Starlet
About the Film
Starlet explores the unlikely friendship between 21 year-old aspiring actress Jane (Dree Hemingway) and elderly widow Sadie (Besedka Johnson) after their worlds collide in California's San Fernando Valley. Jane spends her time getting high with her dysfunctional roommates and taking care of her chihuahua Starlet, while Sadie passes her days alone, tending to her garden. After a confrontation at a yard sale, Jane finds something unexpected in a relic from Sadie's past. Her curiosity piqued, she tries to befriend the caustic older woman. Secrets emerge as their relationship grows, revealing that nothing is ever as it seems.
Director Sean Baker continues in the naturalistic style of his previous films, the Spirit Award nominated Prince of Broadway and Take Out, capturing the rhythms of everyday life with a rare authenticity. Featuring exceptional debut performances by Dree Hemingway (great granddaughter of Ernest and daughter of Mariel) and 85 year-old Besedka Johnson, who received a Special Jury Recognition at SxSW, Starlet is at once provocative, haunting, unpredictable, and surprisingly sweet.
Reactions
"What stays with you is that there's a genuineness and complexity of their connection." - Walter Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle
"It's a hushed marvel of a movie." - Sean Burns, Philadelpiha Weekly
Critic’s Pick! “A thrillingly, unexpectedly good American movie." - Manohla Dargis, New York Times
"One of the year's most arresting, heartfelt indies." - Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times
"An emphatic, absorbing tale of the old and the beautiful." - Melissa Anderson, Village Voice
"STARLET represents a welcome throwback to the smoggy West Coast character studies of the 1970s." - Scott Tobias, NPR
"STARLET is refreshingly unsentimental in its depiction of both youth and age." - Nathan Rabin, AV Club
"A poetic meditation on loneliness and friendship." - Dennis Lim, New York Times
“Dree Hemingway gives a performance of flaky charm, and tender sensitivity.” - Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times
“Besedka Johnson is equal parts heartbreaking, lovely and inspiring.” - Katie Walsh, The Playlist on Indiewire
Awards
- Film Independent Spirit Awards 2013 - John Cassavetes Award Nominee
- Film Independent Spirit Awards 2013 - Robert Altman Award Recipient
- Winner! Locarno International Film Festival 2012 - First Prize Junior Jury
- Locarno International Film Festival 2012 Golden Leopard Award Nominee - Sean Baker
- Winner! Hamptons International Film Festival 2011 - Breakthrough Performer, Dree Hemingway
- Winner! Reykjavik International Film Festival 2011 - Fipresci Critics' Award
- Winner! SXSW Film Festival 2011 - Special Jury Prize
Cast & Crew
Cast
Jane: Dree Hemingway
Starlet: Boonee
Melissa: Stella Maeve
Sadie: Besedka Johnson
Mikey: James Ransone
Arash: Karren Karagulian
Crew
Director: Sean Baker
Editor: Sean Baker
Writers: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch
Producers: Blake Ashman-Kipervaser, Kevin Chinoy, Francesca Silvestri, Patrick Cunningham, Chris Maybach
Director of Photography: Radium Cheung
Technical Info
Production Year: 2012Release Date: 11/09/12
Countries of Production: US
Languages: English
Running Time: 1h 43m
Screen Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound: Dolby
Rating: Unrated
News & Press
Press For Starlet
"What stays with you is that there's a genuineness and complexity of their connection." - Walter Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle
"It's a hushed marvel of a movie." - Sean Burns, Philadelpiha Weekly
"A beautifully directed tale of human connection that lingers long after its closing credits." - Filmmaker Magazine
"Dree Hemingway gives a performance of flaky charm and tender sensitivy." - Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times
"Besedka Johnson is equal parts heartbreaking, lovely and inspiring." - Katie Walsh, IndieWIRE
Critic’s Pick! “A thrillingly, unexpectedly good American movie." - Manohla Dargis, New York Times
"One of the year's most arresting, heartfelt indies." - Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times
"An emphatic, absorbing tale of the old and the beautiful." - Melissa Anderson, Village Voice
"STARLET represents a welcome throwback to the smoggy West Coast character studies of the 1970s." - Scott Tobias, NPR
"STARLET is refreshingly unsentimental in its depiction of both youth and age." - Nathan Rabin, AV Club
"A poetic meditation on loneliness and friendship." - Dennis Lim, New York Times
From the Starlet Blog
‘STARLET’ receives Robert Altman Award at Indie Spirit Awards [2/25/2013]
Music Box Films Releases Honored with 7 Independent Spirit Award Nominations [11/28/2012]
Dree Hemingway is true ‘Starlet’ on Vogue’s Best Dressed List [11/16/2012]
‘Starlet’ now playing in LA and NYC with Q&As all weekend [11/09/12]
Dree Hemingway opens up to Indiewire about modeling and ‘Starlet’ [11/09/12]
‘Starlet’ director Sean Baker shares 5 favorite films with Rotten Tomatoes [11/08/12]
BUST Magazine praises a 4/5 score for STARLET [11/05/12]
STARLET trailer gets commentary by director Sean Baker [11/04/12]
Music Box Films Picks Up Rights to SXSW 2012 Drama ‘Starlet’ [5/24/12]
Theaters
Starlet - Press Page
Awards
- Film Independent Spirit Awards 2013 - John Cassavetes Award Nominee
- Film Independent Spirit Awards 2013 - Robert Altman Award Recipient
- Winner! Locarno International Film Festival 2012 - First Prize Junior Jury
- Locarno International Film Festival 2012 Golden Leopard Award Nominee - Sean Baker
- Winner! Hamptons International Film Festival 2011 - Breakthrough Performer, Dree Hemingway
- Winner! Reykjavik International Film Festival 2011 - Fipresci Critics' Award
- Winner! SXSW Film Festival 2011 - Special Jury Prize
Reactions
"What stays with you is that there's a genuineness and complexity of their connection." - Walter Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle
"It's a hushed marvel of a movie." - Sean Burns, Philadelpiha Weekly
Critic’s Pick! “A thrillingly, unexpectedly good American movie." - Manohla Dargis, New York Times
"One of the year's most arresting, heartfelt indies." - Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times
"An emphatic, absorbing tale of the old and the beautiful." - Melissa Anderson, Village Voice
"STARLET represents a welcome throwback to the smoggy West Coast character studies of the 1970s." - Scott Tobias, NPR
"STARLET is refreshingly unsentimental in its depiction of both youth and age." - Nathan Rabin, AV Club
"A poetic meditation on loneliness and friendship." - Dennis Lim, New York Times
“Dree Hemingway gives a performance of flaky charm, and tender sensitivity.” - Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times
“Besedka Johnson is equal parts heartbreaking, lovely and inspiring.” - Katie Walsh, The Playlist on Indiewire
Detailed Film Info
Starlet explores the unlikely friendship between 21 year-old aspiring actress Jane (Dree Hemingway) and elderly widow Sadie (Besedka Johnson) after their worlds collide in California's San Fernando Valley. Jane spends her time getting high with her dysfunctional roommates and taking care of her chihuahua Starlet, while Sadie passes her days alone, tending to her garden. After a confrontation at a yard sale, Jane finds something unexpected in a relic from Sadie's past. Her curiosity piqued, she tries to befriend the caustic older woman. Secrets emerge as their relationship grows, revealing that nothing is ever as it seems.Director Sean Baker continues in the naturalistic style of his previous films, the Spirit Award nominated Prince of Broadway and Take Out, capturing the rhythms of everyday life with a rare authenticity. Featuring exceptional debut performances by Dree Hemingway (great granddaughter of Ernest and daughter of Mariel) and 85 year-old Besedka Johnson, who received a Special Jury Recognition at SxSW, Starlet is at once provocative, haunting, unpredictable, and surprisingly sweet.
