In the early months of 2020, New York City was reeling from the onset of the pandemic and growing political unrest. Later, as some of the chaos settled, multi-hyphenate actress Laura Weissbecker co-created the film COVID-19 Ground Zero, which is currently making the festival circuit.
Co-written and produced by Laura and Mustafa Ozgun, who also directs, the film focuses on workers on the hospital frontlines. Hard-working nurse Jessie (Laura), and her boyfriend Andy (Cyril Durel), weren’t expecting the challenges of the healthcare crisis amidst the erupting protests, but they have the chance to stand tall and fight for what they believe in.
Working within the confines of pandemic restrictions, Laura and Mustafa had the help of long-time producer Donald Kushner and a skeleton crew as they shot the film in France. Just a few weeks after its festival premiere, the film has already been awarded Best Foreign Film at the Sant Andreu de la Barca Festival in Barcelona, Best Cinematography and Best Story at the Focus International Film festival, as well as nominations for Best Actress and other categories. The film recently made its US premiere at the Chelsea Film Festival in New York and is headed for more festivals, including Moonwhite Films International Film Fest in India and another in Peru.
Laura hails from France and has already become globally recognized for her roles in the French film Versailles, The Dream of a King directed by Thierry Binisti, the German TV movie Achtung Artz directed by Rolf Silber, and in America with a recurring role on the Amazon-Sony TV series Mad Dogs. Her most notable role to date cast her in Chinese Zodiac as the French heiress Katherine, who joins Jackie Chan on his quest for the stolen zodiac treasures in the film. She earned numerous awards for the role, including the Chinese Huading award for Best Global New Actress.
indieactivity: Briefly explain your new feature film COVID-19 Ground Zero.
Laura Weissbecker (LW): COVID-19 Ground Zero is a feature film (86 min) based on true stories from frontline hospital workers. It is a slice-of-life in New York City between February and May 2020, when a dedicated frontline hospital nurse, Jessie, and her boyfriend Andy are forced to face the sickness surrounding them. Set against the chaotic political backdrop, the pandemic that engulfed the Big Apple, and the Black Lives Matter protests, the couple discovers true love, compassion, and a determination to live.
Why did you want to tell this story?
Laura Weissbecker (LW): I wanted to create the film as a tribute to all the healthcare workers who have experienced a great deal of hardship during the pandemic, and to be the voice of those who are not heard enough. I knew the story from the inside. Seven years ago, I almost died. I woke up in intensive care on a ventilator and I will never physically or emotionally be the same again. As an artist, writing this script was my way to give a voice to all the dedicated nurses, and to thank all the courageous healthcare workers; everything is based on true stories.
What were the first steps you took to make it happen?
Laura Weissbecker (LW): The director, Mustafa Ozgun, had sent me a treatment, and he wanted to know if I would like to play Jessie. I called him and said yes, and also that I would want to co-write the script. I pitched him my first idea and I started to write while doing a lot of research, contacting doctors, nurses, etc.
Anything you wish you could “do over” on the project?
Laura Weissbecker (LW): More time, more money! (laughs) No, really, in the conditions we did it, we couldn’t ‘’do-it-over’’ better.
How did you get into the business?
Laura Weissbecker (LW): I always wanted to be an actress but I was living in Strasbourg (France) and I knew nothing or no one in the artistic world. When I moved to Paris to study (scientific studies), I started to act in short films, commercials, theater, as well as taking acting classes, I built up my reel, I got an agent and then I started acting in French TV movies as well as small roles in feature films. My nice role in CZ12 by Jackie Chan really gave me a big push and started my career as an actress in China.
What made you want to create your own projects?
LW: When the pandemic arrived, everything stopped. I wanted to stay active as an artist, so I started to make my own comedy sketches — I was writing, filming myself, editing, etc. When Mustafa called me, I knew this was right and I had to jump in. I believe everything in life happens for a reason. I had been through a lot seven years ago and I felt everything was coming into place, I could use all of this hardship to help other people. I was not a doctor or a nurse, I could not go to hospitals and save lives, but I was an actress and a writer, I could give a voice to these heroes.
How do you think being an Actor has helped you as a Writer/Producer?
LW: Being an actor has helped me be very empathic to all my characters when writing the script. Having worked as an actor on many sets also helped me to be realistic as a writer/producer on what we could do with the budget and time we had.
How do you balance both at the same time?
LW: I was a writer-producer most of the time, except in the moments between the director saying “action” and “cut.” In these magical moments, I was an actress and it felt so good. It felt like such a relief after having had to deal with all the problems a producer has to deal with on a set…as if I was free and flying.
Any tips for others looking to create their own projects?
LW: It takes a LOT of WORK and determination. It is long. Don’t give up. Go to the end and finish it. If you wait for the perfect time or perfect conditions, it may never happen. At some point, you just have to go ahead and do it.
Who is your creative idol and what do you love about their work?
LW: I admire actresses such as Reese Witherspoon, Charlize Theron, Natalie Portman, and Jodie Foster, who are not only great actresses but also great producers. They are creating their own projects. They are smart, strong, and dedicated.
What types of stories are you interested in telling next?
LW: I’m working on a period piece, a true story about a female doctor during WWI, as well as a thriller that takes place in Alsace, France, (the region I’m from) with three women as lead characters.
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