Food for the Gods
Encyclopedia
Food for the Gods is a 2007 Canadian short
, science fiction
, romance film
from award-winning writer/filmmaker H. Scott Hughes
. The film stars Yvette Lu
and Danny Dorosh
as two star-crossed lovers in a plot reminiscent of stories of Pocahontas
and Captain John Smith
. The film is based on a short story
by Patricia C. Hughes
. It is set in the year 2057.
is "Sheenyana," a beautiful, mystic warrior and member of the fictional Kyontawa
tribe—a post-Neolithic
tribe
of human
s residing on a pristine forested world, presumably in the Alpha Centauri
star system. In the story, the Kyontawa are the descendents of a highly advanced Asian civilization from Earth's forgotten history, which established a deep-space settlement on what is now Sheenyana's planet. Clearly, that high-tech civilization is no more and the Kyontawa's knowledge of it is limited to their religious mythology of "Bird Gods" who seeded their people from the sky. Their language (subtitled in the film) has similarities to Asian languages of Earth, particularly Japanese. After a NASA
expedition lands in Sheenyana’s forest, Sheenyana saves the life of American astronaut Lt. Richard O’Conner (Danny Dorosh). Their connection is immediate and, before long, the two fall into a forbidden affair—the foundation of a cultural clash which will threaten to rip them apart. When Sheenyana’s psychic visions foretell a coming danger from Earth, they lead her to the anguishing conclusion that the only way to save her people may be to sacrifice an innocent man—and the love of her life.
Featuring a majority Asian cast, Food for the Gods premiered on Canadian cable, Shaw Multicultural Channel
, Sunday, May 25, 2008, as part of SMC
's and ExplorASIAN's (a Vancouver-based Asian heritage organization) salute to Canada's Asian Heritage Month, which takes place each May. It aired at approximately 10:00 PM Pacific Time as part of a two hour block, 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM (the Sunday Movie of the Week timeslot), under the program title, Filmmakers Showcase: Roots & Passages—an anthology of short films selected by ExplorASIAN and Shaw Muliticultural Channel for their reflections on Asian history and culture (either historical or fictional). SMC aired an encore of the showcase at Midnight the following morning.
Food for the Gods has also been an Official Selection of the 2008 New Asia Film Festival in Richmond, British Columbia
, an Official Selection of the 2008 Route 66 Film Festival in Springfield, Illinois
, and an Official Selection of the Vancouver Asian Film Festival
in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia on November 8, 2008. The film has garnered critical praise. During a May, 2008 Q&A session with three of the film's stars, Yvette Lu, Beverly Wu, and Yuki Morita, panelists at the New Asia Film Festival compared Food for the Gods to the romantic feature film, 2046
, from acclaimed Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai
. The New Asia Film Festival describes Food for the Gods on their official Website:
It was popular among festival judges at the Route 66 Film Festival for its poignant beauty and musical score, co-composed by the film's director, H. Scott Hughes, and the film's star and postproduction producer, Yvette Lu. The soundtrack features actress and singers Yvette Lu and Beverly Wu, singing in the Kyontawa language, accompanied by Chinese erhu
master Xu Qian of the University of British Columbia
's Asian Music Studies Department. On September 18, 2008, Food for the Gods was the only Route 66 Film Festival selection to appear on the front cover of "A&E," a publication of The State Journal-Register of Springfield, Illinois. Food for the Gods first premiered October 19, 2007 at the Vancouver International Film Centre
in Vancouver, British Columbia.
FFTG was shot on Super 16 film
, using Arriflex Cameras and Lenses, digitized and color corrected by Technicolor Laboratories
, under the supervision of Director of Photography Steven Ye and cinematography advisor Ricky Choi. It displays in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio
in 5.1 surround sound
, mixed by Doug Woods at the VFS Sound Design
studios in Vancouver.
as Crazy Old Woman
, a previous short film written by H. Scott Hughes
and directed by FFTG producer, Joe Fang. FFTG character Dr. Denise Hanson (Tara Pratt) is presumed to be granddaughter of Stewart and Terri Hanson, the characters featured in Crazy Old Woman. Denise Hanson, in Food for the Gods, also meets a fate somewhat similar to her one of her ancestors in the previous film, which is set in the present (fifty years prior). H. Scott Hughes, who directed Food for the Gods and also wrote both films, has referred to this as the Hanson Family Curse. The plots are, otherwise, unrelated.
as protagonist "Sheenyana." Lu also serves as Executive Producer of both films, with H. Scott Hughes
returning as Writer, Director, and Executive Producer. The teaser poster also gives above title billing to Beverly Wu, reprising her role as Princess Xionko, and Tomoko Hanawa in the title role as "Kyshiyo - the Megami." Megami: Search for the Gods introduces a new heroine from Earth, Canadian Air Force Maj. Denise Hinoki, played by Grace Chin.
Megami: Legacy for the Gods
Megami: Legacy for the Gods features international action star Stephen M.D. Chang
, playing the film's primary villain, Kanukami. A brief synopsis on the film's website makes reference to Sheenyana anguishing over the actions she was forced to take at the end of the previous film—as she and Xionko must now secure technologies, including advanced weapons and a starship, left behind by the Earth astronauts. A rival tribe called the Tokono has amassed an army upon Kyontawa
lands, led by Kanukami (Chang), the same man responsible for the deaths of Sheenyana's parents when she was a child. Kanukami's daughter, Shan'li (Caroline Chan), is the first to attack Sheenyana in an attempt to make a name for herself and find favor with her demanding father. Meanwhile, Sheenyana is also being psychically visited by a female ghost named "Kyshiyo" (Tomoko Hanawa) a beautiful "Megami," (Princess Goddess) who once ruled Sheenyana's planet when it was part of an advanced interstellar empire, 20,000 years ago. Danny Dorosh
, Shaker Paleja
, and Tara Pratt reprise their roles as the original Eagle III astronauts from Food for the Gods. Also returning is Taka Hiro as the Kyontawa
king, Shogoto. The poster's tag line reads, "On an Alien World... When a Goddess dies, who will replace her?" The plot synopsis , and participation of Stephen M.D. Chang, best known for his action roles in film and television implies a more action oriented plot for the sci-fi film, compared to the more romance driven plot of the previous film. Megami: Legacy for the Gods is co-produced by Rainfield Films, Inc. in Canada.
Megami: Search for the Gods
Set partly on Earth, Megami: Search for the Gods stars a new character named Maj. Denise Hinoki, M.D. (Grace Chin), a member of the Canadian Forces
. While attempting to discover what became of her astronaut friends from the lost Eagle III mission seven years ago, Major Hinoki uncovers an international conspiracy, which somehow threatens Sheenyana's planet, as well as the Major's own life. Tara Pratt (who played Dr. Denise Hanson in both Food for the Gods and Megami: Legacy for the Gods) returns to a different role, playing a villainous twin sister, Dr. Theresa Hanson, who will ultimately engage in a gun-slinging action showdown with the Major, according to the film's released production stills. Yvette Lu
, Beverly Wu, Tomoko Hanawa, Taka Hiro, and Yuki Morita all return to their previous roles from "FFTG" and/or "Legacy." Nik Green, also a producer on the film, co-stars as a black ops mercenary, Codename: The Artist. The film's website specifically acknowledges the oddly similar names of Dr. Denise Hinoki and the previous Dr. Denise Hanson (from Food for the Gods and Megami: Legacy for the Gods), which may imply some sort of interwoven destiny yet to play out. Megami: Search for the Gods is co-produced by Global Authority Films in Canada.
Additional Revelations
Both sequels specifically name Sheenyana's planet as Alpla Centauri - Alpha II
, which may mean the second planet orbiting Alpha Centauri A
. Production stills from both films also display an "updated" look for members the Kyontawa
tribe. While maintaining continuity with Food for the Gods, both "Megami" films show a tribe that is less Pre-Columbian in appearance and attire and more reminiscent of early Asian medieval. For example, Sheenyana's prominent feathers from the first film are now subtly replaced with a single metallic feather symbol worn on a necklace to denote her faith in Wakandan Tori (the Bird Gods). She wears a Chinese-inspired leather armor and wields a Japanese style katana
sword, instead of a wooden dagger. She does, however (according to the captions on a series of production stills), make an appearance in her original FFTG costume during a flashback sequence set during the era of the first film--and her original wooden dagger can seen on her belt along with her current katana. Other “updates” to the Kyontawa include the riding of horses and utilization of guns and advanced Earth technologies left behind by the Eagle III crew. Princess Xionko (once again played by Beverly Wu) appears to have made a dramatic shift from a spoiled and selfish teen-aged princess in Food for the Gods to a matured and heroic warrior in both "Megami" films.
Although not appearing in either "teaser" short, the producers maintain that future installments of "Megami/For the Gods" will feature appearances by Method Fest Best Supporting Actress Nominee Giovannie "Pico" Espiritu
, best known to TV audiences as medical intern Ludlow on NBC
's ER
, playing Sheenyana's late mother, Ichigo.
Short subject
A short film is any film not long enough to be considered a feature film. No consensus exists as to where that boundary is drawn: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all...
, science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, romance film
Romance film
Romance films are love stories that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate involvement of the main characters and the journey that their love takes through courtship or marriage. Romance films make the love story or the search for love the main plot focus...
from award-winning writer/filmmaker H. Scott Hughes
H. Scott Hughes
H. Scott Hughes is a Texas-born writer and filmmaker, as well as singer/songwriter, and film/stage composer.-Career:Hughes is a graduate of Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi and the Vancouver Film School...
. The film stars Yvette Lu
Yvette Lu
Yvette Lu, M.D. is a Canadian independent film and stage actress, filmmaker, singer, composer, writer and producer, as well as a licensed family physician. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Lu has starred in many independent films, most notably Food for the Gods and Servants of War...
and Danny Dorosh
Danny Dorosh
Danny Dorosh is a Canadian film, television and theatre actor.-Education:He graduated from the bachelor of fine arts acting program the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta.-Career:...
as two star-crossed lovers in a plot reminiscent of stories of Pocahontas
Pocahontas
Pocahontas was a Virginia Indian notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of Chief Powhatan, the head of a network of tributary tribal nations in Tidewater Virginia...
and Captain John Smith
John Smith of Jamestown
Captain John Smith Admiral of New England was an English soldier, explorer, and author. He was knighted for his services to Sigismund Bathory, Prince of Transylvania and friend Mózes Székely...
. The film is based on a short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by Patricia C. Hughes
Granny Grace
The Granny Grace Mysteries, from author Patricia C. Hughes, is a series of comical mystery short stories published in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine in the late 1990s. They followed the ghostly capers of Dallas McGee, a young corporate secretary from Houston, who becomes haunted by her...
. It is set in the year 2057.
Plot
In the protagonist role, Yvette LuYvette Lu
Yvette Lu, M.D. is a Canadian independent film and stage actress, filmmaker, singer, composer, writer and producer, as well as a licensed family physician. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Lu has starred in many independent films, most notably Food for the Gods and Servants of War...
is "Sheenyana," a beautiful, mystic warrior and member of the fictional Kyontawa
Kyontawa
Kyontawa may refer to:*Kyontawa, a fictional language and tribe appearing in the 2007 sci-fi short film Food for the Gods.*Kyontawa, Ayeyarwady, Myanmar, a population centre in the Asian country of Myanmar ....
tribe—a post-Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
tribe
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
of human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
s residing on a pristine forested world, presumably in the Alpha Centauri
Alpha Centauri
Alpha Centauri is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus...
star system. In the story, the Kyontawa are the descendents of a highly advanced Asian civilization from Earth's forgotten history, which established a deep-space settlement on what is now Sheenyana's planet. Clearly, that high-tech civilization is no more and the Kyontawa's knowledge of it is limited to their religious mythology of "Bird Gods" who seeded their people from the sky. Their language (subtitled in the film) has similarities to Asian languages of Earth, particularly Japanese. After a NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
expedition lands in Sheenyana’s forest, Sheenyana saves the life of American astronaut Lt. Richard O’Conner (Danny Dorosh). Their connection is immediate and, before long, the two fall into a forbidden affair—the foundation of a cultural clash which will threaten to rip them apart. When Sheenyana’s psychic visions foretell a coming danger from Earth, they lead her to the anguishing conclusion that the only way to save her people may be to sacrifice an innocent man—and the love of her life.
Main cast
- Yvette LuYvette LuYvette Lu, M.D. is a Canadian independent film and stage actress, filmmaker, singer, composer, writer and producer, as well as a licensed family physician. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Lu has starred in many independent films, most notably Food for the Gods and Servants of War...
as Sheenyana -- a beautiful KyontawaKyontawaKyontawa may refer to:*Kyontawa, a fictional language and tribe appearing in the 2007 sci-fi short film Food for the Gods.*Kyontawa, Ayeyarwady, Myanmar, a population centre in the Asian country of Myanmar ....
warriorWarriorA warrior is a person skilled in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based society that recognizes a separate warrior class.-Warrior classes in tribal culture:...
with powerful psychicPsychicA psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
abilities. She is a niece to the tribe's king and queen. The royal couple raised her after the death of her parents and she remains a trusted political and military advisor, aided by her ability to see the future. She is a mentor to her first cousin, Princess Xionko. After a NASA expedition from Earth lands in her forest, Sheenyana soon falls in love with American astronaut Lt. Richard O'Conner. - Danny DoroshDanny DoroshDanny Dorosh is a Canadian film, television and theatre actor.-Education:He graduated from the bachelor of fine arts acting program the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta.-Career:...
as Lt. Richard O'Conner -- a United States Naval aviatorUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, who pilots NASA's first faster-than-lightFaster-than-lightFaster-than-light communications and travel refer to the propagation of information or matter faster than the speed of light....
mission to the Kyontawa homeworld in the Alpha CentauriAlpha CentauriAlpha Centauri is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus...
system. Like the rest of his crew, he is stunned to discover another planet populated by humanHumanHumans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
s, but he falls deeply in love with Sheenyana—and engages in an affair despite a warning from his commanding officer. Concerned for the well being of the Kyontawa people, Richard begins to question their mission on this world. - Taka Hiro as Shogoto -- Chief or King of KyontawaKyontawaKyontawa may refer to:*Kyontawa, a fictional language and tribe appearing in the 2007 sci-fi short film Food for the Gods.*Kyontawa, Ayeyarwady, Myanmar, a population centre in the Asian country of Myanmar ....
, he is the tribe’s monarch and presides over the Chief Council, the kingdom’s governing body. He has a wife, Shogami, and daughter, Princess Xionko, his heir. He and Shogami raised their niece, Sheenyana, after the death of her parents. He loves her dearly and looks to her for council—a source of envy for his own daughter, Xionko.
- Beverly Wu as Xionko -- the crown princess, she holds the official title of Her Royal Highness, Xionko, Princess Heir of Kyontawa. A beautiful young woman with a tendency towards pampered vanities, she is extremely jealous of her first cousin, Sheenyana’s, elevated standing with her parents. Ironically, she also shows signs of caring deeply for Sheenyana and looks up to her as an older mentor. But it is her impulsive and manipulative nature that gets the best of her when she decides to expose Sheenyana’s affair with Richard, steal a laser weapon (nearly killing herself in the process), and plunge two sides into a cultural clash that could rip Sheenyana and Richard apart...or worse.
- Tara Pratt as Dr. Denise Hanson -- a Canadian medical mission specialist on the NASA crew. She confirms that Sheenyana’s DNA is human/homo sapiens. There are hints that she may harbor an attraction for Richard, but she shares Richard’s concern for the plight of Sheenyana’s people.
- Shaker PalejaShaker PalejaShaker Paleja is Canadian film, television, and voice-over actor, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. His voice-over work is known to anime fans of such series as Angel Links , and he regularly guest stars on numerous live-action series such as Battlestar Galactica, Smallville, Kyle XY,...
as Lt. Cmdr. Monroe Bellwood -- a by-the-book US NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
officer, he is the mission commander of Earth’s first faster-than-lightFaster-than-lightFaster-than-light communications and travel refer to the propagation of information or matter faster than the speed of light....
mission to a world outside our own solar system. Like any C.O. his primary concern regards the safety of his crew and the success of their mission. Bellwood is unprepared for Richard’s first contactFirst contact (science fiction)First contact is a common science fiction theme about the first meeting between humans and extraterrestrial life, or of any sentient race's first encounter with another one....
encounter with an alien, but humanHumanHumans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
woman on a planet light-years from Earth. Especially when it is revealed that she may be royalty, he warns his lieutenant to “keep it in your pants.” - Yuki Morita as Shogami -- queen of the Kyontawa, wife to Shogoto, and mother of the crown princess, Xionko. She is a matriarch very much in the Asian tradition. She raised her niece, Sheenyana, when Sheenyana’s parents died, and loves her dearly—a source of envy for Xionko, who sometimes feels slighted by her parents in favor of her older cousin.
- Amanda Louie as Ree -- a six year old KyontawaKyontawaKyontawa may refer to:*Kyontawa, a fictional language and tribe appearing in the 2007 sci-fi short film Food for the Gods.*Kyontawa, Ayeyarwady, Myanmar, a population centre in the Asian country of Myanmar ....
child and member of the Kyontawa royal family.
Reception & Production
Shaw Multicultural Channel
Shaw Multicultural Channel is a multicultural cable television community channel in Vancouver, British Columbia. The channel operates on digital cable channel 116 in the Lower Mainland areas, except Delta, where it is seen on analog cable channel 51....
, Sunday, May 25, 2008, as part of SMC
Shaw Multicultural Channel
Shaw Multicultural Channel is a multicultural cable television community channel in Vancouver, British Columbia. The channel operates on digital cable channel 116 in the Lower Mainland areas, except Delta, where it is seen on analog cable channel 51....
's and ExplorASIAN's (a Vancouver-based Asian heritage organization) salute to Canada's Asian Heritage Month, which takes place each May. It aired at approximately 10:00 PM Pacific Time as part of a two hour block, 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM (the Sunday Movie of the Week timeslot), under the program title, Filmmakers Showcase: Roots & Passages—an anthology of short films selected by ExplorASIAN and Shaw Muliticultural Channel for their reflections on Asian history and culture (either historical or fictional). SMC aired an encore of the showcase at Midnight the following morning.
Food for the Gods has also been an Official Selection of the 2008 New Asia Film Festival in Richmond, British Columbia
Richmond, British Columbia
Richmond is a coastal city, incorporated in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Part of Metro Vancouver, its neighbouring communities are Vancouver and Burnaby to the north, New Westminster to the east, and Delta to the south, while the Strait of Georgia forms its western border...
, an Official Selection of the 2008 Route 66 Film Festival in Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
, and an Official Selection of the Vancouver Asian Film Festival
Vancouver Asian Film Festival
The Vancouver Asian Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia for about 4–5 days in November. Launching in 1996 , it is Canada’s oldest Asian film festival, exhibiting films and videos by North American artists of Asian heritage. Awards include a juried award...
in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia on November 8, 2008. The film has garnered critical praise. During a May, 2008 Q&A session with three of the film's stars, Yvette Lu, Beverly Wu, and Yuki Morita, panelists at the New Asia Film Festival compared Food for the Gods to the romantic feature film, 2046
2046 (film)
2046 is a 2004 Hong Kong film written and directed by Wong Kar-wai. It is a loose sequel to the 1991 Hong Kong film Days of Being Wild and the 2000 Hong Kong film In the Mood for Love...
, from acclaimed Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai
Wong Kar-wai
Wong Kar-wai BBS is a Hong Kong Second Wave filmmaker, internationally renowned as an auteur for his visually unique, highly stylized, emotionally resonant work, including Days of Being Wild , Ashes of Time , Chungking Express , Fallen Angels , Happy Together and 2046...
. The New Asia Film Festival describes Food for the Gods on their official Website:
Although it takes place in an otherworldly setting, the film is rich in Asian themes, including a backstory referencing prehistoric Japan, and a fictional subtitled language that is loosely derived from Japanese and other Asian language influences.
It was popular among festival judges at the Route 66 Film Festival for its poignant beauty and musical score, co-composed by the film's director, H. Scott Hughes, and the film's star and postproduction producer, Yvette Lu. The soundtrack features actress and singers Yvette Lu and Beverly Wu, singing in the Kyontawa language, accompanied by Chinese erhu
Erhu
The erhu is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument, more specifically a spike fiddle, which may also be called a "southern fiddle", and sometimes known in the Western world as the "Chinese violin" or a "Chinese two-stringed fiddle". It is used as a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles...
master Xu Qian of the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
's Asian Music Studies Department. On September 18, 2008, Food for the Gods was the only Route 66 Film Festival selection to appear on the front cover of "A&E," a publication of The State Journal-Register of Springfield, Illinois. Food for the Gods first premiered October 19, 2007 at the Vancouver International Film Centre
Vancouver International Film Centre
The Vancouver International Film Centre houses the 175-seat Vancity Theatre, along with a production room and offices for the Vancouver International Film Festival...
in Vancouver, British Columbia.
FFTG was shot on Super 16 film
16 mm film
16 mm film refers to a popular, economical gauge of film used for motion pictures and non-theatrical film making. 16 mm refers to the width of the film...
, using Arriflex Cameras and Lenses, digitized and color corrected by Technicolor Laboratories
Technicolor
Technicolor is a color motion picture process invented in 1916 and improved over several decades.It was the second major process, after Britain's Kinemacolor, and the most widely used color process in Hollywood from 1922 to 1952...
, under the supervision of Director of Photography Steven Ye and cinematography advisor Ricky Choi. It displays in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio
Aspect ratio
The aspect ratio of a shape is the ratio of its longer dimension to its shorter dimension. It may be applied to two characteristic dimensions of a three-dimensional shape, such as the ratio of the longest and shortest axis, or for symmetrical objects that are described by just two measurements,...
in 5.1 surround sound
Surround sound
Surround sound encompasses a range of techniques such as for enriching the sound reproduction quality of an audio source with audio channels reproduced via additional, discrete speakers. Surround sound is characterized by a listener location or sweet spot where the audio effects work best, and...
, mixed by Doug Woods at the VFS Sound Design
Vancouver Film School
Vancouver Film School is a private entertainment arts school located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 1987, it has achieved international recognition. The Vancouver Film School has campus locations around Downtown Vancouver and comprises six buildings...
studios in Vancouver.
Continuity with Crazy Old Woman
This film takes place in the same fictional universeFictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
as Crazy Old Woman
Crazy Old Woman
Crazy Old Woman is a 2007 Canadian short form paranormal thriller, written by H. Scott Hughes and directed by Joe Fang. It plays in the classic vein of shows such as The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and films such as The Sixth Sense.-Plot:The film stars British actor Dan Richardson...
, a previous short film written by H. Scott Hughes
H. Scott Hughes
H. Scott Hughes is a Texas-born writer and filmmaker, as well as singer/songwriter, and film/stage composer.-Career:Hughes is a graduate of Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi and the Vancouver Film School...
and directed by FFTG producer, Joe Fang. FFTG character Dr. Denise Hanson (Tara Pratt) is presumed to be granddaughter of Stewart and Terri Hanson, the characters featured in Crazy Old Woman. Denise Hanson, in Food for the Gods, also meets a fate somewhat similar to her one of her ancestors in the previous film, which is set in the present (fifty years prior). H. Scott Hughes, who directed Food for the Gods and also wrote both films, has referred to this as the Hanson Family Curse. The plots are, otherwise, unrelated.
Megami: Legacy for the Gods and Megami: Search for the Gods (Sequels)
Sees Far Pictures has announced the completion of principal photography of two separate sequel shorts, shot back to back, titled Megami: Legacy for the Gods and Megami: Search for the Gods, respectively. The release dates of both are currently unspecified. The producers refer to the independent short films as two separate "teasers" for a potential larger project, possibly a TV series, down the road. Both films, set seven years after events of the first film (placing the year at c.2064), again star Yvette LuYvette Lu
Yvette Lu, M.D. is a Canadian independent film and stage actress, filmmaker, singer, composer, writer and producer, as well as a licensed family physician. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Lu has starred in many independent films, most notably Food for the Gods and Servants of War...
as protagonist "Sheenyana." Lu also serves as Executive Producer of both films, with H. Scott Hughes
H. Scott Hughes
H. Scott Hughes is a Texas-born writer and filmmaker, as well as singer/songwriter, and film/stage composer.-Career:Hughes is a graduate of Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi and the Vancouver Film School...
returning as Writer, Director, and Executive Producer. The teaser poster also gives above title billing to Beverly Wu, reprising her role as Princess Xionko, and Tomoko Hanawa in the title role as "Kyshiyo - the Megami." Megami: Search for the Gods introduces a new heroine from Earth, Canadian Air Force Maj. Denise Hinoki, played by Grace Chin.
Megami: Legacy for the Gods
Megami: Legacy for the Gods features international action star Stephen M.D. Chang
Stephen M.D. Chang
Stephen M.D. Chang is a Canadian actor and martial artist, who has starred and guest starred in numerous films and television series. Prior to moving to Canada, Chang grew up in Hong Kong after escaping Communist China, and counted Bruce Lee among his childhood friends, before Lee became a star...
, playing the film's primary villain, Kanukami. A brief synopsis on the film's website makes reference to Sheenyana anguishing over the actions she was forced to take at the end of the previous film—as she and Xionko must now secure technologies, including advanced weapons and a starship, left behind by the Earth astronauts. A rival tribe called the Tokono has amassed an army upon Kyontawa
Kyontawa
Kyontawa may refer to:*Kyontawa, a fictional language and tribe appearing in the 2007 sci-fi short film Food for the Gods.*Kyontawa, Ayeyarwady, Myanmar, a population centre in the Asian country of Myanmar ....
lands, led by Kanukami (Chang), the same man responsible for the deaths of Sheenyana's parents when she was a child. Kanukami's daughter, Shan'li (Caroline Chan), is the first to attack Sheenyana in an attempt to make a name for herself and find favor with her demanding father. Meanwhile, Sheenyana is also being psychically visited by a female ghost named "Kyshiyo" (Tomoko Hanawa) a beautiful "Megami," (Princess Goddess) who once ruled Sheenyana's planet when it was part of an advanced interstellar empire, 20,000 years ago. Danny Dorosh
Danny Dorosh
Danny Dorosh is a Canadian film, television and theatre actor.-Education:He graduated from the bachelor of fine arts acting program the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta.-Career:...
, Shaker Paleja
Shaker Paleja
Shaker Paleja is Canadian film, television, and voice-over actor, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. His voice-over work is known to anime fans of such series as Angel Links , and he regularly guest stars on numerous live-action series such as Battlestar Galactica, Smallville, Kyle XY,...
, and Tara Pratt reprise their roles as the original Eagle III astronauts from Food for the Gods. Also returning is Taka Hiro as the Kyontawa
Kyontawa
Kyontawa may refer to:*Kyontawa, a fictional language and tribe appearing in the 2007 sci-fi short film Food for the Gods.*Kyontawa, Ayeyarwady, Myanmar, a population centre in the Asian country of Myanmar ....
king, Shogoto. The poster's tag line reads, "On an Alien World... When a Goddess dies, who will replace her?" The plot synopsis , and participation of Stephen M.D. Chang, best known for his action roles in film and television implies a more action oriented plot for the sci-fi film, compared to the more romance driven plot of the previous film. Megami: Legacy for the Gods is co-produced by Rainfield Films, Inc. in Canada.
Megami: Search for the Gods
Set partly on Earth, Megami: Search for the Gods stars a new character named Maj. Denise Hinoki, M.D. (Grace Chin), a member of the Canadian Forces
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
. While attempting to discover what became of her astronaut friends from the lost Eagle III mission seven years ago, Major Hinoki uncovers an international conspiracy, which somehow threatens Sheenyana's planet, as well as the Major's own life. Tara Pratt (who played Dr. Denise Hanson in both Food for the Gods and Megami: Legacy for the Gods) returns to a different role, playing a villainous twin sister, Dr. Theresa Hanson, who will ultimately engage in a gun-slinging action showdown with the Major, according to the film's released production stills. Yvette Lu
Yvette Lu
Yvette Lu, M.D. is a Canadian independent film and stage actress, filmmaker, singer, composer, writer and producer, as well as a licensed family physician. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Lu has starred in many independent films, most notably Food for the Gods and Servants of War...
, Beverly Wu, Tomoko Hanawa, Taka Hiro, and Yuki Morita all return to their previous roles from "FFTG" and/or "Legacy." Nik Green, also a producer on the film, co-stars as a black ops mercenary, Codename: The Artist. The film's website specifically acknowledges the oddly similar names of Dr. Denise Hinoki and the previous Dr. Denise Hanson (from Food for the Gods and Megami: Legacy for the Gods), which may imply some sort of interwoven destiny yet to play out. Megami: Search for the Gods is co-produced by Global Authority Films in Canada.
Additional Revelations
Both sequels specifically name Sheenyana's planet as Alpla Centauri - Alpha II
Alpha Centauri
Alpha Centauri is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus...
, which may mean the second planet orbiting Alpha Centauri A
Alpha Centauri
Alpha Centauri is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus...
. Production stills from both films also display an "updated" look for members the Kyontawa
Kyontawa
Kyontawa may refer to:*Kyontawa, a fictional language and tribe appearing in the 2007 sci-fi short film Food for the Gods.*Kyontawa, Ayeyarwady, Myanmar, a population centre in the Asian country of Myanmar ....
tribe. While maintaining continuity with Food for the Gods, both "Megami" films show a tribe that is less Pre-Columbian in appearance and attire and more reminiscent of early Asian medieval. For example, Sheenyana's prominent feathers from the first film are now subtly replaced with a single metallic feather symbol worn on a necklace to denote her faith in Wakandan Tori (the Bird Gods). She wears a Chinese-inspired leather armor and wields a Japanese style katana
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
sword, instead of a wooden dagger. She does, however (according to the captions on a series of production stills), make an appearance in her original FFTG costume during a flashback sequence set during the era of the first film--and her original wooden dagger can seen on her belt along with her current katana. Other “updates” to the Kyontawa include the riding of horses and utilization of guns and advanced Earth technologies left behind by the Eagle III crew. Princess Xionko (once again played by Beverly Wu) appears to have made a dramatic shift from a spoiled and selfish teen-aged princess in Food for the Gods to a matured and heroic warrior in both "Megami" films.
Although not appearing in either "teaser" short, the producers maintain that future installments of "Megami/For the Gods" will feature appearances by Method Fest Best Supporting Actress Nominee Giovannie "Pico" Espiritu
Giovannie Pico
Giovannie Pico is a Filipina television, film and stage actress whose most visible role has been that of medical student Ludlow in 2004-05 episodes of NBC's top-rated hospital drama ER....
, best known to TV audiences as medical intern Ludlow on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's ER
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
, playing Sheenyana's late mother, Ichigo.