Little Criminals

Ian C. Nelson is assistant director of libraries at the University of
Saskatchewan, and président de la Troupe du Jour, Regina Summer Stage.

This award-winning screenplay by Dennis Foon, who has been called
“Canada’s best young people’s playwright,” is a veritable
page-turner. In the words of director Stephen Surjik, “[it] is a movie
about kids for adults.”

Foon interviewed more than 125 young toughs to produce a gritty tragedy
that is replete with spare, uncompromising street dialogue and a visual
sense that speaks volumes. The inclusion of four of Kelly Brine’s
inspired original storyboard sketches provides the general reader with
an appreciation of how cartoon and camera can work together to translate
a script into moving images. Also included are stills from the CBC
television production, eight pages of production credits (alas, with
several typos), notes from the producer and screenwriter, and an
interview with the director.