Jay Rohr
Scarlet Moreno recently did the kindness of chatting with Film Obsessive about her short film Velma. For those unfamiliar with her career, there’s a lot to unpack. What it all amounts to is a filmmaker with a definite vision and artistic intent that comes across in her many movies.
Perhaps it’s best to start back around 2018. That’s when Scarlet appeared on the El Rey Network’s reality series Rebel without a Crew. Inspired by acclaimed director Robert Rodriguez’s experience filming the legendary indie actioner El Mariachi (1993), five filmmakers received seven grand and two weeks to put together a feature length motion picture. Task in hand, Scarlet Moreno composed the psychological thriller Phaedra (2018). This disco nightmare of delusions, drugs, and danger features some of her signature stylization.
Phaedra arguably refined an aesthetic Scarlet first featured in a 2013 short Viv 1.0, or They Must Have Forgotten. It’s a haunting, brief look at a day in the life of an abandoned automaton. At times Viv 1.0 can be darkly humorous, but it’s a compelling glimpse into loneliness and the presumptions society has about the ideal woman, a feminist undercurrent also found in Scarlet’s latest film Velma.
This visually satisfying horror story is more than mere nightmare fuel. It’s a cinematic poem exploring societal conceptions of sexuality and shame. There’s a disarming campiness to the 1960’s aesthetics which brilliantly accents the messages Velma conveys. It’s no wonder that since premiering at Panic Fest in 2022 the short has earned awards such as Film Quest’s Best Costumes, the Banshee Award at the Underworlds Film Fest, the Fellini Award for Best Art Direction at the Arthouse Film Fest, Nightmares’ Best Cinematography, and Best Editing at the Sin City Horror Fest.
I agree with The Scariest Things which said, “Come for the olive Jell-o mold, stay for the bloodletting.”
Scarlet possesses a singular eye for details that make her movies captivating. Meanwhile, their narrative simplicity allows the visual components to suggest a deeper meaning. We don’t need dialogue to see Velma crying, but juxtaposed against her lavish lifestyle, it creates a powerful message. And though blood speaks for itself, there’s a thousand words in a blood-spattered bathtub. There’s something grotesque beneath the glamorous.
Fortunately, Film Obsessive got some time to sit down with this indefatigable talent. In addition to movies, Scarlet Moreno makes music, has her own fashion line called Scarletinni Originals, and directs music videos for various talents. We chatted about Velma, but also what she hopes audiences get from her films. Not to mention, the inspiration for her multitude of creative projects. Scarlet is a wonderfully personable individual, who easily made this a light conversation about a variety of topics. If you’re curious what it’s like to be an indie filmmaker these days, especially one employing horror, camp, and feminist themes, watch the interview below. It also contains details on where you’ll be able to see Velma in the near future.
For more on this rising talent, visit her website: Scarlet Moreno. There you’ll be able to keep track of what’s been, what’s happening, and what’s to come. Another source of course is Instagram: Scarlet (@scarletinni) • Instagram photos and videos. And there’s also Vimeo: Scarlet (vimeo.com).
