In this episode of Beyond Our Stories, we sit down with Cybèle Villemagne, actress in Belle Enfant, for a conversation that begins with the characters we play and gradually becomes something much more personal.

As an actress, Cybèle gets to temporarily step into other people's lives. But what can becoming someone else reveal about who we are ourselves?

Cybèle talks openly about the qualities she recognizes in the women she plays. She also shares why playing a character can feel like being "on holiday" from herself, and why she prefers understanding a character through empathy rather than searching through her own painful experiences.

But the conversation takes us beyond acting and into family, relationships and the things we sometimes struggle to say to the people closest to us.

Through her character Cheyenne in Belle Enfant, we explore what can happen when everything looks bright on the outside while something very different is happening underneath. Cybèle also shares how making the movie unexpectedly influenced the way she communicates with her own family.

Ultimately, this is a conversation about the different versions of ourselves we carry, the people who help us see them, and what can happen when we allow ourselves to be a little more honest about who we are.

If you'd like to experience the movie that started this conversation, Belle Enfant is available on AlefCine Stream at www.ac-stream.com.

Beyond Our Stories

The movie ends. The conversation begins.

New episodes every Thursday.

In this episode of Beyond Our Stories, we sit down with Henk Pretorius, director of Forever Young, for a conversation that begins with a seemingly simple question about getting older and gradually becomes something much more personal.

When Henk first began thinking about Forever Young, the idea of living forever appealed to him. Years later, his answer has changed.

So what happens to the way we see time as we get older? Would having more of it actually make our lives more meaningful?

Henk talks openly about ambition, relationships, the choices we make and the things we sometimes understand only after time has passed. He also shares a deeply personal connection between Forever Young and his relationship with his father, and why looking back changed the way he understood both his father and the story he wanted to tell.

But the conversation also takes us beyond Forever Young and into Henk's own life as a storyteller and director. Knowing what he knows today, would he choose the same career again? What would he have done differently? And what does he regret?

Ultimately, one question remains:

If there is something you already know you might regret, do you still have time to change it?

If you'd like to experience the movie that started this conversation, Forever Young is available on AlefCine Stream at www.ac-stream.com.

Beyond Our Stories

The movie ends. The conversation begins.

New episodes every Thursday.

In this episode of Beyond Our Stories, we sit down with Livi North, creator and host of Unfuck Your Coparenting, and talk about what happens when you stop sugarcoating the things you've been through and start naming them for what they are.

Livi shares why she deliberately chose such an unapologetic name for her work, why cussing can sometimes express what polite language simply can't, and why difficult experiences don't always need to be made more comfortable for other people.

But our conversation goes much further.

What happens after you finally choose yourself and leave a relationship that has changed you?
What if leaving doesn't actually mean the difficult part is over?
And what do you gain by going through the most difficult parts of it all?

The conversation was inspired by I Love You My Narcissist, and Livi also shares her reaction to the movie and what she recognized in Emily's gradual transformation. The movie becomes the starting point for a bigger conversation about something stories don't always show us: what happens after someone leaves?

If you'd like to experience the movie that started this conversation, I Love You My Narcissist is available on AlefCine Stream at www.ac-stream.com.

Beyond Our Stories
The movie ends. The conversation begins.
New episodes every Thursday.

In this episode of Beyond Our Stories, we sit down with Marine Bohin, lead actress of Belle Enfant, for an honest and personal conversation that begins with a movie about family, unresolved conflicts and the complicated ways we try to reconnect with the people closest to us.

Marine shares some of the experiences that stayed with her from making the movie, including how its story unexpectedly opened up deeply personal conversations about family among the people working on it.

But our conversation goes far beyond the movie.

How much do the people we meet and the experiences we have shape who we become?

Why should we allow ourselves to change instead of holding on to an old version of who we are?

And can we truly grow without going out into the world and experiencing life?

Marine talks openly about uncertainty, relationships, rejection and the pressure of being chosen, but also about why she believes we need to keep meeting people, experiencing new things and allowing ourselves to evolve.

We also talk about something much quieter: how little we sometimes know about what another person is carrying. Behind the person we see may be experiences, struggles and stories we know nothing about. Sometimes simply remembering that can change the way we treat one another.

If you'd like to experience the movie that started this conversation, Belle Enfant is available on AlefCine Stream at www.ac-stream.com/products/belle-enfant.

Beyond Our Stories
The movie ends. The conversation begins.
New episodes every Thursday.

In this episode of Beyond Our Stories, we welcome Kimberly Weeks for a deeply personal conversation about narcissistic abuse, emotional manipulation, identity, healing, and finding your voice after experiences that changed you.

Why do people stay in relationships that are hurting them?
What happens when someone else's words slowly become the way you see yourself?
And how do you begin finding yourself again?

Kimberly Weeks is a Narcissistic Abuse Recovery Coach, Trauma Recovery Practitioner, and co-founder of the Global Trauma Institute. Through her work, she helps survivors heal from narcissistic, psychological, and spiritual abuse by combining trauma-informed education with biblical wisdom. Kimberly is the founder of the StandFirm Healing Community and the creator of programs that empower women to rebuild their lives, trust their discernment, and establish healthy boundaries.

She shares what she has learned through her own experiences and through speaking with survivors.

You can find her on Instagram and her website via the links below:

https://www.instagram.com/iamkimberlyweeks

https://www.kimberlyweeks.com/

The conversation is inspired by the movie "I Love You My Narcissist". Kimberly reflects on watching the movie herself and why viewers have told her: “I saw myself in this character.”

This is a conversation about the damage people can leave behind. 
But more importantly, it is about what they cannot take from us.
Our voice. Our compassion. Our ability to understand. And our capacity to heal.

And if you would like to experience the movie behind this conversation, I Love You My Narcissist is available exclusively on AlefCine Stream at www.ac-stream.com.

Beyond Our Stories
The movie ends. The conversation begins.

New episodes every Thursday.

Some stories stay with us long after the credits roll. They make us reflect, challenge the way we see the world, and sometimes even change how we understand ourselves and the people around us.

Every person has a story.

Some are filled with joy. Others with heartbreak, resilience, hope, or unexpected change. But every story has the power to teach us something about ourselves.

That is where Beyond Our Stories begins.

Hosted by Ali Schmahl and Stefanie Schmahl, Beyond Our Stories explores the people behind remarkable stories and the conversations they inspire.

Together with actors, film directors and other inspiring guests, we explore the experiences, emotions, and life lessons that connect us all. We go beyond the surface to talk about relationships, mental health, personal growth, creativity, and the defining moments that shape who we become.

This is not a podcast about movies. It is a podcast about people.
Because behind every great story is a person.
And sometimes, someone else’s story helps us better understand our own.

If a conversation inspires you, continue the journey by discovering the movies behind these conversations on AlefCine Stream.

Watch our movies on AlefCine Stream:
https://ac-stream.com

Every story begins on the screen.
But it continues within us.

Every person has a story that shaped who they are. Some stories inspire us. Others challenge us. Many remain untold.

Beyond Our Stories is a podcast where we go beyond the screen and beyond the headlines to discover the people behind the stories. Through honest conversations with actors, filmmakers, artists, experts, and inspiring guests, we explore the experiences, emotions, challenges, and defining moments that make us who we are.

This is not just a podcast about movies. It's about life, human connection, resilience, creativity, and the stories that connect us all.

In this introduction, host Ali Schmahl shares the vision behind Beyond Our Stories and what you can expect from future episodes. Whether you're passionate about storytelling, independent cinema, personal growth, or simply enjoy meaningful conversations, you're in the right place.

Subscribe and join us as we discover the extraordinary stories behind extraordinary people.

New episodes coming soon.

#BeyondOurStories #Podcast #Storytelling #HumanConnection #PersonalGrowth #IndependentCinema #AlefCineStream #ConversationsThatMatter #BehindTheScenes #Actors #Filmmakers #Creativity #Inspiration #LifeStories #MentalHealth #AuthenticConversations