After the great flattening : aspects of contemporary Saskatchewan feature film

Canadian prairies have been for long in the shadow of the dominant Central Canadian provinces that were considered crucial for the definition of Canadian identity since the late 19th century. This can especially be illustrated in a look at the province of Saskatchewan and its film industry. The history of Saskatchewan feature film started in 1987 with Wheat Soup, the first feature film created by local filmmakers. There were several feature films that were released in the years after Wheat Soup, but none of them received similar recognition. In an attempt to support the film industry in the province, the local government introduced a tax incentive that was in effect between 1998 and 2012. During this era many international producers created their films in the province. After the termination of the program the international producers left the province and since 2012 there have only been a handful of films created in Saskatchewan. The most successful films of the post-tax credit era were WolfCop (2014), Another WolfCop (2017), Corner Gas: The Movie (2014), and The Sabbatical (2015). The focus of this analysis is on recurring themes that can be seen as characteristic of the Saskatchewan feature film. These recurring themes, namely the role of landscape, the importance of place for the identity of the main characters, and the relationship between Saskatchewan and Central Canada, are then discussed as a possible reflection of the relationship between Canada and the United States.