This HuffPost Canada page is maintained as part of an online archive.

Maygan Sensenberger's Movie 'First Ladies' Hits The Web (VIDEO)

WATCH: Senator's Wife Makes Her Acting Debut

Sensenberger, who shot to national prominence for causing a disturbance on an Air Canada flight with her husband Senator Rod Zimmer, stars as the leader of North America in a future in which women rule supreme and men have become second-class citizens. The movie opened over the weekend at the Digi60 festival in Ottawa.

The film begins with a scene depicting what life was like before women took control, with a male leader describing his plan to win an election by giving "each and every man a giant erection."

From there, the film skips 40 years into the future to follow Sensenberger's character Grand Mother Serena Le Fey as she leads a matriarchal government and deals with a movement aimed at winning the vote for men.

The man behind the movie is Ottawa resident Allen Roulston.

He said the film's story was informed by his Baha'i faith, which teaches that men and women should be equal.

"When I look around and observe situations, it almost seems like women today only have the power men allow them to have," Roulston said in an email. "I wanted people to stop and think about allowing women access to true equality ... I don't think women have anything close to an equal voice in Canadian politics."

Working with Sensenberger, according to Roulston, was an "absolute joy."

"She conducted herself very professionally, everything from arriving early, knowing all her dialogue and being very receptive to direction," Roulston said. "She also appears to have a natural talent for acting."

The writing, casting, shooting and editing of the film were all done within 60 days in order to be eligible for Digi60. Roulston said he financed the film himself, with help from his wife and daughter.

Roulston has also been posting daily video blogs during production. Sensenberger appears in several of them, including a post on the wrapping of the film in which an insect flies down her shirt and another featuring an outtake from the film's pivotal bathroom scene.

This isn't the first time Roulston has been in the news.

In 2010, he claimed Ottawa's public transit provider OC Transpo fired him for complaining about illegal activity he said was taking place in the bus drivers' lounge, according to Metro. The complaints centred around the alleged sale of pirated material.

That exposure seems likely to continue. Roulston is planning to submit an adjusted version of "First Ladies" to a number of different film festivals.

Also on HuffPost

Inside The Life Of Maygan Sensenberger

Close
This HuffPost Canada page is maintained as part of an online archive. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.