The Belladonna

Bereavement is a difficult part of life and even more so when the person who is gone was adored by so many and you have to fill the void that is left. That is what Stella played by Stella Talpo has to do as the new queen of the Burlesque at The Belladonna. Her mother has passed and we see how she unravels under the pressure of grief and being part of the competitive and cut throat world of Burlesque.

This short film begins with glitter and sparkles with the well chosen “Yes Sir, I can Boogie” by Baccara. From this point the focus is not on dancing but the breakdown of the new star, who feels everyone is out to get her. Stella Talpo is brilliant in the main role and she is able to convey the pain, trauma and anguish throughout. This could easily be performed as a one woman show as we see inside the mind of someone tortured by the past and present. The audience will be completely engrossed as they see a woman on the edge portrayed so brilliantly. The supporting cast have little do but are able to react to the main characters behaviour in an understated fashion which is a real positive and allows for the focus to be on Stella and Cherry.

Cherry played by Janiq has a vital role to play as Stella’s protagonist. Cherry is provocative and is able to mix titillation with a strong feminist message. This is an all female cast and the message put out to the audience is very important in modern times. Janiq is able to convey the feelings of empathy but also shows a colder side as she looks to take advantage of the situation. This is a really well cast film and they all complement each other brilliantly.

The costumes are sexy, dazzling and sparkly and are perfect for the theatrical nature of Burlesque. The ladies can be seen in corsets and stockings and bright makeup which is a tribute to the Burlesque dancers of the early 20th century. The set has the glamour of Burlesque but also the dowdy look of the local pub. This works really well and is used to separate the dance persona and the person behind the makeup.

The Writer and director Javid Rezai has experience at writing roles for women, particularly those going through trauma. This experience is clearly shown in this story and the use of Burlesque is a topic the audience will not have come across too often. There is also a strong message of feminism with the use of “ My body My Choice” being displayed in one of the standout scenes. The writer really knows how to grab the viewers attention and is able to convey the emotions of the main cast very effectively.

As the director Javid Rezai wants the audience to focus on the two main characters and get a close look at their faces as everything unravels. This makes the scenes feel claustrophobic as the thoughts of inadequacy draw in. The use of jarring music is extremely impactful and will make the hairs on the back of the neck stand up. There is a strong tone of horror in the musical score and this is very effective.

The 15 minutes viewing moves at a great pace and is the perfect amount of time to get a snapshot of the past and present and it draws to an end with a very powerful scene. Overall this is a really thought provoking film depicting a very important message about grief, feminism and mental health. The performances are really good and the audience will be transported to the mind of the main character Stella as she battles with her thoughts.