Digger (1993 film)

Digger is a Canadian comedy-drama film, directed by Rob Turner and released in 1993.^[1]

Digger
Directed by	Rob Turner
Written by	Rodney Gibbons
Produced by	Robert K. Maclean
Starring	Adam Hann-Byrd Joshua Jackson Barbara Williams Timothy Bottoms Olympia Dukakis Leslie Nielsen
Cinematography	Michael Buckley
Edited by	Michael Chandler
Music by	Todd Boekelheide
Production companies	Circle Northwood Westcom Entertainment Group
Distributed by	Skouras Pictures
Release dates	September 30, 1993 (1993-09-30) (U.S.) April 22, 1994 (1994-04-22) (Canada)
Running time	95 minutes
Country	Canada
Language	English

Plot

Digger (Adam Hann-Byrd), a 12-year old boy, is sent to live with his aunt Anna (Barbara Williams) and uncle Sam (Timothy Bottoms) when his parents break up. He befriends Billy (Joshua Jackson), a dying boy who has an eerie connection with nature, while his widowed grandmother Bea (Olympia Dukakis) enters a new romance with Arthur (Leslie Nielsen).^[2]

Cast

• Adam Hann-Byrd as Digger
• Joshua Jackson as Billy
• Timothy Bottoms as Sam Corlett
• Barbara Williams as Anna Corlett
• Olympia Dukakis as Bea
• Leslie Nielsen as Arthur Evrensel

Production

The film was shot in British Columbia in fall 1992.^[3] The screenplay was based on the real childhood experiences of writer Rodney Gibbons.^[4] It was originally set in the Isle of Man, Gibbons' childhood home,^[4] but the setting was ultimately changed to British Columbia's Gulf Islands.^[5]

Release

The film premiered on September 30, 1993, as the opening film of the Vancouver International Film Festival,^[6] before opening commercially on April 22, 1994.^[4]

Critical response

Michael Reid of the Victoria Times-Colonist praised the film's cast and cinematography, but called the film a "downer" that didn't have "enough action to hold our interest en route to the summary of life's lessons."^[2]

Peter Birnie of the Vancouver Sun wrote that "while Digger is that rare find, a family movie filled with positive values, it's also paced so slowly that kids could get bored. The script by Rodney Gibbons is guilty of making too much of the metaphysics between the boys, leading us in ethereal directions when what's needed is a stronger plotline."^[5]

Awards

The film received two Genie Award nominations at the 14th Genie Awards in 1994:^[7]

• Best Art Direction/Production Design: Mark S. Freeborn
• Best Original Score: Todd Boekelheide