Sleater-Kinney’s Carrie Brownstein, also of Portlandia fame, recently wrote and directed a short film that focuses on fame, superfans and social media.
The story centers around a social media savvy teen, Abby, played by Laura Harrier, who leaves a seemingly harmless comment on her idol, Natasha Lyonne’s Instagram account: “mom” — a trending term of endearment used by younger generations to flatter their older role models and celebrities that they admire.
The film starts off as Abby is mysteriously escorted by a fellow teen (Rowan Blanchard) and accompanied by a gang of “real life” followers, into an office building where each suite is labeled with a popular buzzword or phrase often found on social media, like, “Marry Me” and “I’m Dead.”
As she enters the office labeled, “Mom,” she is welcomed by Mahershala Ali to the “Institute of the Real and Really Real” and nearly trips on a basket of puppies, who are “learning to take selfies.” Then, she is introduced to Natasha Lyonne, who becomes her “mom,” and the reality of the situation is not nearly as enjoyable as she thought it would be.
The film is humorous and thought-provoking, and it’s also an experiment in fashion: Brownstein was commissioned by the brand KENZO to “take a look at the invisible digital walls that separate us from our favorite personalities and icons and the curious conceit of a dream come true,” according to an official statement on the YouTube channel.
Also, look for a cameo from fellow rocker Kim Gordon, who meets a nervous fanboy after he posts “Marry Me” on her Instagram account.