LAURIE TIEMAN
Actor, Writer, Producer
The Full Story
And Somehow Now...
Four women hiking on a trail question their lives and find they have similar frustrations and challenges
THE INSPIRATION
As women enter the crossroads of aging and empty-nesting, we also enter a vacuum of invisibility and irrelevance. Not only do my kids give me an eye roll, but so does society. Trying to reenter the workforce, redefining my identity, keeping up with unrealistic beauty standards, and even shopping for clothes are some of the many challenges women face in mid-life.
I am so grateful I was able to be a stay-at-home mom. I am very close with my girls and I am so proud of them, but I did a great job, so now they are up and out. Blossoming in the world as I feel as if I am wilting.
For many years, my kids took acting classes. It wasn’t until they booked a commercial where they needed the whole family did I enter the world of film and TV. We open all the doors we can for our kids, and it turns out, that my kids opened this door for me. As I slipped deeper into the empty nesting experience, I dove deeper into acting. I was able to create a new world and a new purpose for myself.
Although this was exciting and fulfilling, it also became a source of frustration; as middle-aged women in TV and film I experienced the same feelings of inadequacy as I did in other areas of life, but now my insecurities weren’t a secret between me and the mirror. Now I am on a huge screen physically and emotionally exposed.
As I searched for acting opportunities- roles I could relate to and messages I wanted to explore, I realized I needed to stop searching outside and to start looking inward. I didn’t need to find an opportunity, I needed to create one.I have always been a writer and at this point, I had a lot to say, so I wrote a short film, “Found” that is retitled "And Somehow Now..."
The story of “And Somehow Now” is about how in the midst of child-raising, marriage, and aging many women feel lost. In this film the four women each go for a hike to escape their situations - to get lost in nature as a catharsis. It turns out they not only find each other, but they find themselves in a journey of self-awareness, support, and friendship.
PRESS RELEASE
New Jersey Actress, Laurie Tieman is making her screenwriting debut with the short, independent film, “Found”, a story of four women hiking on a trail questioning their lives and finding they have similar frustrations and challenges. In the midst of childraising, marriage, and aging, many women feel lost. These women not only find each other, but they find themselves, on a journey of self-awareness, support, and friendship.
One of the main “characters” of the film is the Randolph Township, NJ trails which span over 16 miles of varied terrain, running water, and beautiful tranquility. For writer, Laurie Tieman, who lives walking distance from the trails, they have provided an escape, a refuge, and a catharsis. The same is true for these characters until they run into each other and encounter even more frustration! Their journey together is where they experience growth and openness.
“Found” is being directed by Trifon Dimitropoulos, a filmmaker from Central Jersey. Dimitropoulos and Tieman met when he cast her in his 2021 short film, “Matthew” which is currently on the film festival circuit.
Found is scheduled to be filmed in October 2022. The cast is Laurie Tieman, Marla Freeman, Sarah Hewitt, and Eva Kantor. There will be a private screening.
