Filmmaker focuses on Highway of Tears

When filmmaker Matt Smiley first heard about the Highway of Tears, he knew it was a story that had to be told.

Now he's in Prince George with a camera crew and will be touring the 700 kilometre stretch of Highway 16, between here and Prince Rupert, examining the route where at least 18 young women have been murdered or have gone missing.

It all began when the name of Nicole Hoar - the treeplanter from Red Deer who was last seen June 21, 2002 at a gas station west of Prince George - came up in a conversation with Smiley and his sister and brother-in-law, who live in Prince George.

Smiley, who grew up in Montreal and lives in Los Angeles, had never heard of the Highway of Tears until then.

"I kept on doing more and more research and became more passionate about it, mainly out of frustration because I kind of feel in the general public that nobody knows about these women going missing or being murdered," Smiley said.

Although primarily about the Highway of Tears, Smiley will also take a look at other disappearances like that of Madison Scott one year ago.

"It is kind of a quiet story so I decided to come here with a good crew of camera people and talented filmmakers and hopefully do something that will find a large audience to build awareness."

Smiley and his crew have been in Prince George since Tuesday night. Over the next few weeks, they will be traveling along Highway 16 collecting footage and interviews, with a wrap up date of June 12, a day after a walk in Smithers in memory of Ramona Wilson.

Everyone he's talked to, from the victims' families to community leaders, have been receptive.

"I've had amazing, amazing outreach from the people," Smiley said. "They've been willing to help and share their stories about how they've been affected personally or indirectly by the women going missing or being murdered."

He's producing the documentary independently in a partnership with Carly Pope, a Vancouver-born actor who has landed roles in numerous television shows and movies.

Smiley is not sure who will air the documentary but has some connections. His main source of work is producing a show called "Rituals" which will launch Tuesday on Thrash Lab, a web-based channel owned by Ashton Kutcher's production company Katalyst.

Smiley described it as a stylistic documentary show that focusses on the rituals artists might go through before they take to the stage or put on a show.

As for his current project, Smiley hopes it will prevent another life from being lost.