Filmmaker Statement

Stunner examines an all-too-familiar workplace power dynamic set in the timeless, dreamlike space of a crumbling Sicilian theater. Shot on location at the Cine Teatro Odeon in Catania, Sicily, the theater represents a physical container for the hopes, dreams, and desires of its occupants, including our protagonist, Deyo. Power and the line between interest and possession is explored in the metaphor of the red scarf, which changes hands to each of the main characters as the film progresses. Shifting between Italian and English language further defines character and the power dynamics between characters. A 'horror film with no horror,' Stunner is shot on gorgeous 35mm film, an homage to a legacy of Italian films which too often exclude the complex emotions and perspective of a female protagonist.