In a desperate attempt to connect with her ghostly schizophrenic father, a young woman tampers with his medication.

Interview with Writer, Director, Producer Jacinthe Dessureault

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Thank you! I made Fog to illustrate the cruel catch-22 that schizophrenia can be for some people. On the one hand, taking medication can dull the senses of the sufferer to a great extent and imprison him/her inside a debilitating mental fog. On the other hand, not taking medication is not a viable option either, as the person is likely unable to function and can even become a danger to himself/herself and to others. In other words, in some cases, there is no right solution, and only very bad ones. Fog explores this merciless reality for both the sufferer and their loved ones.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

To walk at once in the shoes of a man trapped inside his own mind and in those of his daughter, who feels powerless to help him and guilty of keeping him in a vegetative state by making sure he takes his medication. She also yearns to connect with him, to find out who he is deep inside, who he was before the illness took over his mind.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

The project first started a long time ago as a feature script. With Fog, the short film, I initially wanted to make a proof of concept to introduce the feature project and its two main characters, but I didn’t want it to be just an extract of the feature. I wanted the short to be autonomous, with its own storyline. The funny thing is, having written and made Fog and seen the characters come to life, this makes me look at the screenplay of the feature version differently and it’s now influencing the rewrite.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

That the situation depicted in Fog feels true to life. And that the angle of a young adult caregiver, who wants to connect with her ill father, is seldom seen.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

It’s always a pleasant surprise to see members of the audience appreciate your film and find out that the experience worked for them.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

To make people aware that the film exists and hopefully make them want to see it.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

Once Fog’s festival run is over, I would love to sell the film to TV networks and health-related institutions, which might want to use it as educational material. Also, if a producer were interested in coming on board of the feature version of Fog, I would certainly consider a collaboration.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

An emotional impact and a little more understanding of a mysterious illness such as schizophrenia and what the family of a sufferer must go through.

Would you like to add anything else?

I would like to thank www.wearemovingstories.com for inviting me to talk about my film. The interest and exposure are appreciated.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I am working on feature film projects and a novel.

Interview: October 2017

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Fog

In a desperate attempt to connect with her ghostly schizophrenic father, a young woman tampers with his medication.

Length: 17 min 55 sec

Director, Producer, Writer: Jacinthe Dessureault

About the writer, director and producer:

Jacinthe Dessureault holds a M.A. in French (Creative Writing) from McGill University. She has directed short films, TV commercials and videos for the web.

Key cast: Juliette Gosselin and Alain Houle

Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Buyers, producers

Social media handles:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/brumesfog/

Twitter: www.twitter.com/jacinthedesert

Instagram: www.instagram.com/jacinthedesert/

Other: www.demiurgeunderground.com

Funders: self-financed micro-budget

Where can I see it in the next month?

Fog will be playing at the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival in Glasgow, UK on Oct. 14th and at the Lake Champlain International Film Festival in Plattsburgh, NY on November 4th.