Roadkill

A rock n' road movie about a girl who learns to drive

At loose ends with life in Toronto, Ramona (Highway 61’s Valerie Buhagiar) is abruptly dispatched to the wilds of Northern Ontario by her mercenary record promotor boss (eXistenZ's Gerry Quigley) to retrieve The Children of Paradise, a wayward rock band that has disappeared mid-tour. There’s only one problem: she doesn’t know how to drive. Armed with only a Walkman and the clothes on her back, she embarks on a journey that quickly introduces her to a cavalcade of oddball characters, including a cab driver with ties to Elvis, a film director in search of a muse, a singer who’s lost his voice, and an aspiring serial killer (Last Night’s Don McKellar) determined to make it big. With the help of this motley crew, Ramona hopes to push beyond her limits and mount a rock n' roll show for the ages.

One of the defining films of the Toronto New Wave, Roadkill immediately turned heads in 1989 with its freewheeling punk rock style – and a memorable appearance by the one and only Joey Ramone – launching the careers of director Bruce McDonald (Pontypool), star Buhagiar, and co-star/screenwriter McKellar in the process. Boasting a now-legendary soundtrack full of local talent (and the Ramones), this first installment in McDonald’s iconic road movie trilogy (which also includes Highway 61 and Hard Core Logo) is a wickedly funny and enduringly hip DIY joyride. Buckle up!