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A Problem With Fear or Laurie's Anxiety Confronting the Escalator

Forum of Independents - Competition 2005 / A Problem With Fear or Laurie's Anxiety Confronting the Escalator / Canada 2003

A dark comedy about a fear of elevators, crossing the street, spaghetti covered in red sauce, loud voices, making a commitment to your girlfriend... But it’s also about a company named Global Safety, Inc. and what happens if the global safety system goes wrong.

A Problem With Fear or Laurie's Anxiety Confronting the Escalator

Synopsis

Laurie is afraid of pretty much everything: elevators, escalators, crossing the street, spaghetti covered in red sauce, loud voices and, of course, making a commitment to his girlfriend. His sister works at Global Safety Inc. and she is able to give Laurie a prototype of a recently developed safety system. Special software warns of impending danger, while the Safe Bracelet senses the wearer’s fear and calls for help. Is it possible that Laurie’s fears have infected the very system designed to protect its customers? The city starts being ruled by the Storm of Fear with deadly consequences...  Erin, a neurotic Global Safety employee who is aware of a computer glitch, suggests that Laurie kill himself. Only then can the problem be solved... A dark comedy about what happens when a global safety system goes mad.

About the film

94 min / Color, 35 mm

Director Gary Burns / Screenplay Gary Burns, Donna Brunsdale / Dir. of Photography Stefan Ivanov, B.A.C. / Music John Abram / Editor Yvann Thibaudeau / Producer Shirley Vercruysse, Luc Déry, George Baptist / Production Fear Alberta Ltd.koprodukce/co-production micro_scope / Cast Paulo Costanzo, Emily Hampshire, Willie Garson, Camille Sullivan, Benjamin Ratner, Keegan Connor Tracy, Jennifer Clement / Contact Burns Film Ltd., Horizon Motion Pictures
www: www.aproblemwithfearthemovie.com

About the director

Gary Burns

Gary Burns, writer, director and producer, was born in Calgary on April 18, 1960. He studied literature and fine arts and graduated in film studies at Concordia University in Calgary in 1992. He has made several short films. His directorial debut, The Suburbanators, was a critical success at the 1995 Toronto Film Festival. After his second film, Kitchen Party, he came to be considered one of Canada’s most interesting young directors. Films: Happy Valley (short, 1992), Beerland (short, 1993), Turtleheads (short, 1993), The Suburbanators (1995), Kitchen Party (1997), Fuck Coke (short, 1999), Waydowntown (2000), My Life As A Movie (TV, 2003), A Problem with Fear (2003).

Contacts

Burns Film Ltd.
, T2G 5N4, Calgary
Canada
Phone: +1 403 265 6023
Fax: +1 403 262 8469
E-mail: [email protected]

Horizon Motion Pictures
1271 Howe Street, Suite 237, V6Z1R3, Vancouver
Canada
Phone: +1 604 632 1707
Fax: +1 604 632 1711
E-mail: [email protected]

Guests

Gary Burns
Film Director / Producer

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