‘Enemy Aliens’ is a film about betrayal, love, injustice, hope and survival against all odds
Writer/Producer Ryan Boyko of Armistice Films, Producer Terry Mialkowsky of Prairie Threat Entertainment and Anthony Towstego of Thomega Entertainment are pleased to announce their collaboration in the production of the feature film ‘Enemy Aliens’ at the Banff World Media Festival June 7th to 10th 2015in Banff, Alberta Canada. Nowhere is there a more fitting location to represent ‘Enemy Aliens’, a historical drama ‘based on actual events’ in WW1.
Set in Canada much of the story takes place in Alberta, near Castle Mountain in one of the twenty-four internment camps that housed enemy aliens during World War One: a short drive from the Banff town site. Banff National Park housed 3 internment camps during WW1, one of which is in walking distance to The Banff Springs Hotel at The Cave and Basin Historic Site.
The script for ‘Enemy Aliens’ has been historically approved and is as accurate to History as a “based on actual events” film can be. Boyko spent years researching and reaching out to scholars and producers and finally has a product that will inspire audiences around the world.
Thousands of Eastern European men and women arrived in Canada’s western frontier with the hopes of building a better life. They settled the West by working the land, farming, clearing brush and trees, and harvesting grain. This was the immigrant dream, a dream of freedom. Their sacrifice and strength is the foundation on which Canada was built.
The film follows brothers, Ruslan and Vasil Kotelko who leave everything in search of the Canadian dream. Their hopes are shattered when they are caught up in the injustice of the War Measures Act. They are deemed ‘Enemy Aliens’, and struggle to maintain their dignity as they are forced through some of Canada’s most severe concentration camps. Fear and hardship pushes them beyond their limits, and leads to a daring escape attempt that goes tragically wrong. One man makes the ultimate sacrifice to ensure his brother’s freedom.
While Boyko was working on the script for ‘Enemy Aliens’ he met Terry Mialkowsky who had always dreamed of making a film about his Grandfather’s experiences during World War 1, experiences that no one would ever believe. Terry’s Grandfather was interned as an enemy alien at Castle Mountain, Alberta in picturesque Banff National Park. Not for anything he had done but simply because of where he was born. 8,579 so-called “enemy aliens”, including women and children, were interned, including Ukrainians, Alevi Kurds, Armenians, Bulgarians, Croatians, Czechs, Germans, Hungarians, Italians, Jews, Ottoman Turks, Polish, Romaninas, Russians, Serbians, Slovaks, and Slovenes, among others, of which most were Ukrainians and most were civilians. Terry’s dream of producing a world class Feature Film is very close to becoming a reality.
‘Enemy Aliens’ has, since its conception, received financial support from the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Foundation. The UCCLF plays a leading role in educating Canadians about Canada’s first national internment operations. It recently completed the unprecedented unveiling of 100 commemorative plaques nationwide in connection with the 100-year anniversary of the First World War-period internment.
“‘Enemy Aliens’ is a vital film,” said Andriy Harasymiw, chairman of the UCCLF. “Ryan Boyko and his team are tremendously passionate about filmmaking and about the internment story — a story that has been in the shadows of Canadian history for too long. The UCCLF has been a proud sponsor and supporter of ‘Enemy Aliens’ since ‘day one’. The film promises to be equally educational and thought-provoking. We are very eager for its debut.”
Arriving in Banff just in time for the World Media Festival Mialkowsky along with Producers Ryan Boyko, Anthony Towstego and Doug Steeden aim to secure an Executive producer, Pre-sales, and Distribution for ‘Enemy Aliens’ at the Banff Media Festival.
Social Media Handles
Website: armisticefilms.ca
Twitter: @enemyaliensfilm
Facebook: facebook.com/EnemyAliensTheMovie
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