in rotation until April 15, 2012. It was available on Super Channel's digital demand.