Re:Uniting film poster. Photo courtesy Pender PR

By Erika Rolling

Arts and Theatre

Hometown co-producer and actress on the silver screen in theatrical premiere Friday

Apr 18, 2024 | 5:00 PM

Grande Prairie native Erin Neil will be getting her moment in the spotlight this Friday evening, when feature film Re:Uniting hits the big screen in her old stomping grounds.

The Canadian film “follows six best friends from college, now in their 40’s, who reconnect for their 25 year reunion weekend. As secrets are revealed, one will force them all to reevaluate their lives.”

It had a successful world premiere at the Austin Film Festival in Fall 2023 and was a Special Presentation for the Canadian premiere at the Whistler Film Festival in December 2023. It is currently on a theatrical run in Vancouver, being shown for over three weeks.

Cineplex Odeon Grande Prairie will be hosting a live Q&A with director Laura Adkin, as well as Neil who co-produced and had a short acting role in the film, with guests in attendance at the 6:50 p.m showing on April 19.

Grande Prairie’s Erin Neil (Co-Producer), Laura Adkin (Director), Krista Rand (Producer). Photo courtesy Ashley Ross.

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Neil lives in Vancouver, but grew up in the Swan City and was part of the St. Joe’s 2014 graduating class. She says she was “in crisis” as to what she wanted to do after high school and pursued acting after a suggestion from one of her parents.

“I hadn’t even considered it. I grew up dancing, so I always loved dance, and I hadn’t done a ton of theatre. I did little theatre summer camps as a kid.”

She spent a year and a half in general studies at GPRC (now NWP) and took drama classes, and landed a part in a play by Broadway Live Broadway.

“It was a test to see if there was a spark of anything good that I should pursue this further and it was a fabulous time and I got to work with some equity actors from around Canada. It was a reassurance of that spark.”

Neil moved out to Vancouver for more post-secondary studies and found out through a relative that she is cousins to the director of the film, Laura Adkin.

“I moved out here (Vancouver) and she really became a mentor and a guide into this industry. We always kept in touch, and in December 2020 she came to me with this script.”

Re:Uniting is Adkin’s first feature film, after a number of short films to her credit.

Neil says Adkin asked her to come onto Re:Uniting as a co-producer. She says one of her favourite parts of the process was meeting actor Jesse L Martin.

“Everyone on set, from the production assistants to fellow actors, just all gems.”

“I really, really enjoyed the production experience on the film. As an actor you come and do your lines, and leave. But production is the long haul, it’s pre-production, meetings, gathering crew, on set, and either the first ones on or the last ones off… and then there’s even post production.”

She says enjoyed being a part of what goes into making a film and it has given her an appreciation for the film industry as a whole.

Neil notes the film is a testament to community.

“So many people came and lent their time and skills and that was so incredible. It reminds me of home, ’cause Grande Prairie is such a community that’ll do that.”

She adds that her parents, Rob and Cecile, and people back home, taught her about community and “indirectly or directly helped make this film happen” by doing so.

Re:Uniting will be in Grande Prairie theatres until at least April 25. You can buy tickets at the box office, or online.