Why Winnipeg’s Jonathan Lawrence had to make Alter Boys

Jonathan Lawrence’s journey to making the Winnipeg-filmed TV series Alter Boys began back in 2018. That’s when he wrote, shot, and starred in the short film of the same name, which revolves around two young men repeatedly meeting at the wooded borders of a conversion therapy camp. 

“I knew I always wanted to do the series. There were so many ideas running through my head about what to explore. But it was easier with the short to explore the world on a smaller scale,” Lawrence explains to The Flatlander. Over the course of its six-episode series, which is now available to stream on CBC Gem, Alter Boys follows a group of young men as they recover in a northern Manitoba hospital, following a forest fire that tore through an isolated conversion therapy camp. 

“I really wanted to explore the idea of queerness and queer relationships and friendships with the story,” said Lawrence. “The show allowed me to flesh out the characters and their spaces, and live in a pocket of beauty and contemplation, with adversity as a backdrop.”

While making the show, which he once again wrote, directed, and starred in, Lawrence reflected on his own struggles growing up queer in Winnipeg. “I never went to conversion therapy or camp. But I know what it’s like to be bullied and how the adversity is very consuming and imprisoning. I know there’s a lot of queer people who experience these feelings. So, I wanted to create communication, visibility and awareness about it.”

It was also integral to Lawrence that they shot Alter Boys around Winnipeg, as he wanted to use and celebrate the homegrown talent of the area. “We wanted to highlight Manitoba. I was aware of the talent that exists here, and it was such a great opportunity to work alongside artists and actors and let them show off their ability.”

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Lawrence describes the city as a “wonderful art hub with a great art community,” both of which previously helped him make his debut feature film When the World Was Flat, as well as his other short films. Lawrence made a lot of these connections at the University of Winnipeg, where he graduated with honours from its theatre and film department. “That’s where I met so many of my peers. Then you’re out in the world trying to make something and cultivate a community in the independent world. It’s been so invaluable to have that network.”

Lawrence finds himself repeatedly inspired by Winnipeg and the rest of the province. He even goes as far as to call the beauty and aesthetic of Manitoba “overlooked,” especially when compared to the rest of Canada. Lawrence’s goal is to keep highlighting Manitoba in his work. In fact, Winnipeg and Manitoba are so ingrained in Lawrence’s creative voice that he wants to continue telling stories from the region for as long as he possibly can. “There are so many stories that I’ll never really have the time and opportunity to tell them all. I just want to continue exploring queer and indigenous Manitoba stories. That’s what I want to create and show to the world.”