Stiletto + Lydia Lunch Live

  • 48'
  • USA
  • 1981

A woman, Nadja, searches for her sister's murderer. This search goes through differing moments of reality, or unreality, that overlap within facets of a broken-up time sense. In this emulation of film noir, the investigative structure does not create suspense; the dialectic murderer/victim does not exist. The crime is fabricated bit by bit, like the staging of a spectacle, and it is in the traditional tools of seduction (the spiked heels) that the weapons will be hidden. Ultimately, the crime Nadja achieves makes her neither a triumphant heroine nor a victim.

Nadja is played by Tina L'Hotsky (author of the short film Barbie). Further casting includes fellow artists Amos Poe, Gary Indiana and even the conceptual artist Joseph Kosuth. One of the locations is the notorious Chelsea Hotel. A rare screening of a rediscovered, unrestored print of one of the emblematic films of the No Wave period.

With live performance by Lydia Lunch.

Director
Melvie Arslanian
Country of production
USA
Year
1981
Festival Edition
IFFR 2020
Length
48'
Medium
16mm
Language
English
Producer
Melvie Arslanian
Production Company
Alibaba Production
Sales
David Milhaud
Screenplay
Melvie Arslanian
Cast
Duncan Smith, Tina L'Hotsky, Martine Martin, Nina Galdarova, Gary Indiana, Amos Poe, Tim Elliott
Director
Melvie Arslanian
Country of production
USA
Year
1981
Festival Edition
IFFR 2020
Length
48'
Medium
16mm
Language
English
Producer
Melvie Arslanian
Production Company
Alibaba Production
Sales
David Milhaud
Screenplay
Melvie Arslanian
Cast
Duncan Smith, Tina L'Hotsky, Martine Martin, Nina Galdarova, Gary Indiana, Amos Poe, Tim Elliott