This October, Canadian artist and filmmaker Megan Murphy is bringing her documentary, Murphy’s Law, to Centre 64 in Kimberley.
On Murphy’s 35th birthday she ended her engagement and moved back into her childhood home, in Peterborough, where she was alone; her parents had passed away.
As she was going through her parent’s belongings she found her father’s journal, which was thought to have been destroyed in a fire in the ’70’s. The journal chronicled his 1973 solo bike journey through Ireland when he was 26 years old.
Murphy says she was struggling with her own grief and broken heart, which was the inspiration for her story. She took her father’s journal, restored his original 1973 red Peugeot, and headed to Ireland to try and retrace his steps, all the while documenting the experience.
“Sometimes like falls apart and you have to make something good out of it,” Murphy said. “I felt so alone and once I started to share my story I realized that I wasn’t alone. Since then it has become so important to me to share my experience. I think we need to give people the freedom to feel what they feel and hopefully allow them to be able to share that more.”
Murphy says the documentary was hard to make “for 100 reasons”.
“It was so poetic to find that. I thought I must create something good out of the badness,” said Murphy. “It’s my actual life, I am actually feeling all of these things. I am actually trying to heal and I am actually the daughter. I think he [Murphy’s father] almost set this challenge for me, in a way, and it really was a challenge.”
This is Murphy’s first feature film, but she has a long line of experience from acting and hosting a radio show to directing short documentaries. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from York University in Toronto before going back to school for training in documentary films.
“I think people’s real lives are so compelling. I’ve been asking a lot of others about their stories so I thought it was time to share mine and kind of put my money where my mouth is,” Murphy said.
Murphy says that the true story is about grief and redemption. It premiered last year and she has since taken it to Ireland, San Antonio, across Ontario and now she is excited to share it with B.C.
“It’s the first time I will be taking it [the film] out west,” said Murphy, who has been to Kimberley before. “I love Kimberley, it’s beautiful. I love that part of the country; the world. I am hoping that my film will resonate out west and I am looking forward to sharing it.”
The screening will take place at 7pm. on Wednesday, October 18 at Centre 64 and Murphy will be available for a question and answer period afterwards. Tickets are available by contacting the box office at Centre 64 at 250.427.4919 or emailing kimberleyarts@gmail.com. The trailer and more information is available to view at www.murphy’slawfilm.com/trailer or at the Murphy’s Law Facebook page.
As for Murphy’s future plans, she says she’s waiting for the right lead.
“I’m always in search of a new quest, story or adventure,” Murphy said. “I am always open to ideas and love to hear people’s stories. In terms of what’s next, I’m really not sure. I’m waiting for the right story.”