Christie's new trailer, starring the new generation of filmmakers

The new cinema trailer of Christie, released on CineAsia, was created by Mila Paulman, a fourth-year film and audiovisual production student at Humber College in Toronto, and directed and produced by Digital Sabbath Film Company, Kitchener (Canada), with post-production by Company 3.

The trailer is the result of a contest organized by Digital Sabbath on behalf of Christie to attract and support the next generation of filmmakers. The contest invited students from tertiary film programs to submit a trailer proposal for a chance to win a cash prize, a day on set, and have their concept projected on the big screen in theaters around the world.

Paulman's winning entry explores the theme of “love of cinema” through the eyes of a child who goes from imaginative play to seeing his ideas come to life on the big screen. “We believe that Mila's proposal sums up the unique feeling and emotion of watching a movie on the big screen,” he says. Arlonna Seymour, Executive Director of Corporate Marketing at Christie. “It is a call to dream big.”

Paulman joined Digital Sabbath on set for a one-day shoot and quickly took on the role of assistant director. “I was excited to work with Kyle [Sawyer, director] and learn how he directs and collaborates with others, like Paul [Duck, director of photography]. Being part of the team and introducing myself as a future director was a great opportunity,” says Paulman.

Bring cinema to students

Digital Sabbath, which runs the Open Gate Filmmaker Lab to bring filmmaking to high school students through hands-on workshops, she understands the importance of this type of experience for aspiring filmmakers: "It's a small industry, so she was able to meet the team. It will help Mila advance her career with a little more contacts, so to speak," Sawyer says.

Paulman also gained valuable first-hand experience in post-production, joining Digital Sabbath in the offices of Company 3 in Toronto for color correction and sound mixing on a scale I hadn't experienced before. "The Company 3 team is delighted to collaborate with Christie and Digital Sabbath on this initiative. Offering emerging filmmakers like Mila the opportunity to work with some of the best color and sound professionals in the world is valuable experience that they can carry over to their future projects," he says. Michael Patterson, Director of Sales at Company 3 Toronto.

"In my early days, I walked into studios and sets and didn't feel welcome. It's a big problem for people starting out in this industry," Sawyer says. "We want to turn that on its head. So when there's someone on set, like Mila, we want to make sure they feel welcome."

“It's been a fantastic opportunity to, in a way, represent the future of cinema,” Paulman says. Although Paulman is finishing his last year of college, he is already looking toward the future. “Ten years from now, I would love to direct a big-budget feature film.”

Christie's new theatrical trailer will screen ahead of feature film presentations at film festivals including Cannes, the Toronto International Film Festival and the Shanghai International Film Festival, as well as in select theaters around the world.