Catherine Black stars as André Cazabon in “Letters to a Street Child”

Catherine Black stars as André Cazabon in “Letters to a Street Child”
By. Sarah Jane McKenna

“Letters To A Street Child”?, one immediately thinks, “How does one get a letter to a street child?” Well, André Cazabon’s (NFB) father found a way and André made a movie about it starring Catherine Black (American Psycho, Highlander) as André Cazabon herself. “The actually letters written by André’s father were handed to me before filming. I can’t tell you what an honor that was to see the emotion not only in the words but in the hand writing itself; the shaky urgent need to communicate love and support in every stroke”. Catherine herself left home at 15 but her story was much different. “I was blessed, I was hell bent on going wherever the wind took me, and the wind was good to me. In the first week of my runaway life I found myself cast as Juliet in a professional production of Romeo and Juliet. I got rave reviews, I got money, an apartment and a fantastic beginning to my new life”. André’s story is one of rape and drug addiction, loneliness and of desolate aimlessness. Looking at Catherine right now, all clean and bright and soft and quite pretty, I can appreciate even more what a prolific actress she is. Even her body, her now relaxed face, the sound of her voice, is eerily different from the pained, dark, strained drug addict she portrayed so empathetically accurate in “Letters To A Street Child”. And the hair. Catherine sported a Mohawk of many shades and spikes in the gritty film. “I only had one audition for André and the producers which consisted of both an improve and a prepared piece from the script. Afterwards André was rather cold but had asked me to return at the end of the day. When I did all she said to me was “There is only one reason I would not cast you and that is because you have beautiful hair and I will have to destroy it.” Destroy it!” Catherine cheer’s. This is André’s first film as a writer/director/producer but you would never know. André is lovely and speaks with utter conviction just as any pro. I ask Catherine what it was like to work with André. “André is only a couple of years older than me so we really became friends. The full on hands on experience was ideal I think. I found that I needed to be apart of every aspect of the film pre and post, and André invited me to really truly know her. I was playing her after all. She invited me to really create too, to add to the entirety of the film, from casting to shot lists, script ideas and even the finale edit. We camped out in her living room and watched days and days of daily’s. I really got not only a feel for the force of strength that André is, but a taste of the filmmakers spirit”. I ask Catherine if she would like to make her own films, “Oh yes I think so, but not yet. I am so not ready to tackle such a demanding beast! But I think one day yes, I would like to be like a Woody Allen or Mel Gibson; writing and and directing and casting myself in the perfect most fabulous roles. But acting is really what has it’s hold on me. I love acting.” And it shows Catherine. “Letters To A Street Child” premiered last night at the R.O.M. and will be airing on CBC this December.

Toronto Life Magazine . Sept. 4th 1999