The Female Gaze

Actress Chloe Sevigny Directs Two Short Films

BY: Tiffany Goldstein

Blonde powerhouse Chloë Sevigny has conquered the big screen and the catwalk time and time again but now the American “It girl” is dominating behind the scenes as a filmmaker as well. You may know the icon for her contributing talents in the HBO series Big Love, where she earned a Golden Globe for Supporting Actress, or for her appearances in American Horror Story and Bloodline. However, the gifted Sevigny made a dramatic career shift in 2016 when she took the reins as a filmmaker to direct her first short film, Kitty.

The fantasy-drama was also written by Sevigny, based on a short story by Paul Bowles. The film is about a young girl named Katherine—whose nickname is Kitty—with a penchant for the feline species. Soon she sprouts whiskers and her transformation into a cat magically begins. The film made waves at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, and Sevigny’s passion for filmmaking was ignited.

After the success of Kitty, the filmmaker pursued a second project about a Spanish-American standup comedian named Carmen Lynch, and her life on the unglamorous comedy circuit. Carmen captures the gritty realities of women in today’s society, from modern dating to the ridiculous price of the morning-after-pill.

Over the summer, Sevigny finished filming her third short film, White Echo, a female empowerment piece that explores the rising “feather witch” movement of Los Angeles, which consists of women deeply and passionately involved in magical powers. Now, says Sevigny, “I’m ready to direct a feature. It’s where I hope I’m headed.”

While Sevigny continues her journey behind the camera, the triple threat took her talents to the upcoming film Lizzie. Alongside Naomi Despres and Elizabeth Destro, Sevigny produced and stars in the titular role in the biographical thriller based on the true crime story of Lizzie Borden, who was accused of killing her father and stepmother in 1892. However, leave it to Sevigny to unleash a sizzling jaw-dropping moment at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. The racy scene is a full-nudity lesbian interaction with Kristen Stewart who plays the family maid.

The sexy thriller Lizzie opens on September 14th. Sevigny’s two short films are below.

Kitty (2016)