"Little Miss Perfect" Screens at Boston Int'l Film Festival

It's a warm Fall day and Belle (Karlee Roberts) rushes up the steps of her school. In just the first few minutes of the movie, it seems to be what some of us might consider to be great day; Belle is elected freshman class president, she gets a B+ on a paper, has the affections of a cool boy from the neighboring school. It seems like your average teen movie but as the movie poster suggests, there's something much darker stewing beneath the seemingly positive demeanor. Belle shrugs off the "congratulations" from her classmates, she looks at her B+ with disappointment, and she dismisses the attention of her potential suitor. As we enter Belle's home it becomes pretty clear that this attitude is a reflection of her parent's behavior, their negligence and disconnection to her emotional needs.

"I was elected class president! I mean, it's not president of the school but... it's still good right?" Belle says seeking approval as she leaves a voicemail for her absent mother.

Through subtle expressions and lingering shots, we soon enter Belle's world, one in which she doesn't believe her own self-worth. Representative of the universal feeling that we aren't good enough, writer/director Marlee Roberts captures the essence of what if feels like to have that dark insecure feeling in the pit of our stomachs. As the film progresses, the cinematography (Oren Soffer) reflects a shift when we get deeper and darker into Belle's psychological downward spiral. Cooler blue tones, less diffusion and handheld camera movements create a sense of unease. By the film's end, Spring arrives, the camera steadies, vibrant colors emerge and we leave with a melancholic hope.

The film premiered at the Irvine International Film Festival where is was nominated for “Best Feature Film” and the film’s lead took home the Emerging Actress Award. The film has gone on to screen at the DGA Theater NY, Museum of Tolerance, Annapolis Film Festival and will hit Boston for the Boston International Film Festival this weekend. The director and lead actress will be in attendance for a Q&A after the screening.

To buy tickets visit: http://www.bostoniff.org/portfolio-view/little-miss-perfect/

More information on the film can be found on: www.littlemissperfectmovie.com