All My Puny Sorrows is a 2021 Canadian drama film written, produced, and directed by Michael McGowan serving as an adaptation of the 2014 novel by Miriam Toews. It stars Alison Pill and Sarah Gadon as two Mennonite sisters who leave their religious lives behind. Amybeth McNulty, Mare Winningham, Donal Logue, and Aly Mawji also star in supporting roles, with Mongrel Media set to distribute the film. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2021, and was released in theaters in Canada on April 15, 2022. It received generally positive reviews from critics.
Plot Yolandi "Yoli" Von Riesen, a single mother, and unsuccessful author, receives a call that her sister, Elfrieda "Elf" Von Riesen, a successful concert pianist, has attempted suicide. The Von Riesen's have a history of suicide as their father killed himself years earlier.
Yoli attempts to be supportive but when Elf begs her to take her to Switzerland so that she can die by assisted suicide. Yoli grows angry and berates Elf for drowning in pain when she has a perfect life.
Yoli and Elf's aunt, Tina, has to go the hospital for surgery. While there Yoli tells Elf she has been looking into Switzerland but Elf tells her it is time to move away from that idea. Against Yoli's wishes Elf is released from the hospital.
Tina dies. Later, while out with her daughter, Yoli learns that Elf has died by jumping in front of a train, the same way their father chose to end his life.
The life insurance payout from Elf's death is enough to buy a house in Toronto and finish her latest book.
Cast Alison Pill as Yolandi "Yoli" Von Riesen Marin Almasi as Young Yoli Sarah Gadon as Elfrieda "Elf" Von Riesen, Yoli's younger sister Gabrielle Jennings as Young Elf Amybeth McNulty as Nora Von Riesen Mare Winningham as Lottie Von Riesen Donal Logue as Jake Von Riesen Mimi Kuzyk as Tina Von Riesen, Yoli abd Elf's aunt Aly Mawji as Nic Martin Roach as Psychiatrist Johns
Production In December 2020, All My Puny Sorrows began filming in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in North Bay, Ontario. With a cast composed of Alison Pill, Sarah Gadon, Amybeth McNulty, Mare Winningham, Donal Logue, and Aly Mawji, filming wrapped that same month on December 16. Shot on a $5 million budget, the project was financed by multiple funding companies, including Telefilm Canada, the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, and CBC Films. Jonathan Goldsmith composed the score for the film.
Release The film premiered at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival, in the Special Presentations program. It was also screened as the opening film of the 2021 Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival and the 2021 Calgary International Film Festival.
Reception Critical response On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 73% of 40 reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.3/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "A well-meaning but flawed adaptation of its source material, All My Puny Sorrows benefits from Alison Pill's searing performance." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 59 out of 100 based on 11 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Accolades The Toronto International Film Festival listed the film in its annual year-end Canada's Top Ten list for 2021.Norman Wilner, "TIFF announces Canada’s Top Ten films of 2021" . Now, December 6, 2021.
+ Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Canadian Screen Awards April 10, 2022 Best Art Direction / Production Design Best Cinematography Best Editing Best Original Score Best Casting in a Film Best Sound Mixing Best Sound Editing Best Visual Effects Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival October 3, 2021 Outstanding Canadian Feature All My Puny Sorrows Directors Guild of Canada October 23, 2021 Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film Kelly Townsend, "All My Puny Sorrows leads film nominees for 2021 DGC Awards". Playback, September 24, 2021. Best Picture Editing – Feature Film Best Sound Editing - Feature Film Festival du Film Canadien de Dieppe March 30, 2022 Best Film Best Actress Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards March 7, 2022 Best Canadian Film All My Puny Sorrows Dana Gee, "The Power of the Dog named year's best feature by Vancouver Film Critics Circle". Vancouver Sun, March 8, 2022. Best Director of a Canadian Film Best Screenplay for a Canadian Film Best Actress in a Canadian Film Best Supporting Actress in a Canadian Film
References
External links
All My Puny Sorrows at Library and Archives Canada