Canada really should have seen this one coming.
Liam Neeson is ready to begin production on his upcoming film, “Hard Powder,” and it appears the film has hit a bit of a snag. “Hard Powder” tells the story of an aging snowplow driver, Nels, who goes after a crime boss after the snowplower’s son is murdered. This sounds like straightforward, modern-day Liam Neeson stuff. Obviously they’re running a little short on careers to give his characters (snowplow driver, seriously?), but there’s nothing shocking about this premise. Well, Canada would beg to differ.
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Canada has one major issue with the story, and because of this issue, they’re not allowing the production to film in their lovely country. “Hard Powder” location manager Mark Royce reveals they were denied a permit to film on federal Parks Canada land because the lead villain is a member of First Nations.
Before everyone gets in an uproar about the film’s depiction of the First Nations people, the film’s First Nations crime boss, sure to get mowed down by Liam Neeson, doesn’t have a problem with it. Actor Tom Jackson (“North Of 60“) says, “As a consultant to this production, I have taken a strong stance to ensure that the humility and integrity of First Nation roles do not cross the line of disrespect to my culture. I don’t feel my culture is insulted even slightly by the script. ‘Hard Powder’ will be made regardless. The question is whether we deprive our own, or do we harvest for our own?”
This is a very complicated issue, and unsurprisingly, Liam Neeson has decided to stay quiet about it (for now).
No release date has been set for “Hard Powder.” [Uproxx]