Drying Up the Streets is a 1978 Canadian feature from Robin Spry produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Drying Up the Streets
Directed byRobin Spry
Written byAnne Cameron
Produced byRalph L. Thomas
StarringDon Francks
Len Cariou
Sarah Torgov
August Schellenberg
Laurie Brown
Frank Moore
Warren Davis
CinematographyKenneth Gregg
Edited byMyrtle Virgo
Music byPatrick Russell
Distributed byCanadian Broadcasting Corporation
Release dates
Running time
86 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish
Budget$300,000 (estimated)

Synopsis

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This film was originally planned as a one-hour drama for the CBC's For the Record, series but was expanded into a feature while it was being shot cinéma vérité-style on the streets of Toronto between October 11 and October 27, 1977. It concerns the search for a runaway (Laurie Brown) by her father (Don Francks), an aging hippy who is coerced to do so by a member of the RCMP drug squad (Len Cariou). Exploring the darker side of the ‘flower power’ generation, Drying Up the Streets mixes documentary realism with stylized set pieces.[1][2]

It's one of director Robin Spry’s finest films; however, it never received theatrical distribution and was eventually aired on the CBC in 1979 to good notices.[3][4]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Individual Result
1978 29th Canadian Film Awards Actress, Non-Feature Sarah Torgov Nominated
1980 9th ACTRA Awards Best Acting Performance on Television in a Leading Role (Earle Grey Award) Don Francks Won
1980 Best New Television Performer Sarah Torgov Won
1980 Best Television Program of the Year Ralph L. Thomas Won

References

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  1. ^ Morris, Peter (1984). The Film Companion. Toronto: Irwin Publishing. pp. 90–91. ISBN 0-7725-1505-0.
  2. ^ Clandfield, David (1987). Canadian Film. Toronto: Oxford University Press. p. 95. ISBN 0-19-540581-1.
  3. ^ Adilman, Sid (March 7, 1979). "Drying Up the Streets (review)". Variety: 74.
  4. ^ Isaac, Doug (September 1978). "Drying Up the Streets (review)". Cinema Canada (49): 69–72.
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