KING ARTHUR’S NIGHT
A Medieval Musical Documentary Film
from John Bolton
The documentary, inspired by the acclaimed stage production
created by Niall McNeil, Marcus Youssef, Veda Hille and James Hill
Screens in Vancouver
VIFF Centre – July 10, 11, 12, 14, 18
PRESS RELEASE
A kingdom comes undone. A legend gets turned inside out. And Camelot, somehow, finds its way to Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia.
Opus 59 Films is proud to announce that the director’s cut of John Bolton’s KING ARTHUR’S NIGHT will make its Vancouver theatrical premiere at VIFF Centre.
Inspired by Neworld Theatre’s King Arthur’s Night – which the stage production premiered in Vancouver and Toronto in 2017 – the film is rooted in a medieval musical play created by an exceptional company of artists with and without Down syndrome. The original production was created by award-winning playwrights and performers Niall McNeil and Marcus Youssef, directed by James Long, with original music by Veda Hille.
But this is not the King Arthur anyone learned about in school. The film reimagines the Arthurian legend through Niall McNeil’s memory, humour and unmistakable way of seeing the world. In this Camelot, castles may resemble hotels, moats may look like pools, and goats may very reasonably stage an uprising.
Bolton’s film moves between the world of the play and the lives of the artists who made it, following what happens when a company built on trust, risk and imagination comes back together years later. The result is a film about fathers and sons, friendship, power, disability, belonging, and the question at the centre of every great story: who gets to wear the crown?
“KING ARTHUR’S NIGHT is about imagination as a radical act,” says Producer/Director John Bolton. “The play changed the way I thought about theatre, disability, collaboration and who gets to lead a story. The film is my attempt to honour that, and to let a much wider audience experience the magic these artists created together.”
The film also advances the conversation around access aesthetics, the idea that accessibility is not only a practical measure, but an artistic language. KING ARTHUR’S NIGHT features Integrated Described Video and best-in-class captioning, allowing audiences with and without vision or hearing differences to share the same screening experience.
“From the beginning, this project asked us to imagine a more loving and authentically inclusive society,” says Producer, Star, Subject, Marcus Youssef. “John’s film expands that invitation. It captures the scale, complexity and tenderness of the work, and the remarkable artistic vision of Niall McNeil.”
“Arthur is a great guy. He’s a star. He’s cool,” says Producer, Star, Subject, Niall McNeil. “We need people to watch the film, and see how they feel about watching a cast who have Down syndrome. Everyone wants to see it.”
KING ARTHUR’S NIGHT is an Opus 59 Films production, presented by Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) with the participation of Telefilm Canada, the Canada Media Fund, the Rogers Documentary Fund, Creative BC and the BC Arts Council, in association with Knowledge Network. The film was developed with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Creative BC / Rogers Group of Funds Documentary + Factual Development Fund and Telefilm Canada.
About Opus 59 Films
Opus 59 Films is the Vancouver-based production company of filmmaker John Bolton, whose work includes acclaimed music, arts and documentary projects. Bolton’s films are known for their inventive approach to form, performance and the creative process.
https://www.opus59films.com/