THIS FILM WAS WRITTEN FOR CHLOE SEVIGNY TO PLAY CINDY SHERMAN
→ 1999–2004
LOOKING AT BOTH OF THEIR WORK FROM 1999–2004, BEFORE CINDY TURNED 50.
START BY LINKING THEM IN TIME
AND LINKING THEIR WORK THROUGH ROLE-PLAYING.
CINDY WAS MAKING IMAGES SHE WAS NOT IN, BUT PEOPLE STILL LOOKED FOR HER INSIDE THEM. SHE WAS TURNING ANGER, JEALOUSY, SEX, AND PRODUCTIVE RAGE INTO IMAGES.
CHLOË WAS TAKING RISKS WITH ROLES THAT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MADE WITHOUT HER DEALING WITH CELEBRITY AND BEING WATCHED
CHLOË IS THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN TRULY REVEAL THIS ROLE.
SHE CAN BE CINDY WITHOUT TRYING TO EXPLAIN HER.
SHE CAN LET CINDY STAY UNRESOLVED.
WRITTEN BY OTTESSA MOSHFEGH
OCTOBER 29, 2025
WRITTEN BY OTTESSA MOSHFEGH
SEPTEMBER 25, 2024
WRITTEN BY OTTESSA MOSHFEGH
SEPTEMBER 30, 2024
WRITTEN BY OTTESSA MOSHFEGH
OCTOBER 14, 2024
WRITTEN BY OTTESSA MOSHFEGH
OCTOBER 31, 2024
A FILM THAT IS AN AD.
Part of what came through in the interview is that working with other people has been emotionally complex for Cindy. That complexity is inside the film. On the day of the shoot, she is there to do her work, but everyone is watching her do it.
THINKING ABOUT THESE FILMS
SYMBIOPSYCHOTAXIPLASM
FOR PRODUCTION AS A PERFORMANCE
PRET-A-PORTER
FOR FASHION WORLD, RUNWAY, AND INDUSTRY MACHINE
THE PLAYER
FOR SATIRE, PEOPLE WATCHING PEOPLE, AND THE BUSINESS
IT IS BOTH MYTH AND MATERIAL
A PERFUME AD THAT LOOKS GLAMOROUS, FICTIONAL, FAKE, EPIC, AND BEAUTIFUL, BUT IS MADE FROM THE REAL MATERIAL IN THE INTERVIEW < CINDY’S LIFE >
LEAD
CHLOË SEVIGNY
CINDY SHERMAN
AS HERSELF AS MAKE-UP ARTIST / BAG LADY
SUPPORTING CHARACTERS
DIRECTOR, STYLIST, BOYFRIEND / SMITTY, THE SON, MAKEUP ASSISTANT, WRITER, SOPHIE, BIKE MESSENGER / DELIVERY MAN, CREW, MODELS, FASHION PEOPLE, CHILD CINDY, CINDY’S MOTHER, CLERK, CUTE BOYFRIEND, QUARTERBACK HUNK
CASTING BY RACHEL CHANDLER
HBA NAMES
THE BEASTLY MIRROR
THINKING ABOUT:
MALIK SAYEED
MARYSE ALBERTI
NATASHA BRAIER
CAROLINE CHAMPETIER
ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
RUNWAY PHOTOGRAPHY: TBD
PHOTO PIT / PAPARAZZI: TBD
BTS /SWAN MOON
THE FILM BEGINS MIDSTREAM. CINDY IS ALREADY DOING CHLOË’S MAKEUP.
I LOVE THIS OPENING THE ONLY ROLE WE HAVE NOT SEEN CINDY SHERMAN PLAY IS HERSELF.
THE DIALOGE IS TAKEN FROM HER INTERVIEW ITS IMPORTANT THAT SHE DELIVERS THIS MOMENT
THE MAKEUP IS HYDROLUMINOUS PERFUME-AD MAKEUP.
CAMERA ON SET
WHEN SOMETHING PRIVATE OR INTENSE HAPPENS, WE DO NOT SEE IT DIRECTLY.
WE SEE IT THROUGH THE AD CAMERA:
UPSIDE DOWN, CROPPED, MACRO, REFLECTED, THROUGH GLASS, THROUGH THE LENS.
WE NEVER QUITE GET A CLEAN LOOK. BUT THE CAMERA GET THE SHOT.
WE GO MACRO INTO THE CAMERA: LIGHT, METAL, GLASS, LINES, SKIN, IMAGE.... A PRIVATE MOMENT TURNED INTO A CAMPAIGN MOMENT.
WHEN SOMETHING PRIVATE OR INTENSE HAPPENS, WE DO NOT SEE IT DIRECTLY.
WE SEE IT THROUGH THE AD CAMERA:
UPSIDE DOWN, CROPPED, MACRO, REFLECTED, THROUGH GLASS, THROUGH THE LENS.
WE NEVER QUITE GET A CLEAN LOOK. BUT THE CAMERA GET THE SHOT.
WE GO MACRO INTO THE CAMERA: LIGHT, METAL, GLASS, LINES, SKIN, IMAGE.... A PRIVATE MOMENT TURNED INTO A CAMPAIGN MOMENT.
A PERFUME CAMPAIGN
IS BEING MADE.
THE PERFUME
DOES NOT EXIST.
CINDY BECOMES
THE SMELL.
CHLOË PLAYS CINDY.
THE PRODUCTION
IS THE MAIN PLOT.
THE SET
IS THE WORLD.
THE SHOOT
BECOMES THE AD.
THE AD
BECOMES THE MYTH.
IS BEING MADE.
THE PERFUME
DOES NOT EXIST.
CINDY BECOMES
THE SMELL.
CHLOË PLAYS CINDY.
THE PRODUCTION
IS THE MAIN PLOT.
THE SET
IS THE WORLD.
THE SHOOT
BECOMES THE AD.
THE AD
BECOMES THE MYTH.
FOR
BAG LADIES
CINDY SHERMAN AND CHLOE SEVIGNY
SCRIPTS
FORM
A PERFUME AD
STYLING
CASTING / CHARACTERS
CINEMATOGRAPHY
THE SET
MAKEUP
CAMERA
PRODUCTS / THE BOTTLE
THE SMELL / FLORA AND FAUNA
SCREENS
FOOD / THE KNIFE
VIGNETTES
THE CORRIDOR / RUNWAY
CHOREOGRAPHY / MOVEMENT
MUSIC / SCORE / BIRTHDAY SONG
THE BAG LADY
EDITING
THE INTERVIEW