On the brink of thirty, THING an aspiring actor, is stopped mid stride by a growing unease with her own reflection. Caught between mirrors, screens and ambition, she wrestles with self image and the quiet fear that she may never be ‘enough’ – for the industry, the audience, or herself.
Directional debut of Gabriella Leonardi, who also wrote and produced the film, the focus on body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) as a subject is tackled head on throughout. We’re in the mind of the disorder, burrowing deep into the actor on our screen. Also played by Leonardi, she takes up deserved space as the scenes play on, using lived experience to build a character with depth.
The film is narrated by telephone calls and inner thoughts, poetically carrying us through the war that those who suffer with BDD have to be part of daily. Leonardi’s writing is beautiful, cutting deep to bring audiences education and comfort, whoever might be watching. A familiar voice that joins part way is that of Sheridan Smith, supporting this important debut.
Using light and effects, we’re welcomed to a nightmare made up of memories, reflections and phone screens. In a digital age where even young children have access to triggering posts, the film explores how different angles of life can affect us, forcing us to look at ourselves in different ways. The visual tools used, distorting the face or creating light beams, brilliantly allow us to see how BDD manifests itself in those who suffer with it. Beautiful and scary, the film artistically contradicts itself as we jump between views and opinions.
The Mirror That Consumes You never shies away from what it is. We know from the start it’s zero budget and experimental, but it also shows us talent and purpose, which this short is brimming with.
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