SUNDANCE 2022 | "Starfuckers"; Antonio Marziale Is Golden In His Short Film Writing/Directorial Debut
12/12 ForReel Score | 5/5 Stars
Captivating entertainment deserves an attention-grabbing title. So yes, at first glance, a film title like Starfuckers might elicit a strong and immediate reaction. Without censorship consideration, perhaps it's an off-putting title to some. Perhaps to others, it’s admirably forward. Or maybe others are drawn to the seductivity of it. Regardless, the point is that you’ve had a reaction that will likely stick with you as you continue perusing Sundance selected short films.
What the title accomplishes in a split second, the short film spends 14 minutes capitalizing on. In an eccentric journey over the course of a bizarre evening, Starfuckers exposes audiences - or perhaps more befittingly, treats audiences - to a spectacle worthy of a spotlight. And at a festival showcasing promising upcoming talent, writer, director, and actor Antonio Marziale steals the show.
Acting alongside Cole Doman (Henry Gamble's Birthday Party) in his writing and directorial debut, Marziale centers his stort around the retaliation of a film director’s unfulfilled promises of fame. Motivated by Doman’s character - an escort - to host a kinky evening and sexually tensioned dinner, the director’s various requests are indulged, but he’s then unsuspectingly drugged and tied to his chair. It is around this point - about halfway through Starfuckers - that Marziale’s character enters the scene, raring to showcase his talents in drag to teach a lesson in power dynamics.
Starfuckers sees Marziale in the driver's seat of this revenge-themed tale to craft this LGBTQ story in a bold and profound manner. While his previous roles like the star-bound musician in the 2020 short Fall To Fame or the love interest in the Netflix Original Film Alex Strangelove uphold an earnest passion for gay storytelling, Starfuckers demonstrates a magnificent maturity to his work.
As the director of Starfuckers, Marziale is proficient at curating and maintaining an appropriately moody atmosphere. In his Meet The Artist statement for Sundance, he says “we wanted to tackle a serious subject matter with an element of buoyancy and surprise.” That element of buoyancy and surprise is aptly achieved, especially in the second half of the short where Marziale’s performance shines. Because as a lead in Starfuckers, Marziale is mesmerizing.
Clad in gold from his wig to his form-fitting outfit, Marziale performs to old audio clips with unrelenting dramatic flair. With more acting prowess in his eyes than most films procured out of full feature length performances, Marziale proves to be a showstopping force. Aided by an impressive performance from Doman, the duo tag-team leading parts in the short, yet foster a symbiotic dynamic that serves the performance and the overall story.
A striking filmmaking debut for Marziale, Starfuckers is - without question - a must see at Sundance 2022. Ending on a lingering, soul-penetrating slow zoom shot, Marziale fixes his eyes on the camera as audiences, no doubt, have their eyes glued to the screen. And by the time the credits roll, “Captivating” feels like an understatement when summarizing the experience.
Acting and Casting - 2 | Visual Effects and Editing - 2 | Story and Message - 2 | Entertainment Value - 2 | Music Score and Soundtrack - 2 | Reviewer's Preference - 2 | What does this mean?