TORONTO - A TV movie about the 2005 shooting deaths of four Alberta RCMP officers is to begin production next week, CTV announced Friday.
The two-hour production will star Henry Czerny, whose film credits include "Clear and Present Danger,'' and Brian Markinson, whose past projects include "Eight Days to Live'' and "Angels in America.''
The working title for the project about the slain Mounties is "To Serve and Protect: Tragedy at Mayerthorpe.''
The shootings, which took place two years ago Saturday, were the RCMP's greatest loss of life in a single day in over 100 years.
CTV said the movie is being made with the co-operation of the surviving families of the officers.
"Having the input of the families in undertaking this project was paramount, and we couldn't have gone forward without their confidence in us,'' said executive producer Jordy Randall.
RCMP Cpl. Wayne Oakes said they were also consulted on the movie.
"They did come to us, and we provided feedback in the form of addressing facts that are currently available and in the public domain,'' he said from Edmonton.
"We did not engage in any form of an approval process or in a process that might say, `No, you have to do it this way.'''
Oakes said the RCMP pointed out any inconsistencies with widely known facts of the case.
"Like everything that surrounds police issues, we'll look forward to viewing it, and hope that it is as accurate a reflection as is possible,'' he said.
The movie will be produced in Calgary, as well as the southern Alberta towns of Irricana and Cochrane, in association with Slanted Wheel Entertainment and SEVEN24 Films, formerly Alberta Filmworks Inc.
Constables Peter Schiemann, Brock Myrol, Leo Johnston and Anthony Gordon were ambushed while they were guarding evidence in an investigation of stolen car parts and a marijuana grow-op on James Roszko's farm near Mayerthorpe, about 130 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
Roszko, a notoriously violent man and cop-hater, was wounded in a gunfight and later turned his weapon on himself.
As a nation mourned, a picture began to emerge of a terrorized community and frustrated attempts to bring Roszko to justice.
In the movie, Czerny plays a fictional character named Cpl. Alex Stuart, who is the protagonist of the story.
"We want to tell this story in honour of the four men who gave their lives in the line of duty,'' executive producer Jon Slan said in a release.
Susanne Boyce, CTV's president of programming, said it's hoped the movie will further discussion about the events that led to the tragedy.
CTV's announcement came the same day the town of Mayerthorpe was holding a memorial ceremony and hockey game to remember the fallen officers.
