Can a single moment shape an entire family? The film “All My Puny Sorrows” investigates how a painful incident imprints on those left behind. This adaptation of Miriam Toews’ critically acclaimed novel focuses on two sisters at separate crossroads in life. One is burdened with the constraints of divorce and growing apart from her offspring; the other is at odds with her talents, what they brought, and her uncertain future. It is a bond that will shape everything to come.
Last year, the Toronto International Film Festival entry premiered to positive reviews. The Playlist’s Jason Bailey described the film as an “…indie drama of family trauma, where snowfalls and characters fill frames artfully, and ghosts of the pasts return to haunt the present.”
READ MORE: ‘All My Puny Sorrows’: A Familiar But Well-Acted Indie Family Trauma Drama [TIFF Review]
“All My Puny Sorrows” hails from writer/director Michael McGowan. Prior to his current project, the filmmaker’s most recognized effort was “Still Mine.” The James Cromwell-led drama is itself an inspection of human nature as it relates to aging in society. Cromwell won raves and a Canadian Screen Award for his performance. In ‘Sorrows,’ McGowan finds a connection to its central character’s profession. The director is himself an author, releasing “Newton and the Giant” and its sequel through HarperCollins.
The film’s official synopsis:
Based on Miriam Toews’ best-selling novel “All My Puny Sorrows” unexpectedly infuses wry humor into this heart-wrenching story of two loving sisters: one a gifted pianist (Sarah Gadon) obsessed with ending her life, the other a struggling writer (Alison Pill) who in wrestling with this decision, makes profound discoveries about herself.
Alison Pill, Sarah Gadon, and Amybeth Mcnulty star in “All My Puny Sorrows.” The film also features Donal Logue and Mare Winningham. ‘Sorrows’ comes to digital and On Demand on May 3. Get your first look at the trailer below.
