Marianne Farley
As the story unfolds in a film, characters transform. That fascinated me as a child. As a filmmaker I continue to be amazed by the potential power of this transformation. My passion lies in finding a theme that is so universal it can touch each person in their core. In all of my projects how characters connect intimately is the driving force behind the story. The idea that two people can inspire each other and impact each other’s life in a meaningful way affects me deeply and ignites my creativity.
With MARGUERITE, I wanted to make a unifying film. I wanted to introduce a conversation about LGBTQ issues and the elderly, uncover loneliness and regret and embrace human vulnerabilities. I was inspired by the idea that a short film could act as bridge between people of different generations and of different communities.
Hate crimes against the LGBTQ community are rising. Because of this I felt an urgent need to bring this sensitive and touching story of intimate connection to the screen. I am a passionate defender of human rights. I believe wholeheartedly that only love, empathy and compassion can conquer discrimination and injustice.
MARGUERITE stems from that conviction. It is a film about love, kindness, desire and changing times.
By the time she was 19, Marianne knew that her career would take place under the lights. She began as a singer, but in 1997 her acting work started garnering attention. Fully bilingual, she has performed in a variety of projects in television (LES INVINCIBLES, NOS ÉTÉS, THE DEAD ZONE, LE GENTLEMAN, MÉMOIRES VIVES, THIS LIFE, HEROES REBORN, 19-2) and in film (WHITE SKIN, CHRISTMAS CHOIR, UVANGA, LA CHUTE DE SPARTE). In August of 2014, more than ready to bring her artistic vision to the next level, she directed her first short film, RANSACK (SACCAGE), in 2017, MARGUERITE (nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the Oscars ® in 2019) and in 2020, FRIMAS (produced by Ô Films). A true lover of the seventh art, she has also produced four short films, one of which, BOXING DAY (MON CHER ROBERT), was nominated at the 2010 Jutra awards and two feature films, Jeanne Leblanc’s OUR OWN (LES NÔTRES) and NORTH OF ALBANY, Marianne’s first feature film as a director (cowritten with Claude Brie). The film was produced through her production company SLYKID & SKYKID (with her associate Benoit Beaulieu) and is now in the post production phase. She has several feature film projects in development including LA FAUCHE (written by Camille Trudel) and À DEMI-SOUPIR (cowritten with Claude Brie).
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