Hi all!
After a rough couple of months, I have some exciting news. Before leaving London, where I have been living temporarily since June, I am screening my latest short film “Snowflake” at Close-Up Film Centre tomorrow evening. I stumbled across this gorgeous theatre, which also has an amazing film library, after a networking event in August. The thought of screening “Snowflake” had recently crept into my mind as a bucket list goal. Fortuitously, ever since I walked through Close-Up’s doors and had a coffee on their comfy leather couch (a book about Alfred Hitchcock in hand, of course) plans fell into place. The venue was available. Eventbrite tickets for tomorrow are almost completely sold out. I guess people do want to support independent cinema after all and for that I am grateful.
“Snowflake” is a film about a social media influencer who suffers from a breakdown because of too much focus on self. The film, made with my partner in crime Carter Bowden, speaks to society’s obsession with celebrity. (The title refers to the main character’s desire to be a special “snowflake” as many young people desire.) It also asks the question, why do likes, comments, and online interactions give us a dopamine hit that sometimes rivals real life? As someone who prefers having in-person exchanges to DM’s, I became fascinated by social media while doing hands-on research for this film. By posting more than usual and studying various influencers, I could see how platforms like Instagram could become addicting. Most of all, I saw even through my own reactions to how many people had paid attention to my posts how it could determine one’s self-esteem. All of these sentiments are woven into “Snowflake,” which resonated with others because it recently won some film festival awards!
My goal with this screening is to have a dynamic, in-person dialogue in an international city. I am excited to get a beat on how the people of London feel about social media and whether or not it exasperates our insecurities. As cool as it will be to see our film on the big screen, I am just as excited to listen and learn. Maybe I’ll have some takeaways for my fellow Americans.
And if you know of anyone in London who might be interested in attending feel free to send them this link. Thank you for your support these last few months. It has been invaluable. Love, Lily
