BeauteouS
16mm, 24 min, 2002
Distributed by G6 Pictures (16mm or DVD)
Synopsis
A Long Island beauty queen humorously realizes that she is more than just a pretty face. In the days leading up to her senior prom, where she has been nominated for prom queen, Donatella begins to explore her sexuality and intellect. We follow Donatella through her search for herself in confusing and claustrophobic spaces: a Born Again Virgin meeting, her delinquent boyfriend’s hot rod, the dysfunctional dinner table, a Long Island mall, and finally, to the prom. Throughout her journey, Donatella finds refuge from these plastic surroundings in a poetic natural space of her own imagination where she freely expresses herself and her desires for Mina, a girl in her English class.
This film is the third film in the BeauteouS trilogy, three portraits of three siblings and their relationships to beauty. It is the fictionalization of the experiences of our middle sister, Michele.
Credits
Director, Producer, Writer, Editor and Sound Designer
Giovanna Chesler
Director of Photography - Nancy Morita
Poetry - Glori Simmons
Art Director - Danielle Fierro
Gaffer - Arthur Aravena
Sound - Vince Tocce
Music - Dawn Richardson with Katharine Chase
Sound Editing and Mix - Elise Hurwitz
The Cast
Donatella - Kirsten Finkas
Mom - Perry Smith
Mina - Kathleen Brower
Religious Leader - Morris Nash
Christopher - Louis John
Missy - Poppy Nguyen
Elvira - Sina Eiden
Terese - Katie Kegan Esser
Dave - Terrence Garner
Ms. Lambshitz - Jules Divens
Stella - Laura Toland
The Prom King - Barsha Fields
Frank - Richard McBride
Mina’s Friend - Jocelyn Truitt
Prom Goers
Jenn Vigil, Rachel Rene Esser, Christopher Vigil, David Orr, Daniel Ahiakpor, Kristen Carpenter, Lisa Jenai Hernandez, Karla Altamirano, Olivia Garcia, Katie Callahan, Li Shen, Teshun Tseng, Katrina Drabkin, Pam Johnston, Zeke Pinheiro
Prom Chaperones
Sean Esser, Genie Ohashi,
Virginal Fanatics
Lisa Jenai Hernandez, Daniel Ahiakpor, Siobhan Guthrie, David Orr,
Rude Mall Shoppers
Rachel Power, Miya Emery
Male Models
Timothy Caraher, Tim Sultan, Nathan Valentine, Marc Wilson
Vocal Talents
Greg Serpa, Josh Chesler, Derek Owen,
Giovanna Chesler, Heeraz Marfatia, Jennifer McKay
Additional Lighting - Bill Basquin, Zack Richard
Hair and Makeup Artistry - Pamela Johnston
First Assistant Camera - Hannah Guggenheim
Assistant Directors - Lorena Gonzalez, Mahri Holt
Second Assistant Camera - Mahri Holt, Katrina Drabkin Jennifer McKay
Edie Schaffer Michelle Kantor, Marjorie Sturm
Boom Operator - Josh Chesler
Additional Sound - David Duhig
Grips Zeke Pinheiro, Zack Richard, Peter Smith, Deron Tse, Michael Wilson, Megan Cassidy, Sergio, Chris Venot, Rob Mack
Dolly Grips - Michael Wilson Seiji and Miya Emery
Art Department Assistants- Tony Fierro, Michael Wilson, Teshun Tseng, Julie Adams
Costumes - Giovanna Chesler
Production Assistants - Erik Lee, Jeff Bogard, Tim Clouser, Mike Ray, Patti Byther
Craft Service - Tim Whitley, Uncle Tony’s BBQ, Josh Chesler
Casting Assistance - Hannah Guggenheim, Mahri Holt, Rachel Power, Morris Naish, Shari Carlson and the Actors of Studio 300
Production Stills - Josh Chesler, Jeni Rohlin, Patrick Nguyen
Wind Machine and Grass Fluffer -Zack Richard
Foley - Giovanna Chesler, Josh Chesler, Jennifer McKay
Title Support Josh Chesler, Jeff Bogard
Titles Rock Ross
Negative Cut Lewis Motisher
Music:
" Don’t Mention It ”
“ Better World ”
“ Plastic Flower ”
Kindness
Katharine Chase Carrie Baum Dawn Richardson
© 1999
“ Kel and Shell ”
Dawn Richardson
© 1999
“ The Skye is Falling ”
Performed by Affinity: Ronald Richard Abrams, Mathiew McClinton and Michael Wessner.
Composer: Ronald Richard Abrams
Publisher: Ronismusic Publishing (BMI)
www.sageskye.com
© & (P) 2002 Ronismusic Publishing (BMI)
Reviews
Voice of San Diego, November 2005
Metro Weekly, Washington D.C. gives BeauteouS 5 stars!
The Lounge radio interview, Sept 2003
The Lavender Lens, review, Sept 2003
Gay and Lesbian Times “San Diego Beauty” Sept03
Screenings
Out in Schools - Gay Straight Alliance Campaign, Vancouver, Canada (ongoing)
Eye Am: Women Behind the Lens, Anthology Film Archives, New York, NY, October 12, 2010
Dyke Delicious, Chicago Filmmakers Series, May 8, 2010
Immaginaria, Women's International Film Festival, Bologna, Italy (November 2005)
Museum of the Living Artist, San Diego, invited presentation (November 2005)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, invited presentation (May 2005)
Women in the Director’s Chair – Chicago, IL (March 2005)
San Diego Girl Film Festival, San Diego, CA – (Sept 2004)
Console-ing Passions, International conference on feminism and media, New Orleans, LA – (May 2004)
Museum of Photographic Arts, “Sisters Are Doin’ it Them-selves” Retrospective of Giovanna Chesler’s work–(February 2004)
Women's Studies/Center for Women Students Film Series, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA (February 2004)
Pride International Film Festival, Manila, Philippines (2004)
Houston Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (2004)
Israel Lesbian Film Festival (June 2004)
Console-ing Passions: Feminist Media Conference, New Orleans, LA (May 2004)
Mix Mexico April (2004)
Newport Beach Film Festival (April 2004)
Turin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, Italy (April 2004)
Screening Queerly Denver, CO (April 2004)
Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego, CA (February 2004)
Mardi Gras Film Festival New Orleans (February 2004)
Mardi Gras Film Festival Australia (February 2004)
Sarasota Film Festival (February 2004)
FilmFeast Adelaide Australia (Nov 2003)
Mezipatra 2003 Czech Gay and Lesbian Film Festival Prague and Brn (Nov 2003)
Long Island Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (Nov 2003)
Chicago Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (November 2003)
Reel Affirmations Washington, DC (Oct 2003)
Hamburg Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (October 2003)
Seattle Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (Oct 2003)
Berlin Lesbian Film Festival (Sept – Oct 2003)
Palm Springs Shorts Film Festival (Sept 2003)
Outfest San Diego (Sept 2003)
Pikes Peak Lavender Film Festival (Sept 2003)
Sao Paulo International Short Film Festival (Aug 2003)
Outfest LA weekly screening (Aug 2003)
North Carolina Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (Aug 2003)
Austin Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (August 2003)
Outfest Los Angeles (July 2003)
Long Island International Film Expo (July 2003)
Frameline - San Francisco International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (June 2003)
New York Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (June 2003)
Pixie Flix Film Festival (June 2003)
Lady Fest Out West (June 2003)
Seattle International Film Festival (May 2003)
Ladyfest Texas (May 2003)
Toronto Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival (May 2003)
London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (April 2003)
First Look Student Film Festival (April 2003)
Melbourne Australia Queer Film Festival (March 2003)
Ann Arbor Film Festival (March 2003)
Film Arts Festival (Nov 2002)