Maine Filmmaker Scores Hit With Debut Film ‘Bluebird’

A filmmaker from Maine has set out to create a film that captures the attitude, landscape and mythology of the state without succumbing to the stereotypes of lobster boats and lighthouses.

Kennebunk native Lance Edmands recently released his film ‘Bluebird’, which debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York and is scheduled to be shown at the Maine International Film Festival later this month.

‘Bluebird’, which features John Slattery from AMC’s ‘Mad Men’ and Margo Martindale from FX’s ‘Justified’, is a story about a school bus driver that unintentionally leaves a little boy on the bus overnight, in the dead of winter, and returns the next morning to find him in a frozen coma. The story then slowly unravels and digs into the emotions of an economically depressed, isolated community.

Edmands says that shooting the movie in Maine was not an easy task, as the state does not provide filmmakers with the same tax incentives as states like Michigan and New York. However, in the end, Edmands believes that Maine was the appropriate venue.

“Shooting in Maine was something we had to fight for,” he said. “We had to work hard and wait a long time. At one point I was ready to drive to Augusta and make an impassioned speech about why the state needs to support filmmakers … one of the state’s great resources is its natural beauty and its generous people, which are two things that could contribute to a vibrant film industry here. I think [having those tax incentives] would be an incredible asset for the state, even if it doesn’t look great on a budget sheet. It’s like spending a dollar to eventually make five.”

‘Bluebird’ has won the Best Actress and the Ecumenical Jury award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

‘Bluebird’ will screen on July 20 at 7pm during the Maine International Film Festival. For more details about the film, click here.