Young city wrestler battling his way to the top

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Winnipeg wrestler Caleb Rutner, a superstar-quality wrestler who beat all the Grade 12ers when he was in Grade 9 last year, has been fighting his heart out in high-level wrestling training camps in the United States this summer.

He's looking to attract the eyes of scouts offering major prizes. Rutner's goal is to get a wrestling scholarship to an Ivy League university, and that means BIG money. One guy on his team got a grant worth $350,000 for four years including room board, tuition, and books.

Rutner is going into Grade 10 at St. Paul's High School this year with Mike Watson as his wrestling coach. This past year, Caleb fought in the biggest amateur wrestling tournament in the world as a member of Team North Dakota. "It's a superb level of wrestling" says his dad, American-born psychologist Dr. Toby Rutner, who was a college wrestler himself until he got injured. Not that it was all sweat and hard work on the mats this summer for the kid. "You only have to be 14 to drive a car in North Dakota. When they weren't wrestling, the guys were driving around and shooting off fireworks," says his poppa, wryly.

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COOL SHOP DEPARTMENT: Stuck in the city this weekend? Check out baker Shahpoor ("Shah") Fatezada's aromatic Afghan bread at Millad's Afghan grocery, made in flat paddles half a metre long, and perforated before baking so you can tear the bread off in strips like giant cigars. Doubles as the best pizza bottom in town! The store at 396 Notre Dame Ave. is owned by brothers Said and Zabih Ahmadi. "We are almost five years open" says Said proudly.

Their lively nephew, Shah, came last winter to bake and after a few months was greeting customers with: "Come in. This is for you. It is ALL for you!" The store smells like dates and figs and fresh baking, plus there's a meat counter serving halal meats (Afghan-style kosher) in the back, and bins of CDs and Muslim head-coverings.

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MAJOR TALENT HERE: Winnipeg is no stranger to hosting shoots for feature-length films, but the major roles are usually taken by actors from Toronto, New York or L.A. On the set of Hello Darling -- Shelagh Carter's movie lensed in town this month -- the scenes are loaded with Winnipeggers in main and smaller character roles, even though the casting call was open far and wide. On the set Tuesday, Maple Leaf School student Kassidy Love Brown played the main role -- 11-year-old daughter Sarah, who watches her mom's mental health disintegrate. "I've always believed in Winnipeg talent, but we sent out a call nationally because we didn't know if we could find our Sarah here," says director Carter, who grew up in Winnipeg and experienced much of the plot line personally.

"Then, in Kassidy walked, and she was it. She just happened to be a girl from Winnipeg. I saw 15 girls audition, but she was the one." Ethan Harapiak, a seven-year-old who attends Beaumont School, has similar looks and plays her little brother. He's a fine actor, too.

Child actors are only allowed to work eight-hours shifts and must be accompanied by a family member, so Kassidy's dad, Kent Brown, and Ethan's mom, Corray Classen Harapiak, were ensconced by the food table in the back porch looking after their children between takes.

Beatrice, played by Winnipegger Kristen Harris, is the troubled mother in the movie. Tuesday, she was dressed in glamorous party clothing from 1962 as she said good night to the children. Her husband, David, is played by Winnipegger Darcy Fehr. Crew members are a collection of independent Winnipeg experts and producer Polly Washburn said she and the director "couldn't be happier" with the standards of Winnipeg film workers.

Got tips, events, sightings, unusual things going on? Call Maureen's tip line at 474-1116, email maureen.scurfield@winnipegfreepress.com or send mail to The Insider c/o The Winnipeg Free Press at 1355 Mountain Ave. Winnipeg R2X 3B6

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 18, 2010 B1