ALL MY PUNY SORROWS - SARAH GADON, ALISON PILL and MICHAEL MCGOWAN INTERVIEW

The heart wrenching “All My Puny Sorrows” is coming to the big screen.

Based on Miriam Toews’ best-selling novel, Michael McGowan’s All My Puny Sorrows unexpectedly infuses wry humour into this heart-wrenching story of two sisters (Alison Pill and Sarah Gadon). 

 Since debuting at TIFF 2021, the film has earned many accolades, including four Vancouver Film Critics Circle Canadian Awards (best picture, screenplay, lead actor/female Pill and supporting actor/female
Gadon), eight Canadian Screen Awards  nominations, a spot on TIFF’s “Canada’s Top Ten” and Outstanding Canadian Feature at Cinéfest,

 Yoli (Pill)’s writing career is tanking, she’s getting a divorce and making dubious relationship choices.  Even her mother (Mare Winningham) and daughter (Amybeth McNulty) sense Yoli’s unhappiness.  In contrast, Yoli’s sister Elf (Gadon) is a world-renowned pianist, adored both by audiences and by her husband (Aly Mawji).  And yet, Elf is obsessed with ending her life, just as their father (Donal Logue) did 10 years ago.  Haunted by their father’s choice – and their oppressive Mennonite upbringing – the sisters stake their positions, often conversing in quotations.  “Elf wanted to die and I wanted her to live and we were enemies who loved each other,” says Yoli. 

 Written and directed by Michael McGowan (One Week, Still Mine), this Canadian film was shot in and around North Bay, standing in for East Village (a fictional town that Toews has used in some of her novels.

I spoke with stars Alison Pill, Sarah Gadon and writer director Michael McGowan about bringing this beloved novel to the screen.

ALL MY PUNY SORROWS opens April 15 in Toronto (Varsity), Vancouver (Fifth Avenue), Montreal and Winnipeg! The film also opens April 22 in other major cities and throughout the spring in additional locations.