One of the pleasures of the holiday season is rewatching some Christmas classics – A Charlie Brown Christmas, The Grinch, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer… This year, why not check out Champlain’s own contribution, Little Girl Blue?
The film was made in summer of 2015, with virtually no budget, by an enthusiastic crew of students and teachers from Champlain Saint-Lambert’s Media and Nursing programs, along with many other volunteers.
Much of the film was shot at Champlain, including an ATM bank interior which was created in the library, emergency room sequences in the Nursing wing, and outside hospital locations done in the rear of Champlain – which required the use of artificial snow since the filming took place in June and July!
And look for the contributions of many Champlain alumni or staff: Montreal media personality Frank Cavallero did a voice over, music producer (and Champlain Creative Arts grad) Antoine Rochette wrote original music, sociology teacher David Millar was set designer, and the business office’s Chelsea Geraghty and Nursing teacher Eric de Agostinis played characters in the film, along with many other Champlain personnel in minor roles.
Once shooting had taken place, the film subsequently received a completion grant from the National Film Board and when finished, it was purchased by the CBC, and was broadcast on December 26 for several years in a row.
Little Girl Blue follows Jenny, a beleaguered nurse working a long shift on Christmas Eve. She experiences a difficult day and makes the decision to quit being a nurse. However, on her way home, she encounters a battered woman who is pregnant and about to give birth. For Jenny it is a life-defining moment.
The film is still used by nursing departments as a discussion-starter.
