Rebecca Jenkins, Stacey Smith, Molly Parker

She's found that a creative script with interesting roles will attract good actors. The opportunity to work with good actors playing wonderful characters attracts a good crew. And all this combined talent, in turn, smoothes the way for the money side of the film to fall together. "It all stems from having a good script" she says.

Interesting roles attract good actors, good crews

Marion Bridge is a case in point. Von Carolsfeld was supposed to be the editor on the film. When she read the script, written by the playwright and actor Daniel McIvor, she "totally loved it." And when McIvor decided a couple of years later not to direct the film, von Carolsfeld took it over because she felt the script was so strong.

Theatrical  Poster for Marion BridgeShe persuaded her friend, Molly Parker, to star in the film as one of three troubled sisters who gather in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to watch their mother die. Parker agreed because she loved the script. Then Rebecca Jenkins signed on as another sister.

On the strength of the script, Toronto-based production house Sienna Films signed on and, in turn, lined up co-producers and pieced together the budget of $2 million.