Dark drama a long time coming for director

Latest News, Movie News, Breaking News - Posted by The Province on April 5, 2013
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That showbiz line about a 30-year overnight success could apply to director Ana Valine, who wraps filming on her first feature early this week.

With a resumé that includes teen years as a stage actor, subsequent roles in short films, and work in the production-office side of feature films, Valine’s career picked up dramatically just over two years ago when she came upon writer Billie Livingston’s dark novella The Trouble With Marlene.

The novella became the currently-filming feature Sitting On The Edge Of Marlene, with help from a roster of Valine’s friends and past collaborators.

“There’s nothing wrong with being a late bloomer,” the 46-year-old Valine says as she heads to the Maple Ridge set to start a night of filming. “I’ve just been gathering stories along the way — eavesdropping.”

She came to the feature after directing several short films. The dark drama stars Quebecoise actor Suzanne Clément as Marlene, who runs scams with her boyfriend (Callum Keith Rennie) and her teenaged daughter (newcomer Paloma Kwiatkowski), while still pining for her jailed husband.

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