Filmmaker Scarlet Moreno is excited to present her latest short film, the bloody feminist tale VELMA, co-starring Moreno alongside Zach Tinker (“Days of Our Lives”, “The Young and the Restless”), arriving on VOD on March 26.
Moreno, best known for her work on Robert Rodriguez’s docuseries “Rebel Without a Crew” which produced her first feature Phaedra, steps behind and in front of the camera this time with her latest award-winning short film.
In “Velma”, the premise is simple, a woman is looking for a man who will love her for who she is. However, things quickly take a turn as, through the lens of a late 1960s visual feast, audiences are taken on a psychological journey with the title character that examines sexuality, shame, and our societal views of both. Combining striking 1960s visuals and slight horror camp, “Velma” tells its story with a wink and a (bloody?) smile.”
“When people ask what inspired this film, I joke that “Velma” was inspired by feminine internalized shame, and it’s funny because it’s true”, said Moreno. “Velma is a visual poem of sorts, examining femininity, sexuality, and shame, all while giving its audience a chance to sift through their own views on these subjects and what they deem acceptable female behavior.”
“Velma” held its World Premiere at Panic Fest in 2022, and went on to hold a successful two year festival run through the genre circuit, winning awards and accolades along the way. With wins at Film Quest (Best Costumes), Underworlds Film Fest (The Banshee Award), Arthouse Film Fest (the Fellini Award for Best Art Direction), Nightmares (Best Cinematography), and Sin City Horror Fest (Best Editing), the film’s visual power continued to receive recognition.
The Scariest Things praised the film’s aesthetic and story, advising audiences to “come for the olive jello mold, stay for the bloodletting”.
“Ultimately, Velma asks its audience to examine what they find worse in a woman: promiscuity or blood lust”, said Moreno. “Sex and sexuality and their expression have been weaponized against women for centuries, a double-edged sword that aims at those who are not sexual enough AND those who are deemed too sexual. I’m excited for audiences to enter Velma’s world and watch as she dances on the edge of that sword.”
Scarlet Moreno creates work that centers the feminine experience in unexpected and exciting ways. Not only is she comfortable with horror and genre filmmaking, it is some of her favorite kind of art to make because of the juxtaposition between the beautiful and the harrowing. Heavily influenced by 60s and 70s cinema, but with a timeless voice and style all her own, Scarlet creates visually stunning worlds in which to tell provocative and engaging stories. Scarlet Moreno is a director, writer, and actor based in Los Angeles. She has written and directed award winning narrative shorts as well as her debut feature film, Phaedra which she made under the guidance of director Robert Rodriguez on his docuseries, “Rebel Without a Crew.”
