We recently connected with Marie Laurin and have shared our conversation below.
Marie, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
My mother often voiced her frustration about my father’s and my own stubbornness, affectionately calling us ‘tête de cochon’ in her native Quebecois. Rather than resenting the label, Dad taught me to embrace it as a testament to my own inner strength.
However, ‘resilience’ better encapsulates my essence than ‘stubbornness.’ I once read that resilience lies in adapting and persisting, while sheer persistence without adaptation might verge on stubbornness or even foolishness.
Like most, I’ve encountered personal and professional hardships, facing struggles that resonate universally. When I found myself standing at the foot of a mountain, Dad taught me that I had two options: to linger in despair or to strategize a new approach to ascend, drawing from unsuccessful attempts to reach its summit previously. I consistently opted for the latter as I thrive on challenges because they fuel my passion for growth and discovery.
Every obstacle presents an opportunity for me to test my limits, learn something new, and emerge stronger than before. Challenges awaken my creativity and problem-solving skills, pushing me to think outside the box. Quitting has never been an option for me. Difficulties I encounter along the way are not just roadblocks; they’re stepping stones that shape my character and ability to adapt. Challenges are where I find my momentum, my drive to continuously evolve, and my determination to turn adversity into triumph.
I also deeply value the inherent gift of dreaming, a quality innate in all children, and I strive to nurture and honor it. Despite having to deal with the belittling voices of naysayers and obstacles along my journey toward self-fulfillment, I choose to remain steadfast. Keeping hope ablaze is crucial, for as you ascend toward your aspirations, the brilliance of the stars above will illuminate your path even more brightly.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My artistic journey began at the age of seven, with a Jello Pudding mail-order puppet theater. From these modest origins within showbiz, I aimed for loftier goals. Trading the snow-laden streets of my hometown, Quebec City, I navigated towards the sizzling asphalt of Hollywood Boulevard. It was there that I honed my craft, embodying ingenues, terrorists and zombies from out of space, with my career culminating in a gun-toting, Chanel-clad French princess getting sucker punched by Burt Reynolds.
In the early 90s, as a single mother needing stability, I shifted gears, spending two decades counseling abused/neglected children in foster care. Not only did this experience reshaped my perspective on life but it also gifted me a trove of stories to share.
After twenty some years spent working in the trenches of residential treatment facilities and following the passing of my parents, I realized life’s brevity and returned to acting. Rusty but determined, I enrolled in a film making master class where my creative streak was reignited.
In 2017, under Brazilian indie filmmaker Stefania Vasconcellos’ direction, I played the lead in ‘The French Teacher’, an indie movie which earned accolades on the festival circuit.
Inspired by my mentor, acting coach Anthony Montes who kept on encouraging his students to create their own opportunities, I took the plunge. As only mothers can do, I talk, begged and bribe my daughter Clara Gabrielle, an actress, into joining forces to create The Uncanny’, a tale about alienation, loss, depression, and suicide told through the lenses of psychological horror.
Clara and I collaborated on writing the screenplay and I took on the role of executive producer, while she directed the film. Additionally, I portrayed the protagonist in the story, an art therapist for foster youth in a residential treatment facility.
Conceived in 2016 and shot at the end of 2018, our journey paralleled the unfolding of world’s events. We witnessed a surreal resemblance between our narrative and reality, spanning from the Spanish flu to the to the ongoing public mental health crisis in the US. Even the societal pressure on women to conform to unrealistic beauty standards mirrored through the lens of social media found its reflection in our work.
Despite the challenges, the pandemic offered us a unique opportunity. As the world paused, we redirected our focus. Temporarily shelving some elements of post-production, we stepped back, allowing ourselves the space to rejuvenate. We meticulously rearranged the non-linear narrative, piecing it together like a carefully crafted jigsaw puzzle. Infusing new dimensions into its storytelling through enhanced dialogue, immersive soundscapes, and an evocative score, we were finally able to tell unveiled our story the way it was meant to be told.
According to Freud, “An uncanny effect often arises when the boundary between fantasy and reality is blurred, when we are faced with the reality of something that we have until now considered imaginary,” While THE UNCANNY fits firmly in the world of fantasy and the supernatural, it’s tragically its most fantastical elements which reflect our current reality and
contain the true horror of the story, a horror that sits much closer to the world we now live in than the one we inhabited when we wrote The Uncanny.
Since its completion, our micro-budget project has been making waves, participating in worldwide festivals and earning numerous awards. The most rewarding aspect has been the audience’s resonance with our narrative. When Clara and I conceived The Uncanny, our goal was not just to entertain but mostly to spark discussions, forge connections and combat isolation while destigmatizing mental illness, leaving our audience with a sense of hope. Thankfully, the enthusiastic reactions at screenings seem to affirm our success. Blessed with a terrific cast and crew, we hope this supernatural psychological thriller is ready to spread its otherworldly wings and touch many hearts and minds.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Reflecting on life’s journey, I’ve come to realize that three vital skills—resilience, creative thinking, and maintaining a sense of humor—have been instrumental in shaping my path. Whether navigating the challenging terrain as a mental health counselor working with abused children or maneuvering the intricate landscape as a film producer, these qualities have served as pillars guiding my progress. The issues I encountered in both realms often bore striking similarities, and it was these very skills that propelled me forward, enabling me to confront obstacles and carve out solutions.
Resilience stands out as the cornerstone of my journey. In both the demanding field of mental health counseling and the unpredictable world of indie filmmaking, setbacks were commonplace. But it was the ability to rebound from adversity, to learn and grow from every setback, that allowed me to persist. The ability to endure, adapt, and keep moving forward even amidst the toughest challenges has been invaluable.
Creative thinking has been equally crucial. Whether devising innovative therapeutic approaches for my clients or brainstorming novel concepts to breathe life into indie film projects, the capacity to explore unconventional ideas and solutions was pivotal. It’s this willingness to embrace fresh perspectives that often led to breakthroughs and transformative change.
Moreover, maintaining a sense of humor has been a saving grace as humor acted as a powerful coping mechanism. It not only helped alleviate stress but also fostered resilience and a positive outlook. Finding moments of levity not only lightened the atmosphere but also provided a different lens through which to view difficulties, often unveiling unexpected solutions.
For those embarking on their own journeys, especially in fields demanding resilience, creative thinking, and humor, here some advice on cultivating these invaluable skills:
Firstly, embrace challenges as opportunities for growth. Every obstacle is a chance to learn and develop resilience. Cultivate a mindset that views adversity as a stepping stone toward personal and professional advancement.
Secondly, foster your creativity by exploring diverse perspectives and unconventional approaches. Don’t limit yourself to conventional thinking; seek inspiration from various sources, indulge in creative pursuits, and cultivate an environment that nurtures innovation.
Lastly, never underestimate the power of humor. Find moments of levity even in the toughest situations. Humor not only alleviates stress but also fosters a positive outlook, enabling you to navigate challenges with a lighter heart.
In essence, be fearless in using these three skills which are not just assets but invaluable tools that, when honed and embraced, can profoundly shape and enrich one’s journey.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
The Little Prince has held a profound significance in shaping my journey, acting as a guiding force throughout my life. It was a chance discovery, stumbling upon a first edition tucked away in a closet at my grandmother’s house when I was just six years old. While its wisdom eluded my young mind, I was instantly mesmerized by the enchanting illustrations and the tale of a boy from out of space befriending a fox. As I grew older, I delved deeper into the layers of symbolism woven within its narrative. What initially seemed a mere representation of a hat revealed itself as the silhouette of an elephant engulfed by a boa constrictor. This revelation became a lesson in creative thinking, emphasizing the value of unconventional perspectives—a skill often lost amid the drudgery of adulthood.
Within its pages, adults are depicted as myopic and blind to the obvious, starkly contrasting with the wisdom children acquire through their innate openness and insatiable curiosity. The fox’s secret words echoed a profound truth: ‘Only with the heart can one truly see; the most essential things are invisible to the naked eye.’ This insight revealed to me that retaining a childlike wonder was the key to finding contentment in life’s complexities.
The fox’s analogy about having to endure caterpillars in order to encounter butterflies mirrored my own experiences. Challenges have been integral to my journey toward growth and transformation. The fox’s wisdom taught me the virtues of patience and resilience, emphasizing that beauty and personal evolution often arise from initial discomfort or adversities.
In the end, ‘The Little Prince’ continues to be more than a mere story; its timeless lessons on imagination, perception, and resilience remain a constant beacon, reminding me to embrace the child within and find beauty in life’s metamorphoses.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://theuncannymovie.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariejlaurin/
https://www.instagram.com/the_uncanny_movie/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marie.laurin.31 https://www.facebook.com/TheUncannyMovie/
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/_Vlkx3F8PoI?si=I8x62ewj4-ZGl7Fm
Image Credits
behind-the-scenes photos of The Uncanny shot by Marianne Grégoire.
