Ashley Peoples2013-05-21T04:57:49-04:00Ashley Peopleshttp://www.huffingtonpost.ca/author/index.php?author=ashley-peoplesCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Ashley PeoplesGood old fashioned elbow grease.A Canadian Learns to Meditate in NYCtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.27930142013-03-14T17:23:02-04:002013-05-14T05:12:01-04:00Ashley Peopleshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-peoples/
A few people in Washington Square Park, New York
I decided to do something about it. In November of 2011, I met with Emily Fletcher, the founder of Ziva, a company that teaches Vedic meditation. I decided to take her four-day meditation course and have been meditating twice a day since. Vedic meditation is a simple style of meditation created for people with busy minds and lives. You do not have to sit in a cave crossed legged all day, take a vow of silence or chant in languages you don't understand. One of my favourite places to meditate? On the subway. With Vedic meditation, the only 'rule' is to sit with your back supported. Then what? Not much. Sit, with your eyes closed, for 20 minutes, and silently repeat an abstract sound, your mantra, to help your mind relax -- not necessarily stop thinking -- just relax.
Since meditating, my digestion issues have disappeared entirely. I have not taken antibiotics this year for the first time in 10 years, I rarely need naps or caffeine, and I never feel the need to eat or exercise my way out of stress. Anxiety about work or social situations has dissipated immensely. By decreasing stress, no matter who honks or swears, or how many auditions go awry, I can think, "No worries."
I asked a few questions of other Canadians who took the Ziva course. Sarah Baskin (SB) hails from Montreal and is now living amidst the arts as an actress in NYC. Tiffany Willson (TW), born and raised in Toronto, is a New York-based interior designer who recently launched an exceptionally innovative iPhone app called "Room Hints." Liza Fernandez (LF), is a Canadian born-Australian raised actress. And Craig Ramsey (CR), is a celebrity trainer you may know from his show "Thintervention."
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Here's what they said:
Did your stress levels increase when you moved to the States?
TW: Yes. Even though there is a strong Canadian network in New York, I was living in a heightened state of ambiguity.
LF: Absolutely, especially when I moved to New York City! It is vibrant and fast-paced. I remember feeling high one second and then low the next.
CR: I don't believe my stress levels increased with physically moving to the U.S. I felt the increased strain with growing career pressures and responsibilities, which happened to coincide with moving to New York and then to L.A.
What drove you to learn meditation?
SB: I felt like I was living with a baseline of anxiety from morning 'til night and found myself spending my thoughts, activities and time trying to keep that baseline quiet and under control. It became abundantly clear that this was stress induced and I found that no book, tea, pill, friend or boyfriend could provide me with a solution for my own anxiety.
LF: I was having constant mood swings; I would be up one minute and down the next. I was a new actor in the city and working hard on planting seeds. I had been practicing yoga for eight years, but felt I needed something different.
CR: Emily Fletcher and I were in the Broadway Musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang together. The Emily I remember was always pulled to her limits! So when I saw her in the early months of 2012, I was shocked at her calmness, patience and the beautiful way she put confidence over panic. I was so intrigued by this transformation I made it a priority to find out her secret. I have ADHD and never considered meditation an option for my overactive brain.
What is the biggest benefit or change you have noticed in your life since you started meditating?
SB: I no longer wake up with that unquenchable anxiety. I now wake up well rested and ready to greet the day.
TW: This might be over-sharing...but if it can help someone else, here it goes! I suffer from IBS (Irritable Bowel System) and was constantly seeing a nutritionist trying to understand what stress was triggering my stomach to bloat like a basketball and feel like a herd of elephants was stomping inside me. Meditation has done wonders in regulating my personal stress levels and in return, has helped my stomach anxiety. When I was stressed, I would crave the things that were the worst for my stomach: coffee, alcohol, sugar, cigarettes and white starches. I was poisoning myself. Since meditating, I no longer crave these items. A few of them, such as coffee and alcohol, now have a very strong effect. It's weird. A cup of coffee and I am wired and I'm back to being a super cheap drunk :)
LF: More time in my day! I wake up at 7:30 a.m. (I never used to) and am out and about all day with enough energy to do it all over again the next day. I also feel more at ease with my career.
CR: It feels like I am always in the right place at the right time with the right people -- in a way I never experienced before. Small things can become important happenings if you pay attention and listen.
Ziva graduates meditating together in New York, Summer 2012
Canadians living in the U.S. are enjoying the benefits of mediation, but I don't think you have to cross the border to do so. Until I meet someone who says, "But I love being stressed!" I think all people can gain from meditating.
And if you're curious to know more or feel inspired to take the course, Emily will be giving a free intro talk on June 12 in Toronto followed by the four-day course. Find out more at www.zivameditation.com.
For the full version of this article, please visit: http://ashleyjanepeoples.tumblr.com/]]>Lending a Hand After Sandytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.20785032012-11-05T17:05:33-05:002013-01-05T05:12:01-05:00Ashley Peopleshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-peoples/
View across the street from Red Hook cafe, Baked
It's a lucky, guilty, overwhelming feeling to be sitting in a Red Hook, Brooklyn cafe, on my laptop, well fed, well caffeinated, well clothed, and with no personal hurricane horror stories.
And to hear nothing but those stories around me.
A family sitting across from me has brought a power cord and all their electronics to charge because they are yet to regain power, and have been told it will be at least two weeks. The lady beside me said her art studio will not regain power for two months, not that power is the priority when the contents of her studio were swept away.
View of lower, blacked out, Manhattan at night, from the Brooklyn Promenade
Most people here are on their computers, making use of the Internet and warmth to fill out online disaster reports, forms for relief aid or loans, or to search for a new job because their place of work was destroyed. On my bike ride here, I rode past several pools of water still being pumped up from basements, and one large pool being pumped up from the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. The streets smell toxic. Gas remains scarce and at least 100 cars are parked in a line by my local gas station, waiting for it to reopen.
And the forecast being discussed for the next few days: Tuesday is the election, and Wednesday, a Nor'easter storm. Emotions and opinions are running high. But these same people remain helpful and hopeful and charitable. Volunteers come in for coffee, wearing work gloves, overalls and protective face masks and bearing saws to clear fallen trees and excavate flooded basements. Neighbours with power offer others a place to shower, a place to cook. Everyone offers advice on how to get help, how to help. Tomorrow is definitely volunteer day for me.
Local restaurant, Brooklyn Crab, offers help to those in need
It is also, first time to vote in an American election day! Canada, watch out: if Obama doesn't win, Canada's population might double. Among the hurricane chatter is also the repeated semi-joke, "If Romney wins I'm moving to Canada." If you're an American living in the Great North I hope your absentee ballot is cast, or I hope you're ready to move over and make room (Yes, I am stereotypically assuming that if you are an American living in Canada you would vote for Obama. If not, please leave Canada. Please.) But political biases aside, I want to end this post like my neighbourly volunteers -- with hope, and an eye on tomorrow.
The best way I know how to do this right now? A video of fourth graders singing about democratic rights to the tune of Call Me Maybe. My good friend and acting colleague Anthony Hull worked as videographer and editor along with Greg Kallan on this piece, and it is guaranteed to light up anyone's day. So please watch this video for a smile and a feeling that tomorrow will be better.
For more Huff Po coverage of the video, visit here. To donate to the Hurricane Sandy relief effort, visit here.
]]>Why I Love Canada: We Could Charm the Pants Off a Moosetag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.16351822012-06-30T00:00:23-04:002012-08-29T05:12:05-04:00Ashley Peopleshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-peoples/
Yes, yes we are. Keep thinking that world -- but that's not all we are. We are talented, and disciplined and personable, and easy-going and really, just good at life. I love Canada and it's super nice people because while non-Canadians are thinking, "Isn't that cute how she says aboot and pardon me," we are busy getting exactly what we want.
Please don't misinterpret this as conniving. We are too Canadian for that. We are like smart puppies, or cute babies (don't tell me all babies are cute). People want to cuddle us, and we want to cuddle back. Maybe that's why my "slumming it" lifestyle has been working out so well. Our sorrys and humble smiles inspire people to give us things, invite us places. Canadians don't need to rent a room at the Ritz, because most likely, they can just say "Pardon me, but would you mind if I stay here, at your lovely hotel, the Ritz? I'm sorry if it's an inconvenience," and the Ritz says yes. Canada is loveable in all the right, and genuine, ways.
Busted? Yes. Blowing our cover? Possibly. But, celebrating our innate polite but secretly winning nature? With pleasure.
I believe our politeness is fueled by an easy-going nature. Canada promotes a positive "slumming it" mentality. We say "no worries" about sleeping in a tent or commuting by bicycle or bus. We gladly spend weekends at cottages with no electricity, and share dinners of wheat thins, cheese and cheap wine. We're not worried because we love it. To get esoteric, we love nature. With nature love comes an understanding that we are not in control, and when you realize you're not in control, things get a lot easier. So I guess my overwritten thesis statement is, "Canadians' innate connection to nature makes it easier to have 'no worries': relaxed disposition leads to likability."
Georgian Bay
I think our ability to relax also connects to our pace. When I go to Toronto, I notice we walk slower. This gives us the time to enjoy our surroundings, to smile at passersby, and to notice the birds. The other day, I pointed out a Cardinal to my American roommate, and he responded, "You're so Canadian." Yes, yes I am, and I'm glad my bird identification abilities make me so.
I also like to think Canadians are good at identifying other Canadians. Just this past weekend, my cousin and I attended the Governors Ball Music Festival in New York. Within a half hour of being there, we were hanging out on blankets under the trees with other Canadians, talking about how good the Montreal DJ duo Duck Sauce was. We found people from our homeland, and we found a home base.
At the Duck Sauce performance at Governor's Ball..with fellow Canadians Georgia Tanner and Christy Prada
So the stereotypes are true, and I want to celebrate them. This Canada day, I am going to be so damn charming to every New Yorker I meet, they will want to buy me a moose. I will also follow the laws of Canadian attraction, and find myself celebrating the day with a bunch of Canadians, and a bunch of pleases and thanks yous, and most likely, under a tree]]>Slummin' it in New York: My Post-Cannes Hightag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.16120382012-06-21T07:26:23-04:002012-08-21T05:12:05-04:00Ashley Peopleshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-peoples/
I actually like the cafe, love the food, and the regular customers, but it was -- well -- a shock to return. Somewhere along the red carpet, latte art lost its appeal.
But steaming drinks and making change is not all I've been doing. Springtime in NYC has perks.
Music
The coffee shop pays off. One of the regular customers, Rachel Brotman, is an up-and-coming jazz musician. She performed in New Orleans while she attended school, and now has a band that performs regularly in the city. I checked out her show at the famous Living Room and was electrified. Rachel's voice is smoothly soulful, the lyrics and phrasing are unique, and the band, incredibly talented and in constant conversation with each other. NPR reported on the event.
Bicycles
I am now the proud owner of a black used Schwinn, and an unfortunately large white helmet with a red brim. Why do all helmets have brims now? Is this a function of style or safety? Together we have clocked at least 100 km together -- back and forth over the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges and up the west side highway. In the rain and the sun. My helmet makes me sweaty and my bangs look awesome, but I feel safe and part of the Brooklyn bicycle elite. I bought my bicycle at the Brooklyn Flea Market from the infamous possibly 7 foot tall "Shane da Bike Jack." I was with some Canadian friends who were visiting when I made my purchase, and they fully supported Shane, and the fact that a bicycle gives you a freedom lifestyle choice, and we ate donuts to celebrate. We ate donuts together, and of course I felt closer to home.
After my Canadians left I felt lonesome, but found this stranger playing piano masterfully for the masses in Washington Square. A grand piano that he had somehow rolled there. Motivation and inspiration.
Party Down goes global
The café I work at also caters. So I fulfill the actor cliché once a week, aligning with other actors in the city to carry around trays of carefully prepared endive leaves with poached figs and orange-scented goat cheese. Lucky for me, I often cater interesting events. One party was for IMG models where the only hamburger eater was one model's dog.
Most recently, I helped cater an event celebrating RISC (Reporters Instructed In Saving Colleagues) at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Working at the RISC event was an honour. From the program:
Journalist Sebastian Junger founded RISC in 2011 after his colleague, acclaimed photographer Tim Hetherington, died while covering hostilities in Libya... Junger later learned from a combat medic that first aid might have saved his life during the short ride to the hospital. But none of the journalists with him were trained in first aid. Nor are the majority of journalists covering conflict today. RISC seeks to change that.
The organization now trains and equips freelance journalists in all media to treat life-threatening injuries. To learn more, visit www.risctraining.com. A powerful photo exhibit by war photojournalists accompanied the event, curated by Christopher Anderson. If you live in NYC, go see it.
Canadian Actor Connections
A fellow Canadian actress and friend in the city, Caitlyn Sponheimer, performed Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead at Theatre Row. The play portrays Peanuts characters as teenagers with more than their share of personal problems. The entire cast gave fearless performances, but Caitlyn was exceptionally funny. I have a feeling I will be writing about her future performances on stage and screen. Also, the show is on till July 23.
Another friend, Queen's graduate and Canadian actor Ryan O'Callaghan also shared a slice of his success with me in the city. Ryan is currently filming '79 Parts with Hit and Run Productions, directed by Ari Gaub. Serendipitously, I met Ari at an event the week before. He was holding a party for the '79 Parts cast and crew on the roof of the Empire Hotel. My connection to Ryan got me an invite, an evening of meeting other actors, bottle service and a view of the city. Again, keep your eyes peeled for O'Callaghan's name in future films, and posts.
So Cannes was...amazing and I am in touch with many of the people I met there, but New York is not so bad either. Its not Canada, there are no Beaver Tails in sight (whatever happened to those!) but its not so bad.
If you're a Canadian living in NYC or Brooklyn and have an upcoming event, show, party with free drinks and directors looking for new actors, let me know and I'd love to come -- and then blog about it. You can reach me at peoples.ashleyj@gmail.com.]]>Slummin' it at the Cannes Film Festival: And The Winner is..?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.15589452012-05-31T09:55:55-04:002012-07-31T05:12:17-04:00Ashley Peopleshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-peoples/
1. Abigail screened in a big theatre on a big screen with a lot of people watching. It was exciting and nerve-racking, and like seeing the film for the first time again. In one shot, I saw tiny butterflies I never noticed before. I also watched other Cinéfondation selected films, and was very impressed. The short film format is a wonderful way to tell a story. I hope North America follows Europe's lead by expanding their short-film market.
2. Canadian designer Chloe Comme Paris provided me with four dresses, jewelry and a clutch to wear to Festival events. I felt so glamorous, and so Canadian. I loved it. I also loved getting to promote a Canadian company (run by two camp girls!) to all the people who asked about the dresses and jewelry. If you haven't seen them already, keep a look out for their unique pieces on the international fashion scene.
3. Director Matthew James Reilly won second prize for Abigail!!! The film was unanimously voted second out of 1700 films submitted from film schools worldwide. Like woah, Matt, woah. I feel so incredibly lucky and honoured to be part of this award-winning project. Keep your eyes peeled for Abigail's inclusion at upcoming Festivals!
4. I attended the Cinéfondation Awards Dinner at Le Carlton Hotel. Le Carlton is luxury and extravagance to the extreme. The hotel sits along the famous La Croisette, facing the ocean. A Rolls Royce and a horse-sized dollar bill flank the porte-cochère. I realize how tacky this sounds, but it looks awesome. Inside, the dining room is pillared and draped in elegance. Both the Cinéfondation and the Festival's official selection jury attended the dinner. Just over my shoulder, Jean Paul Gaultier enjoyed the same foie gras as I did. After the dinner, I shook his hand and entered the unfamiliar territory of star struck. I forgot how to speak French and English, did not complete a sentence and kept talking about how I liked the "dress" he wore to the opening ceremony. I hope this was not as bad as it sounds, but no promises.
In better talking-to-celebrities news, I had wonderful conversations with Belgian director Jean-Pierre Dardenne (Cinéfondation jury president) and Armenian-Canadian actor and producer, Arsinée Khanjian (Cinéfondation jury member) who lives in Toronto. They were both incredibly gracious and inspiring to speak with. Dardenne praised the film's powerful subtlety and unique atmosphere, and was happy to have his picture taken. I was especially touched by Khanjian's perspective on Abigail. She described my character's struggle between responsibilities and a need for independence in a way that perfectly reflected my feeling. I am moved knowing that the story we wanted to tell struck a real emotional chord with a successful actress I respect.
5. The Festival's Closing Ceremony transformed the Grand Théâtre Lumière stage with white carpeting, a wall of backlit pillars and a cascading red carpet down the middle. The Artist's Bérénice Bejo hosted, and two of my favorite actors, Audrey Tatou and Adrian Brody, presented the Palm D'Or to my favourite festival film, Amour. In his acceptance speech, director Haneke said the film represented a promise he and his wife have made to each other in case one of them should fall ill. Tears. Again, please see this film, and now see it with this in mind.
The final Festival night summed it all up -- I walked the red carpet in the rain, was moved to tears in the Grand Théâtre Lumière, drank free champagne, and danced on the beach. At the end of the night, I rode the bus and took off my shoes to walk the muddied path to my "movie" trailer. A hotel on La Croisette might have been nice for perfecting hair and make-up, not ruining shoes (two pairs met the trash) and getting a full-length look at myself before hitting the red carpet, but I wouldn't have met the fantastic people I did, woken up to birds chirping in the trees and raindrops on my tin roof, and felt as close to me, that Canadian camp girl who went to Cannes.
]]>Slummin' it in Cannes: Even My Trailer Has a Certain "Je Ne Sais Quoi"tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.15451022012-05-25T08:35:47-04:002012-07-25T05:12:18-04:00Ashley Peopleshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-peoples/
It is nice to wake and sleep to raindrops on my trailer's tin roof, but not thrilling to wear soaking wet shoes and get stuck in mud puddles. For three days, my feet were freezing and my only jacket never dried. I waited in long lines for screenings under canopies of umbrellas that poked me in the eye and stuck in my hair -- but, like I said, I did not complain because, well, I am in Cannes, and because I was with fantastic people and saw two great films.
French director Ingrid Chikhaoui, who I worked with on Unfold, arrived Saturday. Together, we attended the premiere for Haneke's Amour and Vinterberg's Jagten (The Hunt). Both films left us speechless and in tears. Amour is a masterpiece. Simple and beautiful, it follows an elderly couple's relationship as the wife slowly dies in their apartment. It is hard to watch and confronts harsh realities many people do not want to talk about or see. A heavy film with so much heart, it is devastating. Please see it.
We took our second emotional rollercoaster just a few hours later, after a French dinner of mussels and French Fries (which are, actually, way better in France). Jagten tells the story of a kindergarten teacher accused of child abuse and the ensuing destruction of his life, as he knew it. The screenplay and cinematography are impeccable, and the lead performance is heartbreaking. The entire 2,200-person theatre gave a 10-minute standing ovation for the cast and crew in attendance. I am very grateful to experience such great art in the presence of its creators -- quite electrifying!
On Monday, Abigail's director, Matthew James Reilly, and cameraman, Taylor DeLuca, arrived. First stop, a screening of Roman Polanski's Tess...with Roman Polanski. Polanski and the film's crew were in attendance and spoke to the audience prior to its screening. Again, watching the epic narrative with its creators in the room was a surreal experience. As a small surprise, the film opened with a clever Prada commercial, directed by Polanski and starring Ben Kingsley and Helena Bonhome Carter. If possible, YouTube it.
After the film, we had an international exchange dinner: the four wonderful Brits, Ingrid, Canadian Claire, the Abigail team, and two other new friends from the campground, Sven from Germany, and Enës from Turkey. Again, I felt embarrassingly lucky.
Unfortunately, we fell into a tourist trap restaurant and overpaid (our fault: big British flags on the menu is a red flag) but enjoyed the meal regardless. National stereotypes were vocally confirmed or debunked. Sven told stories about his grandmother during the war, hiding food in the ground and herself in a farm silo. He then expressed concern he may be perpetuating the "depressing German" stereotype. However, he agreed with Enës' assertion that Germans are incapable of romance. Together, they plan to write and direct two films: one about Sven's grandmother, and another, about a romantic German outcast from his community, because he is a romantic. I love it.
On Tuesday, Matt and I spent time exploring the marketplace. I had no idea. I really had no idea about what an international "marketplace" this is. We wandered through multiple floors of hundreds of booths of different distribution, production, marketing etc. Companies looking to buy and sell films. There are over 4,000 films, short and feature length, for sale, and around 700 that are screened for prospective buyers throughout the festival. I spent the following day at the beach reading all the daily Cannes publications, learning the facts I just stated. The marketplace experience and publications have peaked my interest in emerging film markets, like Egypt, or those making a comeback, like Italy. The international nature of this film festival has finally sunk in, and I think I am in love. Finally, my dual degree in International Development and Drama makes sense. Dear TIFF, could you let an American short into your festival, just this once? Or if not, then just me?
As for my trailer, it was a celebrated destination during the storms by campground friends staying in tents, and by me. Unlike rainy and cold-to-the-bone camping days in Canada, I could take, and not just dream about, a hot shower. Slummin' it in Cannes means I put plastic bags around my heels to walk through muddied trails, but if it means I walk from that mud to the red carpet, that's all right with me.]]>Slummin' it at the Cannes Film Festival: How to Crash a Yacht Partytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.15332002012-05-21T11:54:38-04:002012-07-21T05:12:12-04:00Ashley Peopleshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-peoples/
The yachts by day.
The first one, flashing blue and purple lights and blasting club beats, was swarmed with paparazzi taking photos of Amanda Seyfried leaving. Here, there was a mini red carpet leading from the yacht bridge to a port-a-potty on the pier. Sadly, we were not on their guest list. The next one, playing smooth reggae, was located near the end of the pier. We chatted a bit with the owner as he got off the yacht and into his custom-designed speedboat. He was very friendly and explained he was going to pick up more guests, but did not take pity on our party-less souls.
Lining up at one of the "exclusive" port-a-potties.
So onward we went to discover a smaller yacht serving free hot dogs and champagne to passersby. Picking up on the generous vibe, we stuck around and chatted up one of the captains taking a hot dog break. A dockside dance party ensued followed by him chanting, "Dance on the boat. Dance on the boat." With his help, we were led past the bodyguards and on to the boat. Here we discovered walls of candy and popcorn -- apparently a movie concessions company owned the boat. The music was terrible and the dance floor crowded and uneven, but the champagne and candy were free. We also discovered a wood-paneled dining room filled with, again, candy and champagne, but absolutely free of people. We sat down and enjoyed the fruits of our party-scrounging labours.
After we had enough gummy strawberries, we trekked to the beach where they screen older films at night. Tonight, Jackie Chan lit up the sand. Beside the beach theatre, bars and dance clubs stretch along the waterfront for about a kilometre. Again, the parties thrown at these beachside establishments are by invitation only; Cannes seems to have a bit of an exclusivity complex. But we decided we would like to go.
We took off our shoes and casually strolled around the barrier between the beach theatre and the strip of clubs, and then Gemma (one of the Brits) and I walked straight from the ocean into the patio lounge of the first club. The security guard didn't bat an eye. We continued inside, told the drink ticket girl "my boyfriend" had lost our tickets and she happily gave us "new ones." The other Brits, Lucy, Chris and Michael, had stayed on the beach, so we decided to bring our champagne cocktails down to them for sharing and dancing in the sand. As the night wore on, Gemma and I continued to ferry drinks back and forth and the dancing moved more into the surf.
Although the club was glamorous and the people were beautiful, I much preferred being out in the sand with my new campground mates. We had a lot more room to dance, and could hear each other as we swapped stories about future and past projects, and possible future collaborations!
The best pre-Cannes advice I was given about the dreaded word "networking" was not to worry about, "What can this person do for me," but rather, just to have a good time and get to know people whom I believe in. After our party-crashing adventures, the Brits and I spent more of the weekend together having meals, watching each other's work at the Short Film Corner and getting to know each other. Hanging out with them proves the advice right. I would love to work with all of them not because they have achieved x and y and can give me z, but because I think they are fantastic people to spend time with, and have a lot of passion and talent for what they do. I look forward to spending more time with them, and with other filmmakers I have randomly met this weekend--at the Quebec Pavilion, film screenings, on the bus... What a wonderful job to have: to get to know people.
Update on my low-class status: sitting on the carpet, in the basement of the Palais des Festivals in order to get internet because it wasn't working at the campground. On my way up!]]>Slummin' it at the Cannes Film Festival: My Turn to Walk the Red Carpettag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.15297172012-05-19T12:21:23-04:002012-07-19T05:12:11-04:00Ashley Peopleshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-peoples/Ashley Peoples is a Brooklyn-born Toronto-raised actress who recently starred in Abigail, a film that is a finalist for The Cinéfondation Prize at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival 2012. She will be chronicling her time at festival for Huffington Post Canada.
Festival adventures are underway. There is a lot going on, everywhere, all the time, and it is a bit overwhelming! On my first day of adventuring, I did not know what to expect, but I wanted to be prepared. I put on my four inch purchased-for-the-red carpet heels, a mid-length dress and full make-up to pick up my accreditation pass. Yes, I was trying way too hard. Others in line to get their passes were sporting sneakers, jeans and backpacks. It only became more ridiculous when I wore the exact same outfit to a red-carpet world premiere the following night.
Thanks to the lovely people working at Cinéfondation (the office dedicated to the prize the film I star in, Abigail, is nominated for), I have access to most of the official feature premieres that are by invitation only. Bon chance!
Unluckily, I did not tell them I would be here for opening night and it was too late to get a ticket to the opening ceremony, followed by the premiere of Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom. So instead, I decided to join the paparazzi. Armed with my iPhone camera, I took up my place on Palais Festival's terrace -- the Festival's central building.
From here, I could see small bejeweled figures posing and slinking along the carpet to loud club music. An announcer declared the names of celebrities as they exited their cars at the end of the carpet and greeted fans. The official photographers were dressed in tuxedoes and called out demands like, "Move your hair," or compliments such as "Beautiful, " or just, "I love you." In a way, it felt like a glamorous American football game.
An interesting discovery I made on the terrace was the paparazzi don't usually know who they're taking photos of. They just hope it is someone famous and figure it out later. Some set their cameras on autopilot, and take the time to have a smoke and a chat while their cameras click away.
The final crew to walk the carpet was the cast of Moonrise Kingdom. Bill Murray danced and Ed Norton spent a lot of time looking for someone. They seemed to have a lot more fun, and were less concerned with their poses than earlier, relatively unknown, carpet walkers. Oh the freedom of success.
My turn to strut my stuff on "le tapis rouge" came sooner than expected, and not at all how I expected. Cinéfondation gave me a ticket to the first screening of De Rouille et D'Os (Rust and Bone), directed by Jacques Audiard.
I now know that the first screening of many films at Cannes are for the press, at 8:30 a.m. So, the next morning at 7:30 a.m., I waited my turn to walk the red carpet for the first time, barely awake, in jeans, sandals and a blazer -- and it was totally worth it. The film is absolutely beautiful and crushing. I highly recommend it. Marion Cotillard and Matthias Schoenaerts, who play the film's central characters, give soulful and honest performances. Cotillard, especially, carried me right inside her gut-wrenching journey to re-create her life, and herself, after a tragic accident.
Coming out into the sun after an emotional pre-breakfast experience, I ran into Claire Stollery and Maital Folkovitz, who both went to Queen's University with me! Claire is a Canadian actress and comedian and Maital works for the Canadian Film Centre. They are here promoting a short film they made together.
I was thrilled to see them and we arranged to have dinner that evening before going to the premiere of Baad el Mawkeaa (After the Battle), an Egyptian film directed by Yousry Nasrallah. It was wonderful to see a film like this in such a beautiful (and comfortable) theatre. The Grand Théâtre Lumière seats 2000 people and even the "nose bleeds" (our seats) provide an excellent view.
Even better, the seats are pink. Because it was an evening premiere (and not the a.m. press screening), it was a proper red carpet posing event. We practiced our best on the stairs -- the only part we were allowed to walk because of our plebian status -- and danced to the music.
Once inside, we realized our performance was live broadcast on the theatre screen. Brilliant, but we were then entertained by watching everyone else do their best, followed by the film's cast and director.
I say it was wonderful to see a film like this in such a theatre because I do not know if it will play in commercial theatres in Canada or the U.S. The film addresses the plight of a family after the father falls from his horse and is beaten at the Battle of Tahir, and their relationship with a woman who attempts to help them.
It was an inspiring experience to watch a moving and well-acted drama based in contemporary, on-going events. After watching this film, I want to make a point of seeing other foreign films I might not have the chance to see in North America. That's what has happened so far! (Oh, and I did fall down the campground stairs in my heels, but they didn't break).]]>Slummin' it at the Cannes Film Festival Day 2: Meeting my Movie "Trailer"tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.15208332012-05-17T11:48:11-04:002012-07-17T05:12:20-04:00Ashley Peopleshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-peoples/Ashley Peoples is a Brooklyn born Toronto-raised actress who recently starred in Abigail, a film that is a finalist for The Cinéfondation Prize at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival 2012. She will be chronicling her time at festival for Huffington Post Canada. Her first entry, about having to spend the festival at a nearby campsite, is here.
I made it. Little bumps along the way and some surprises at this end, but all is well and unpacked at the "Phoenix" (given name) mobile home.
One of the bumps was an email I received yesterday, from Parc Bellevue, stating "No more mobile homes anywhere." When I replied, asking if they could confirm my reservation was intact, they replied, "We are sorry. No more anywhere." So it was a wonderful surprise to arrive and not beg and cry, but be welcomed and driven immediately, a la golf cart, to my new home, the Phoenix.
After my golf cart executive service, I dumped my luggage inside and took a seat on my porch in the 5 p.m. sun -- content that this was also my favourite time to paddle up to a new campsite on canoe trips past. I wanted to sit there all evening and drink champagne and have dinner served to me, but these are not the rules of the woods. Instead, I walked the highway to the greatest shopping centre of all time, "Le Carrefour" (meaning "the crossroads").
If you could combine the most incredible aspects of Canadian Tire, Dollarama, Lowblaws and Joe Fresh, add a French twist, a bar and a hair salon, you would almost have Carrefour. Visiting these deluxe Canadian superstores prior to camping or cottaging was always a highlight; so imagine my delight to discover Carrefour.
It took a lot of self-control to only buy essentials, and not neon pink lawn chairs, whole fresh fish, or Disney-themed dishes with French expressions comme, "Winnie Le Pooh." Past Canadian Tire trips have led to a large collection of wolf-themed apparel. Instead, I was good and am now prepared to eat granola and drink green tea every morning, pack a small snack for the day and make occasional dinners with frozen vegetables and instant boil-in-a-bag quinoa. I ate granola for almost 50 days in a row once so I am hopeful I can go two weeks. I did buy eggs, but they weren't refrigerated at the store, and I'm not refrigerating them now, and I'm not quite sure how I feel about that. Eating them could be a bump or pleasant surprise. TBD.
Another excellent surprise is that the Phoenix is brand new! The proprietor/cart driver was very proud to tell me this, and I am almost sure I am its first occupant. The knives are in plastic casings and the wooden spoon has no weird stains. However, everything is new, but not everything I expected is here. Number one: no sheets. Hmmm. Should've stuck to my camper roots and packed a sleeping bag. Instead, there is an old fleece blanket (which I have converted into a sheet) and a light duvet with a reversible flower pattern. The pillowcases provided look like paper used to make hospital slippers, and feel like it too. There are also no towels, no soap, and one role of toilet paper. Le Carrefour, I will be back.
My quiet neighbours and the drone of the highway lulled me to sleep last night. Everyone who walks by looks calm and friendly and not like trailer park axe murderers. This is reassuring because unlike canoe trips, I cannot sleep with my axe and bear spray.
Now that it is morning and I have caught up on sleep, it is time to take on the Festival. There is no full-length mirror, so let's just hope I look good and feel confident enough to meet that French producer. A bientôt.]]>Slummin' it at the Cannes Film Festivaltag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.15192492012-05-15T17:04:35-04:002012-07-15T05:12:09-04:00Ashley Peopleshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-peoples/
Last summer, I played the lead role in an NYU student film, written and directed by Matthew James Reilly. The film, entitled Abigail, is now a finalist for The Cinéfondation Prize at the Cannes Film Festival 2012, held May 16-27. Reilly and I have been invited to attend the screening and Awards dinner. I have decided to attend the entire festival.
When I received the invitation, I knew I had to make the most of it. I see it as a huge learning opportunity and "career builder." It also takes me at least two weeks to get a tan, since my Scottish roots force me to wear SPF 50. As an actress still preparing to make the big bucks (but with limited funds), I had two options.
I could go for the few days when the Cinefondation competition takes place and sleep in a nice hotel, OR I could stay at the elegant-sounding Parc Bellevue -- a mobile home trailer park 6km from the Palais des Festivals. At this point, I know my trailer is called the Phoenix and has a porch. Some may feel this is a ridiculous place to prepare for red carpet events, but I feel, it is perfect. I have the chance to glamourize my favourite lifestyle -- camping.
Until two years ago, I spent most of my summers at either Camp Wapomeo, a canoe camp in Algonquin Park Ontario, or in the Ontario/Quebec wilderness "on trip" -- traveling by canoe and sleeping in a tent for up to 50 days at a time.
There were times when rain pools formed in the bottom of our tent, and we slept atop a pile of lifejackets, dreaming that our sleeping bags were not soaked through and our MEC fleece outfits were not still wet from the stormy day. I remember those times fondly, so you can only imagine my excitement at a trailer with a real roof, floor and door.
I am staying at "Le Camping" -- as the Festival organizers call it -- because I have to, and lucky for me, I kinda want to.
I have no idea what to expect -- I could change my tune if it happens that my hair dryer adaptor plug blows the fuse box, the bathroom is across the parking lot and there is nowhere to "steam" the gorgeous dresses loaned by Canadian designer Chloé comme Parris (which I am bringing in a giant backpack.)
My only concrete plans for the Festival are to attend the Abigail screening on the 24th and the Awards dinner on the 25th. I will be attending a couple of marketplace screenings and panel discussions. I hope to attend fancy parties, preferably on a boat or two, and I hope to meet a French producer or director who needs an English-speaking character who looks just like me. Or, maybe I will meet the big studio director ready to make a canoe action-adventure set in the 17th-century and starring a female Voyageur.
If this is too much to ask, I look forward to meeting fabulous and interesting people and learning a lot about the film industry. The only advice I have been given so far is to purchase overpriced champagne, sit on hotel patios and, as smoothly as possible, strike up charming conversations with people I have never met.
I will likely say something devotedly inappropriate to at least one celebrity, and I plan to keep speaking French even when the locals reply in English; but I think I may be forgiven when I tell them about my awesome trailer.]]>
The coffee shop pays off. One of the regular customers, Rachel Brotman, is an up-and-coming jazz musician. She performed in New Orleans while she attended school, and now has a band that performs regularly in the city. I checked out her show at the famous Living Room and was electrified. Rachel's voice is smoothly soulful, the lyrics and phrasing are unique, and the band, incredibly talented and in constant conversation with each other. NPR reported on the event.
I am now the proud owner of a black used Schwinn, and an unfortunately large white helmet with a red brim. Why do all helmets have brims now? Is this a function of style or safety? Together we have clocked at least 100 km together -- back and forth over the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges and up the west side highway. In the rain and the sun. My helmet makes me sweaty and my bangs look awesome, but I feel safe and part of the Brooklyn bicycle elite. I bought my bicycle at the Brooklyn Flea Market from the infamous possibly 7 foot tall "Shane da Bike Jack." I was with some Canadian friends who were visiting when I made my purchase, and they fully supported Shane, and the fact that a bicycle gives you a freedom lifestyle choice, and we ate donuts to celebrate. We ate donuts together, and of course I felt closer to home.
After my Canadians left I felt lonesome, but found this stranger playing piano masterfully for the masses in Washington Square. A grand piano that he had somehow rolled there. Motivation and inspiration. 
Another friend, Queen's graduate and Canadian actor Ryan O'Callaghan also shared a slice of his success with me in the city. Ryan is currently filming '79 Parts with Hit and Run Productions, directed by Ari Gaub. Serendipitously, I met Ari at an event the week before. He was holding a party for the '79 Parts cast and crew on the roof of the Empire Hotel. My connection to Ryan got me an invite, an evening of meeting other actors, bottle service and a view of the city. Again, keep your eyes peeled for O'Callaghan's name in future films, and posts. 
One of the bumps was an email I received yesterday, from Parc Bellevue, stating "No more mobile homes anywhere." When I replied, asking if they could confirm my reservation was intact, they replied, "We are sorry. No more anywhere." So it was a wonderful surprise to arrive and not beg and cry, but be welcomed and driven immediately, a la golf cart, to my new home, the Phoenix.
My quiet neighbours and the drone of the highway lulled me to sleep last night. Everyone who walks by looks calm and friendly and not like trailer park axe murderers. This is reassuring because unlike canoe trips, I cannot sleep with my axe and bear spray. 