Kalistani Major History

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Republican Pictures casts new Rom-Com set in Port Swedes during early 4900s
Soundtrack expected to feature Grit and Alt-Folk
Port Swedes, Vrassa
February 8, 5331


Republican Pictures film titled "Couples" pairs Dulnerstaad actress Yvette Dubois-Gauthier with Sulari Actor and musician James Salvador in debut roles

Republican Pictures has greenlighted its next major picture, the rom-com called "Couples". The film, set during the early 4900s stars Lourennais-Kalistani actress Yvette Dubois-Gauthier as starry eyed Michelle Girard, and follows her exploits as she explores new independence in Port Swedes Vrassa during the height of the Vrassan music movement. There she falls into a merry group of drug users and ne'er do wells led by Thomas Davies, played by James Salvador, and quickly adopts the habits of the local troublemakers. There is a romantic subplot between James and his on again-off again girlfriend Jenna, played by Helena Morris, that is complicated by Michelle's appearance and desire to join a grit band, and when jealousy heats up, it is up to Michelle to help Thomas get the love of his life back so he can play a club gig and possibly get signed.

Dubois-Gauthier said she is excited about the film: "Oh yeah, I think this story is probably fairly common in a place like Kalistan. People come here from all over the world, and in Kalistan, what music you're listening, who you see in concerts whose band shirt you are wearing when you go out, its really still very important. Nobody ever listens to just 'music' here. Everyone has their identity kind of tied up with what scene they may be a part of. So I think my character's experience in this movie is will strike moviegoers where they live: they will be able to see a lot of themselves in the characters in this program."

Salvador also mentioned the romance subplot. "It's kind of a weird movie where the principles aren't the ones who get together. I think Thomas would have fallen for Michelle in a big way, but that is not his fate. He's hung up on this completely other girl. Which I think allows him and Michelle to kind of actually be friends, bonding over a shared love of music and like following bands and stuff. I think its a neat twist."

The movie's soundtrack is already getting some heat in the press. It features all unreleased tracks from various artists who were incredibly popular in the Republic during the time the film is set. "I mean: heyday of Grit, right?" said Salvador. "There's songs by Allison, The Wolf Hound, Surfboard, the late... GREAT... Jennifer Stepanov, the Wolfpack, Chasm, Joanie Yeardley... You name it, if they were an awesome artist recording around that time, they're going to have a song in this movie." The film got a crucial assist from Vrassa District Records, who's signed artists dominated the music scene during that time. "We felt you couldn't really tell this story without the music," said Music director Carry Anne Hight.

The movie does feature ample drug use in multiple scenes, and some parents groups have expressed caution about the film due to this fact. "Port Swedes had a lot of premature death due to heroin and drug abuse at that time," said Vrassa City mom Nadine Johnson, who leads up a local drug awareness group dedicated to the deglorification of drugs in Kalistan. "We just want to make sure that Parents know that if their kids are going to see this movie, this is the kind of dangerous and self-destructive behavior they will see on the big screen."

Salvador, for his part shrugged it off. "I mean, all the characters use drugs--that's part of the story, and also part of the history of this scene. We can't just sanitize it. But we do also include cautionary tales. One of the Crew, Dave, who is Thomas' friend, overdoses when he is introducing Michelle to heroin for the first time. After that, she gets too freaked out about it, and sticks to safer chemicals. It was a pretty difficult scene to watch."

"Yeah, that scene," said Dubois-Gauthier, "I had to research it for a week to know what this drug is supposed to do to people when they have an overdose. Obviously, we're not going to be sitting on set smacking up, especially if we have to take like 50 takes of the same thing. But I will tell you something: The needle was real. It was filled with saline, but it was real. And we had to do the take like 3 times. So I wanted to make sure I got it down and I know Brad [Donahue, who played Dave who overdosed] wanted to get it right too, and we don't want anyone who has ever used Heroin to watch the movie and be like 'Oh that's not how you tie off!' or 'Oh you missed the vein. What are you doing?!' We had to learn a lot about it to look convincing."

Despite depressing subjects like Drug overdose, "the film really is quite lighthearted and we had a lot of fun on it so far," said Salvador. "We expect to have it finished in a few weeks, and then send it to post to get it ready for release in what, 6 months, or so, maybe end of June?"

"Yes," added Dubois-Gauthier, "end of June is when they are expected to be completed with it. I can't wait to watch the whole thing once it is done."