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WESTPORT, Conn. Teacher Lauren Bullock is a firm believer in turning negatives into positives. That's why the Westport resident turned a popular book into a movie in memory of her two nieces.
Bullock, a five-year computer and drama teacher at Bedford Middle School, is the producer of the soon-to-be-released film, "Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life." But Bullock wasn't looking for the project. Instead, she said, it found her.
In 2009, Bullock's two teenage nieces were killed in a car accident. Shortly after the tragedy, Bullock was thinking about how difficult it was for her then-13-year-old niece to cope with the loss of her sisters when she walked into the school's library and came across the book.
"The book was just sitting there on a chair as if it had been waiting for me," she said. "I really felt it was placed there by my nieces for me to find."
The book, by Wendy Mass, tells the story of Jeremy Fink, a boy who receives a mysterious box on his 13th birthday from his dad, who died when he was 7. The box, engraved with the words "The meaning of life: for Jeremy Fink on his thirteenth birthday," has four locks. Jeremy and his friend Lizzy set out on a quest to find the missing keys. Along the way, they learn a lot about life.
"It's a great story. The quest of this boy teaches you not to take life for granted," she said. "It inspires you to live life."
Before becoming a teacher, Bullock worked in the TV and film industry as a freelance producer/production manager. When reading the book, she knew it would make a great movie. But she kept the idea in the back of her mind until the following fall when she attended a conference where the author was a guest speaker.
After hearing Mass speak, Bullock decided to contact her with the idea of turning the book into a movie. Bullock sent Mass an email but never heard back. Then in January, after talking with a friend about the movie idea, Bullock again emailed Mass. But this time, she heard back almost immediately. From there, the project took off.
"When people are faced with tragedy, they often times don't know how to move past it. Instead of celebrating the lives of those they lost, they focus on the loss," Bullock said. "That's what motivated me to make this book into a film celebrating the memory of my nieces. This whole project has been therapy for me."
The film, whose stars include Mira Sorvino, Joe Pantoliano and local actors such as Westport resident Markley Rizzi, is being released straight to DVD. However, Bullock arranged for it to be screened at Bow Tie Cinema in Norwalk at 7 p.m. Thursday and at 10 p.m. Saturday.
Bullock, Mass and Rizzi will also be at the Westport Library on Thursday to talk about the book and film. This event takes place in the McManus Room from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
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