Bliss ~ "Penelope's Suitors" (7x03)

Bliss III Series Summary

Bliss III is an engrossing chronicle of eight encounters that celebrate the psychological intrigue of flirtation, romance and sexual pleasure. Written and directed by women, this sensual series focuses on the female perspective, as each entanglement gives insight into the subtle gender politics informing each erotic encounter.

Meet Meenal, a sophisticated Montrealer who appeases her parents in India by attending an arranged dinner date with Devinder. Can she embrace him and their shared heritage without giving up her independence? Then there's the sexy Argentinean, Beatriz, new to Canada, where she meets a sultry yet evasive tango teacher. Next we have Alice, a gifted VJ on the club scene who is drawn to a quiet bookstore owner. Will she let his perspective enrich her wired world? Donna, a bright young law professor, brings students to moot court and battles an attractive legal legend. Perhaps her restless sexual energy will undo their professional composure.

Romy is an ace hockey goalie with a chip on her shoulder. Will she trust Frank, the rink manager, to accept and love her tomboy nature? Meanwhile, Mireille comes home one day to find her husband at the mercy of a dominatrix. Unexpected and erotic solutions are deployed to save the marriage. Out in the suburbs, Penelope buys her dream house but feels the pressure of being single. Will she give up her freedom when faced with some tantalizing, but traditional, choices? Downtown in a hip industrial loft, Steph uses a web cam to break free of her inhibitions. Anything can happen when her boyfriend discovers how erotic it is to have a virtual audience.

Bliss III explores the imaginative outcome of eight erotic stories. Presented with likeable characters and realistic scenarios, these telling vignettes are rich with psychological complexity and sensuality and never fail to tweak the sexual curiosity of audiences worldwide.

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

"Society is always there to make a single woman question her happiness," says executive producer and co-creator Janis Lundman. "The interesting thing about this script is that she's already perfectly happy with her new house, her weaving, her life. That's great. And now, a part of her would like companionship, but she doesn't know how much companionship and at what cost."

Executive producer and co-creator Adrienne Mitchell concurs, adding: "We felt absolutely no pressure or temptation to change Penelope’s single status at the end of the story. That was the point. We wanted to explore the stereotypes. What's wrong with her having brief encounters?"

Nothing, according to actor Stephanie Morgenstern. The role of Penelope interested Morgenstern because Penelope isn’t the typical Black Widow character.

"Penelope has no dark side," explains Morgenstern. "She's just enjoying her freedom. I, personally, can relate to the joy of wide-open possibilities, especially after getting out of a long-term relationship that should've ended much earlier...Penelope is enjoying the intense experience of being single and actually savouring it. She's honest to Fred about her intentions, so there's no deceptive angle."

Director Wiebke von Carolsfeld also enjoyed the feminist slant on the script: "I liked the idea of telling a sexual story from the point of view of a woman, and adding a bit of humour, which is rarely explored in a sexual context. That's why, in the bathroom scene, I had Penelope unpack the funniest little dildos I could find. They're almost like sculptures."

The director doesn't take the easy route of portraying the neighbour, a housewife, in an unattractive light. "The neighbour has simply chosen a different path from Penelope," explains von Carolsfeld. "We don't need to ridicule her to enjoy Penelope's path."

Von Carolsfeld likes to discuss the meaning behind the name Penelope in the script. Penelope is character from Greek mythology who weaves. She promises her suitors that she will sleep with them once she finishes her weaving, but each night she unravels the day's weaving. Her suitors remain frustrated.

"For our suitor, Fred, I needed someone very likeable," said von Carolsfeld. "Sebastian [Spence], who plays the cable technician Fred, was an easy choice for the role. He has a quiet, serious side that's just perfect for Penelope."

Spence was impressed by the script's unusual ending. "My character's smitten and she lets him go," says Spence. "He wasn't looking for anything, then he wanted to commit, but it was the woman who wanted to cool things down. That's not the typical dramatic set-up, and it was refreshing to see that kind of role, instead of the usual dog who never sticks around. He gets kind of burnt, although she was very up-front about her intentions."

ABOUT THE CAST

Stephanie Morgenstern, in the lead role of Penelope, was raised in Montreal where she began her career as a professional actor at the age of 15. While working in French and English television, film, and theatre, she obtained her B.A. in English from McGill University, and studied drama at the Banff Centre School of Fine Arts. Morgenstern then moved to Toronto to pursue her M.A. at York University's Graduate Program in Social and Political Thought. Most recently, Morgenstern starred opposite Beau Bridges in Barnum: The Fabulous Showman and was featured in the movie of the week Dash and Lilly, starring Judy Davis and Sam Sheppard and directed by Kathy Bates, and appeared as the guest star of a recent episode of Wind At My Back. Morgenstern performed in Atom Egoyan's Oscar-nominated The Sweet Hereafter, Su Rynard's Strands (produced at the Canadian Film Centre), Manon Briand's Seconds (Max Films), Jeanne Crepeau's Revoir Julie, Café Ole and Maelstrom by Denis Villeneuve. On stage, Morgenstern has performed at the Stratford Festival (A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Illusion), the Theatre Francais de Toronto (Le Malade Imaginaire, L'ecole des femmes), the Globe Theatre (Romeo and Juliet, The Glass Menagerie), the Grand Theatre (Goodnight Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet) and The Elgin/Wintergarden (Nothing Sacred). Morgenstern is also a filmmaker, and recently completed the ‘Women in the Director's Chair’ Master Class at the Banff Centre for the Arts. Her first film, Curtains, was nominated for a Genie Award for Best Short Film (1996). It earned her the Golden Sheaf Award for Best Script and Best Direction at the Yorkton Film Festival. Morgenstern’s latest feature film, Blizzard, is about to be released, starring Brenda Blethyn and Christopher Plummer.

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ABOUT THE PRODUCTION TEAM

GALAFILM PRODUCTIONS

GALAFILM PRODUCTIONS, founded by Arnie Gelbart in 1990, is an internationally renowned, independent film, television and new mediaproduction house based in Montreal. This successful company has produced a diverse body of award-winning genres from documentary series and one-offs, feature films, children’s programming, and television drama.

Galafilm’s Cirque du Soleil Fire Within (Emmy 2003, “Outstanding Nonfiction Program – Alternative”) a ratings hit for BRAVO US, Gemini Award-winning The Valour and the Horror, 1812, and the critically-acclaimed Road Stories for the Flesh-Eating. Galafilm’s six-part documentary series Chiefs recently aired to rave reviews on the History Channel. Upcoming documentaries include the four-part series War in Korea, directed by Brian McKenna and Marché Jean-Talon, co-produced with the NFB.

The company’s feature film productions include Two Thousand and None, starring John Turturro, Toronto International Film Festival hit, The Hanging Garden, directed by Thom Fitzgerald and the Genie Award-winning Lilies. Galafilm’s latest film production, The Blue Butterfly, directed by Léa Pool and starring William Hurt, Pascale Bussières and Marc Donato is currently set for release in early 2004.

Galafilm produced four seasons of the Canada/UK popular children’s drama series, The Worst Witch. Another Canada/UK co-production with Indie Kids, Fungus the Bogeyman is currently in postproduction. The series is set for broadcast on the CBC and the BBC in the UK. The ‘tween’ half-hour drama series 15/Love, a Canada/France co-production is currently shooting in Montreal. France’s Marathon and Toronto’s Telefactory are production partners. YTV and France 2 are the broadcasters.

CTV MOW Agent of Influence, an Alberta/Quebec co-production starring Christopher Plummer and Marina Orsini and directed by Michel Poulette sold in over 130 countries. Along with partners Back Alley Films, Galafilm recently wrapped production on the third season of the women’s erotic anthology series, Bliss.

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BACK ALLEY FILM PRODUCTIONS LTD.

BACK ALLEY FILM PRODUCTIONS LTD.was formed in 1989 by JANIS LUNDMAN and ADRIENNE MITCHELL. Known internationally for their work as creators of cutting edge dramatic television, as well as critically acclaimed documentary films, Back Alley Films is presently in production on season 2 of Bliss, a dramatic anthology that explores the diverse and provocative stories of women's erotica. Most recently, Bliss I received two nominations at the Gemini Awards, for ‘Best Production Design’ and as ‘Best Dramatic Series’.

Back Alley Films also counts among its credits the first interactive dramatic series in Canada, Drop the Beat. Created and Executive Produced by Mitchell and Lundman and produced for CBC, the series is set in the world of urban hip hop music and culture and was nominated for a Gemini for Best Series two years running. The company’s previous dramatic television series was the critically acclaimed Straight Up, about an eclectic group of Toronto teenagers. The series sold internationally and received nominations for several Gemini awards - winning for Best Direction two years in a row and Best Actor Youth Program (Sarah Polley).

Talk 16 aired on television around the world and was released theatrically in Canada, Australia and the U.S. Back Alley Films is presently in development with Arousal, a feature film, based on a Barbara Gowdy short story, which Mitchell will direct and a documentary series What Women Want.

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Last updated 14 feb 04