Cheap Hugs (Les Câlins Cheaps)
Two strangers, reeling from the loss of their mutual friend, find themselves in an unexpected moment of connection on the streets of Montreal.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer/Actor Sarah Baskin, Writer/Producer/Actor Valéry Lessard and Writer/Producer Bryan Fitzgerald
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
SARAH: In 2018, Valéry approached me about directing a short play, Les Câlins Cheaps (Cheap Hugs) by French-Canadian playwright Annick Lefebvre. I was struck by the simple yet layered story of two grieving women moving through ordinary days that feel anything but when viewed through the lens of loss. The idea of adapting it to film got caught in my head – and then 2020 hit – and I felt called to make this story about loss, isolation, and the intrinsic need for human connection.
VALERY: Putting up the play originally was a way to showcase French-Canadian playwright Annick Lefebvre in the US. While we were in rehearsals, my grandfather passed away, adding a personal meaningful layer to the work we were doing. After the play, Sarah and I felt like the journey of this story wasn’t finished, and we wanted to find another home for it. Sarah suggested the idea of a short film, and that felt like the perfect medium to share it.
BRYAN: Producing a short film adaptation of a play, in Montréal, in both French and English, was an exciting challenge and I wanted to be a part of making this important film with Sarah and Valery.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
SARAH: You don’t have to look far to see that our world is in the midst of a mental health crisis. The National Institute of Mental Health lists suicide as one of the leading causes of death in the United States, particularly among teens and young adults. The film explores the aftermath of suicide, in particular the haunting effect on those left behind. Les Câlins Cheaps (Cheap Hugs) follows two women reeling from the loss of their mutual friend by suicide. One woman's openness to the pain counters the others' avoidance, ultimately leading them towards an unexpected connection that stirs something more hopeful in both of their hearts. This tender story acts as a reminder to hold our loved ones close. And that embedded within grief, there can be a quiet awakening to life.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
SARAH: The main theme of the film is loss, and the imprint it has on the loved ones left behind. Many years ago, I lost a friend to suicide. She was immensely talented and seemed to have everything going for her. I remember the feeling of shock, grief, and the repeated question of – how could I not have known? Followed by the memory landscape of our friendship on a loop, now filtered through this lens of loss.
For anyone who has experienced loss, this memory landscape is relatable. Our film starts with an excerpt from the Edna Vincent Millay quote: “Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world. Where I find myself walking around in the daytime, and falling into at night.” This perfectly encapsulates what I strove to capture in the film – two friends seeing bits of their friend everywhere they go. Many people have come up to me after seeing the film and spoken about their own experience of losing a loved one, and feeling the residue of their presence in objects, places, and memories.
VALERY: Also, grief is non-linear, and no one experiences it in the same way. Our film represents two distinctly different stages or manifestations of grief. There is no map to grieving, there is no right or wrong, it is just a journey, a rollercoaster. In any case, what we need is love and support.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
SARAH: Since it’s based on a one-act play, we first had to figure out how to adapt it into a cinematic language. The play is simply two characters speaking in monologues directly to the audience. It was a long process to figure out how to take the verbal expression of their interior life and transform it into an imagistic universe where we feel rather than hear what they are going through.
Also, the original play is solely in French. After Valéry translated it into English, we decided to make one character Anglophone (Jordan, played by myself) and the other Francophone (Chloé, played by Valéry). The character who committed suicide (Mathilde, played by Miryam Magri) is the bilingual connective tissue that moves between both language worlds. Montréal is a bilingual city and yet the communities are fairly segregated. We chose to lean into this tension, using its distinctive culture to gesture at separation at the beginning of the story, and connection at the end.
VALERY: As Sarah said, the play had only two characters - they only spoke about their friend who had passed. When staging the play, we included Mathilde’s character on stage. We wanted to feel her spirit, and this carried over into the film. Mathilde’s voice became the mantra of our soundtrack, a constant reminder of her presence.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
SARAH: Grateful to share that we have received a lot of love for our film. When I first sent it to a few colleagues, I received several selfies of their tear-filled faces from watching the film. Other than crying selfies, the feedback has been that in a considerably short period of time, I was able to capture the essence of loss. People are also drawn to the feminine narrative, non-linear story construction, and poetic tone.
VALERY: It has been well received by people of all ages and genders. From young kids to high-school students, to adults and elders, all connect to the film in their own ways.
BRYAN: We’ve had some really exciting screenings at film festivals with wonderful audiences, and we are touched by the warm embrace it has received.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
SARAH: People have repeatedly commented on how distinctly feminine it feels. I was conscious of what I was leaning into while making it but wasn’t aware of how different it would feel in most shorts programs.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
SARAH: We would love to widen the audience for this film. It is short, yet cathartic – and we would love for it to be seen by people who enjoy moving stories about loss, grief and hope.
BRYAN: We are honored to be featured here on We Are Moving Stories, amongst other meaningful films! We’re in the midst of our festival circuit and looking to spread the word and reach more film festival programmers.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Distributors, buyers, film festival directors, and journalists.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
SARAH: I want to inspire people to connect with their loved ones because you never really know what someone else is going through. It’s a tender story, and I think the best way for it to have an impact is simply to be seen.
VALERY: Absolutely. And, Bryan and my mission with Sow the Seeds Productions is to make meaningful films that can hopefully change someone’s life. We hope this film can have a positive impact and help someone who needs it through their journey.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
How can we create more human connections in the midst of a mental health epidemic?
Would you like to add anything else?
Thank you for this opportunity to share our experience of making this film.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
SARAH: I’ve written a dramedy short film loosely inspired by Three Sisters that I plan to direct this fall. It’ll be co-produced by the same team here, Bryan Fitzgerald and Valéry Lessard. I’m also attached to direct my debut feature (written by Mickey Solis), which is currently in development to be produced by Yale Productions.
BRYAN: Valery and I have several feature films in development under our company Sow the Seeds Productions, including an expansion of the coming-of-age short film Under Water which was featured on We Are Moving Stories in 2016.
Interview: July 2023
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Cheap Hugs (Les Câlins Cheaps)
Two strangers, reeling from the loss of their mutual friend, find themselves in an unexpected moment of connection on the streets of Montreal.
Length: 15:08
Director: Sarah Baskin
Producer: Bryan Fitzgerald, Valéry Lessard, Sarah Baskin
Writer: Sarah Baskin, Valéry Lessard, Bryan Fitzgerald
About the writer, director and producer:
SARAH BASKIN is a NYC-based writer/director, actor and filmmaker originally from Montreal. As an actor, Sarah has worked on stage (Off-Broadway, Regionally, downtown theater) and screen (HBO, Amazon, Hulu, CBS, NBC, and several independent films). Sarah's award-winning directorial debut, Les Câlins Cheaps (Cheap Hugs), is a bilingual short film currently in its festival run. Sarah has several shorts and a feature currently in development. Next up is a dramedy short loosely inspired by Three Sisters. Company member: Subway Token Films, The Actors Center. MFA: American Repertory Theatre / Moscow Art Theatre School at Harvard University. For more: sarahbaskin.com.
VALÉRY LESSARD is an actor, writer and filmmaker from Montreal, Québec, now residing in New York City. She has written and produced seven short films, the latest being Les Câlins Cheaps, and has multiple feature films in development. On screen, she has appeared in Extrapolations (Apple), Young Rock (NBC), Blacklist (NBC), The Equalizer (CBS), and numerous independent films. Valéry strives to do work that supports important causes, makes a difference, and inspires her and others. www.valerylessard.com.
BRYAN FITZGERALD is a writer, actor and filmmaker based in New York City. He has written and produced seven short films, the latest being Les Câlins Cheaps, and has multiple feature films in development. On-screen, he has appeared in 13 Reasons Why (Netflix), Blue Bloods (CBS), The Magnificent Meyersons, What Breaks the Ice, and many more independent projects. Bryan’s goal is to be a part of creating meaningful and inspiring productions. www.sowtheseedsproductions.com, @bryanpmfitz, @sowtheseedsproductions.
Key cast: Valéry Lessard, Miryam Magri, Sarah Baskin
Looking for: distributors, journalists, buyers
Instagram: @sarahhelen.b, @valoutskii, @bryanpmfitz, @sowtheseedsproductions
Hashtags used: #griefstories #griefshorts #lescalinscheaps #suicideawarenessweek
Website: www.sowtheseedsproductions.com/les-calins-cheaps
Other: IMDb
Made in association with: Sow the Seeds Productions
Funders: Self-funded
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
LA Shorts International Film Festival/Los Angeles - July 24, 5:30pm
New Filmmakers LA, July 29, 5:15pm (InFocus: Canadian Cinema program, presented in partnership with Telefilm Canada)
Breckenridge Film Fest/Colorado, September 21-24