Main Players
Writer / Director / Producer
Anthony was drawn into the arts at an early age. Sketch books and comics strips evolved into writing screenplays and creating storyboards. Claymation short films led to the hand-drawn animation for his previous project, an award-winning feature film, entitled JOE FINDS GRACE. Always maintaining a connection to the arts, Anthony has supported his creative passions by working as an actor, oil painter and tattoo artist.
Some of his theatrical film performances include ALIEN vs. PREDATOR: REQUIEM, WHITE NOISE and SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS. He also appeared in several episodes of the Disney/Freeform series SIREN and played Scott on Disney’s MIGHTY DUCKS: GAME CHANGERS.
Director Statement -
“When it comes to the actors, I believe my job as director is to personally guarantee that I will work with each performer to put on camera their most dynamic performance. One that best suits the needs of the story we are telling. Since an ultra-low budget film relies mostly on deferred salaries, and the people involved are truly committing their time to do something that they love, it seems the least I could do would be to capture their best possible work on camera.”
The arts have been a lifelong vocation for Ernst. His involvement in community theatre and improv during high school led him to pursue acting as a full-time career. He has become a busy character actor known for dozens of roles, such as The Great Child in THIR13EN GHOSTS, Miner 49er in SCOOBY-DOO 2: MONSTERS UNLEASHED, Lowell Lee Andrews in CAPOTE and Baby Boy Tremor in SMOKIN' ACES 2: ASSASSINS' BALL. Ernst is also the English-voice of Obelix in ASTERIX: THE SECRET OF THE MAGIC POTION and ASTERIX: THE MANSIONS OF THE GODS. Recently, he co-starred with Henry Thomas in CRAWLSPACE which has an expected theatrical release for the spring of 2022.
His professional relationship with director Anthony Harrison goes back to 1996 when Anthony cast him in a lead role in JOE FINDS GRACE, eventually becoming a Producer as well. Ernst continued to work behind the scenes, acting as Consulting Producer on the short film TILT and as Co-Producer/Production Manager on DARK WATER, another Harrison production. EXUVIA marks Ernst's first co-production under his CPPB Inter-tainment banner. He continues to work as a consultant promoting indie productions and actors through database management via platforms like IMDb.
Cast
as Melina Shadrova, a Ukraine-born nanny who comes into the Clarke household as an escape from reality. She has a moody and dangerous edge to her; an unpredictable side that causes her to flip from hot to cold. It could be called bi-polar, but it may also be the result of her dysfunctional childhood with a heroin-addicted mother. Melina's connection with Hunter allows her to understand what was lost from her life – a real childhood.
2022 Leo Award nominee: Best Lead Performance by a Female in a Motion Picture
as Hunter Clarke, a brilliant, but socially challenged, ten-year-old who is an outcast at school and a loner at home. He has reluctantly grown to accept an overly mature lifestyle. It is the turbulent friendship with the new nanny that eventually helps him let go of the past and appreciate the true beauty of being a child.
2022 Leo Award nominee: Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Motion Picture
and Best Youth Performance
2022 Joey Award nominee: Best Leading Performer in a Feature Film
and Best Ensemble in a Feature Film
as Tamara Clarke, Hunter’s mother. A nurse and suddenly single parent of a very bright young child. She tries to get her love-life back in action by dating a man from the hospital. Riddled with trust issues, Tamara struggles to stay focused on the future, while keeping one eye trained on the ‘mysterious’ new nanny from out of town.
as Lundy Holgren, who works in the hospital’s laundry room and establishes a friendship with Tamara Clarke. He is easy-going and good-natured and finds himself caught slightly off guard by the unique complexities of the Clarke household.
as Auntie June, Tamara’s sister and Hunter’s aunt. An insightful and outspoken character who has a soft spot for stray animals and troubled humans. She has acted as Melina’s second mother for the past ten years.
as Nikki Shadrova, a Ukrainian immigrant who lives with a horrible secret buried so deep that only drugs keep it from emerging. She has burdened her daughter, Melina, with adult responsibilities while she barely clings to an unpredictable existence.
Additional Cast
Ernest Errington
Stephen Blakley
Madeline Angel
Amelie Love
Aaron Shankar
Nicholas Gilroy
Bunbury
--- Grampa
--- Store Clerk
--- Bully 2022 Joey Award nominee
--- Bully's Friend 2022 Joey Award nominee
--- Store Customer
--- Radio Announcer (voice)
--- Himself
Filmed in Co-operation with
Additional Crew
Andreu Jacob
Kelly James McLeod
Deb Graf
Lewis Harrison
Harris Allan
Kim Kondrashoff
Anthony Harrison
C. Ernst Harth
--- Music By
--- Make-up
--- Make-up Assistant
--- Drone Photography
--- Additional Music
--- Additional Music
--- Photographed By / Editor / Graphics / VFX / Sound Design
--- Production Manager / 1st A.D. / Sound Recording / Casting
Thanks to
for their contribution to the final mix