CHICAGO– Combining an intimate, personal story with a superstar cast, writer/director Shana Feste realized a semi-autobiographical journey in her new film “Boundaries.” The cast includes Oscar winners Christopher Plummer and Vera Farmiga, as well as Lewis MacDougall (“A Monster Calls”), Kristen Schaal, Bobby Cannavale, Christopher Lloyd AND Peter Fonda in a road trip picture that reunites ne’er do well Dad Jack (Plummer) with his desperate-to-connect-with-him daughter Laura (Farmiga).
Lewis MacDougall, Vera Farmiga & Christopher Plummer of ‘Boundaries’
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics
Dad is a marijuana dealer, and uses the journey to distribute the last of his supply. That means stopping by old friends Stanley (Lloyd) and Joey (Fonda) on their way to meet up with Laura’s sister JoJo (Schaal). Along for the ride is Laura’s son Henry, portrayed by Lewis MacDougall, who seeks to find his soul through his art. With a side stop at Laura’s ex-husband (Cannavale), this is a long strange trip no one will forget.
And this is also a journey for Shana Feste, who writes and directs her third film, after her debut “The Greatest” (2009), “Country Strong” (2010) and the remake of “Endless Love” (2014). It’s a more personal story, as her father was similarly a sold and distributed pot, and the story becomes a tribute for her connection to him. As related in the Podtalk, the opportunity to work with Christopher Plummer attracted the other actors to their roles, and the result is a dream cast of characters.
Director Shana Feste, Vera Farmiga & Lewis MacDougall of ‘Boundaries’
Photo credit: Getty Images for Sony Pictures Classics
Young actor Lewis McDougall is familiar to filmgoers through his unforgettable turn as a conflicted boy in “A Monster Calls” (2016) and his debut in “Pan.” He is Scottish born, and his own mother passed away right before he performed in a similar situation for “A Monster Calls.” The modest up-and-comer also has “The Belly of the Whale” on his film docket for 2018.
In the following Podtalk with Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, Shana Feste reflects on her path to making this personal film statement in “Boundaries,” her experience doing the remake of “Endless Love” and of course, Peter Fonda.
In the Podtalk with Lewis MacDougall, the young actor relates to finding the character of Henry, his personal connection to “A Monster Calls” and how he feels about his own education as a performer.
 | By PATRICK McDONALD |
