LIVE ACTION SHORT - 2021
Director/Writer - Katrina Villarreal
Starring - Aurèléa Kunkel and Adian Mackenzie
Cinematographer: Colleen Brostek
Assistant Camera: Addy Claybour
Assistant Director: Alex Harper
Awards
Award winner: Cult Critic Movie Awards, Rome International Movie Awards, Halicarnassus Film Festival, Birsamunda International Film Awards.
Official Selection: Silk Road Film Awards Cannes, American Golden International Film Festival, Milan Gold Awards, Helsingborg Film Festival, Five Continents International Film Festival
ABOUT
"Hard Plastic" is about a girl's loss of innocence as she comes to realize society's pervasive over-sexualization of the female body. A doll, serving as a symbol, captures the conflicting views held by the protagonist and her friend—where one sees the doll as being pretty and cute, the other perceives it as an object of desire. This duality mirrors the film's critique of how women's bodies are often viewed in society.
This story seeks to explore the jarring and uncomfortable awakening that occurs when one realizes how dominant sexuality is in our culture.
The filming took place within a single day at Central Park, brought to life by a dedicated team comprising myself and three other women. The film was ambitious to shoot in the little amount of time we had, but our collective efforts paid off and we were successful in completing it. It now stands as a reflective piece on the complexities of sexuality, innocence, and societal norms surrounding the female body.
