Velma (2022) [Short Film Review]

Velma is a new short film from Scarlet Moreno. You might remember Moreno from El Rey Network‘s Rebel Without a Crew. Now she’s directed her own short film about a woman in the 1960s struggling with her sexuality among other things. It’s only 14 minutes, but it feels much longer. I’m not going to try to spoil anything, but let’s take a look at the short film.

Let’s talk about Velma

Velma wants to be a little bit Sirk, a little bit Waters and a whole lot of Biller. But, what does it actually accomplish? Well, what does any short film accomplish? The successful ones have an idea that they build a world around for a brief window. For Velma, we see our titular heroine’s quest for love. But, is it love? Is it a need to find something better about herself?

The beauty of short films

Short films are the equivalent of a good joke. You set it up, you give a bit of plot and then you smack the closer and get out of town. For those astute viewers, the direction of the story should be obvious by the 5 minute marker. But, media literacy and actual literacy are dead and rotting in the streets. So, what is one to do with that?

Let’s make like the 1960s and let me tell you what’s wrong with these women

Velma survives scrutiny by keeping the focus on the titular character. If we spent too much time on the men, the ultimate punch of the movie would lose its power. Why? Well, because it’s not a 1:1 story of a woman encountering a man and starting a relationship. This is the never-ending of a woman trying to find a man or something else to serve her compulsions.

Even those deviled eggs are symbolic of her struggle to please the empty void inside. The ornate placement of food, decorations and other things decorate her home, as Velma wants to entice men to stay. But, there’s something super predatory about the entire affair. It never feels like a legit attempt to meet a man.

Wrapping it up

Ultimately, Velma lives and dies by its ability to make you care for the lead. Before the ending, there are multiple opportunities to pity her. Yet, you’re never given any reason to root for her or find a reason to learn more about her. But, there’s a reason for that. She doesn’t quite understand what’s going on in her life or in her head.

This is a person out of control and desperately trying to find a sense of normalcy. But, when that final action happens, it looks closer to a psychotic tic than voluntary action. Watching Velma’s face, you don’t get the sense of shame or anything else. It’s almost like the same response you see from someone trying to hold back a sneeze. Did the shame or difficulty with emotional understanding lead to the final incident? It’s quite possible.

But there is almost this gleeful look in Velma’s eye, as she commits that final act. Does she feel bad? Sure. But, there comes a point when it doesn’t matter. Apologies aren’t get out of free jail cards and I might be swinging from a super moralistic place. It’s just that pulling on the intangible of emotions to justify response seems even more psychotic than what happens.

Velma is now available on VOD!