Writer/director Sean Garrity’s INerTia is a stylish, humorous and honest exploration of restlessness, doubt, desire and regret. It’s a mature work that examines awkward infidelity and unrequited love, and the complicated romantic inter-relations that result. It’s also a love triangle with four people in it.
Joseph, a water department chemist in Winnipeg, searches for the source of a mysterious infection in the city water system, while obsessing about Laura, his ex-girlfriend. Laura is trying to seduce Bruce, an information technology hardware specialist. He is a reformed-hedonist who recently returned with his new Japanese bride. Bruce lusts for Joseph’s second cousin, Alex. Alex, a 19-year-old student, has her eye on Joseph, and artfully arranges to move into his apartment. The four-sided triangle starts to collapse, and the city keeps boiling the water.

Taking a cue from the works of English director Mike Leigh, and Vancouver director Bruce Sweeney, the work started as an improvisational project with the director and actors working together on scenes and characters. Their intense workshop lasted six months and generated 30 hours of video footage, which was edited down to the first draft of the script. The result is natural dialogue, realistic characters and extremely naturalistic performances. Michael Marshall, Guy Maddin’s cinematographer, provides energetic visuals, accentuated by composer Richard Moody and award-winning production designer Kim Forrest.
Awarded the Best Canadian First Feature Film: 2001 Toronto International Film Festival.

Warning: This film contains nudity and sexual content

 8th Street Cinemas A, Saturday, March 8, 7:00 PM

The Egyptian Theatre, Sunday, March 9, 2:15 PM