| I Am Syd Stone | |
| Director: | Denis Theriault |
| Producer: | Colin Davis |
| Starring: | Gharrett Patrick Paon Michael Gaty |
| Music: | Ari Posner |
| Cinematography: | Kevin A. Fraser |
| Editing: | Shawn Beckwith |
| Runtime: | 10 minutes |
| Country: | Canada |
| Language: | English |
I Am Syd Stone is a Canadian short drama film, directed by Denis Theriault and released in 2014.[1]
The film centres on Syd Stone (Gharrett Patrick Paon), a closeted gay movie star filming a made-for-TV film called Soccer Dad, while worrying about his high school reunion. While there, he tries to mentor his young co-star, who has an emotionally abusive father. At his hotel near the movie set, Syd meets a handsome, young lawyer in town representing a defendant in a murder trial, Brent (Michael Gaty) who awakens his repressed sexuality. Matters are further complicated when his trophy girlfriend shows up unexpectedly.[2]
The film was an entrant in the 2014 Iris Prize festival,[2] and was included in Volume 12 of the Boys on Film series of LGBTQ-themed short film DVDs.[3]
In 2019 Theriault expanded the original short film into a six-part web series.[1] Although Paon remained associated as a producer, he and Theriault agreed to recast the lead role, which was played by Travis Nelson. In the web series, Syd Stone's career as an actor has faded; he is now on location in a small town to film a B-movie, and meets and falls for lawyer Matt (Benjamin Charles Watson) but must confront the emotional consequences of having remained closeted for the sake of his career.[1] The series is set in the present day, and alludes to the events of the original film;[1] however, it reportedly gives Stone a happier ending.[1] The web series was screened at the 2020 Inside Out Film and Video Festival,[4] in advance of its public web premiere.
Watson received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Supporting Performance in a Web Program or Series at the 10th Canadian Screen Awards in 2022.[5]