Shorts Spotlight: Vanity

Posted on February 28, 2015February 27, 2015 by Courtney SmallIn Short Films1 Minute Read

In this sly dark comedy from director Arturo Perez Jr., the audience observes Libby (played by Samantha Jayne who also wrote the script) as she gets ready for a night out on the town. Invited to an event by a guy she is clearly interested in, Libby is a bit perturbed by the fact that he insisted she bring her friend Molly (Justine Herron) along as well. Using magazine quotes to help build up her self-esteem, Libby soon discovers that the inspirational sayings may be doing her more harm than good. Through the film’s deceptively simple premise, Jayne’s script manages to offer brilliantly pointed commentary about female insecurities and the subtle ways in which the media perpetuates them.

Vanity
Director: Arturo Perez Jr. / USA / 2015 / 4 minutes
Starring: Samantha Jayne and Justine Herron

Published by Courtney Small

The founder of Cinema Axis, Courtney is a Rotten Tomatoes approved critic who can frequently be heard discussing film as co-host of Frameline on Radio Regent. Courtney has contributed to several publications including Leonard Maltin, That Shelf, POV Magazine, In the Seats, Black Girl Nerds, and Comix Asylum. He has appeared on ET Canada and Hollywood Suite's Cinema A to Z. Courtney celebrates diversity in cinema as host of the Changing Reels podcast and is a member of the Toronto Film Critics Association, the Online Film Critics Society, and the African American Film Critics Association. He is also a Golden Globes International Voter. View all posts by Courtney Small