Groupie
The doors are closed. There are no more screenings of this film.
Synopsis: Mia, an uncomfortable teenager, attends a concert intent on meeting and impressing the frontwoman of her favorite band. The musician Mia finds is an alternatively charismatic and ferocious one. Vera, the frontwoman of Blank Looks, is unwelcoming, for she, too, is engaged in her own personal struggle. Vera is dissatisfied with her music and unable to find the same kind of fire she once felt in her performances. Mia, expecting a gracious and enthusiastic idol, isn’t prepared for the tense dynamic she’s stepping into.
Mia’s attempt to share her own lyrics with Vera – an act of creative exchange – is a complete failure. Vera turns the tables on Mia, testing her mettle. To her surprise, Vera finds a persistent young woman, and Mia is welcomed back to the green room with the rest of the band.
From there, Mia hangs on, despite Vera’s attempts to throw her off, put her down, and meet her optimism with jaded cynicism. When Mia’s questioning and idolizing scare Vera off, Mia retreats to what she believes is a private place. Thinking she’s alone, Mia seeks comfort in one of Vera’s songs, and sings her own lyrics over it. Vera finds Mia in this vulnerable moment, and the frontwoman is pierced by her sincerity and earnestness. Vera naturally attempts to shield herself, but she is undoubtedly shaken by Mia’s passion and genuineness. Mia similarly comes to understand Vera, seeing her less as an idol, and more like a woman also navigating the difficulty of being yourself. When Vera finally performs, the two feel seen and validated by one another.
Language
Run Time
Starring
Francesca Anderson (Vera)
Makana Ching (Anika)
Kristen Grace (Haley)
Stephanie Twyford-Rigley (Micah)
Directed by
Produced by
Clara Hughes
Edited by
Cinematographer
Director's Bio
Will Frank is an NYC-based director and producer. Originally from the suburbs of Massachusetts, Will is a recent graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. An impassioned filmmaker, Will looks to storytelling as a way to pose questions and fashion new understandings and possibilities.
In addition to working in development and acquisitions at First Look Media, Symbolic Exchange, Oscilloscope Laboratories, and Cinereach, he has directed and produced short films, music videos, and a web series. He now works at the film financing, distribution, and marketing company Cinetic Media.
He currently lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn, among many charming dogs and wailing babies.
