Poser (2021)

“Poser”Lennon Gates (Sylvie Mix) yearns for access to the inner sanctum of the underground music scene in Columbus, Ohio, especially the band ‘The Witch Siren’, made up of Bobbi Kitten and Z Wolf. To achieve her goal, she won’t hesitate to lie, simulate or fake authenticity. She yearns for a personal connection that might shepherd her into the inner sanctum of warehouse concerts, exclusive backstage, house parties, and the cutting-edge art scene. As she fuels her desire for entrée into a podcast featuring live music and conversations with the artists she so fervently admires, Lennon observes inspiration for her own musical ambitions, and a growing sense of misdirected identity. When she creates a podcast to interview the local artists she adores, Lennon discovers her own musical ambitions, develops a fast friendship with the striking, self-asscured performer Bobbi Kitten. Bobbi Kitten is an enigmatic, striking, and talented half of a popular, indie-pop duo. Bobbi takes Lennon under her self-assured wing. Soon, Lennon’s aspirations, with some constructive coaxing from Bobbi to perceive her voice, lead her down a path of dark obsession.When you graduated from college in Columbus, OH, you’re twenty-two and inexperienced, eager, and ready to absorb as much as you can in the city. You fell in love with the arts community in Columbus. You’d spend weekends at seedy music venues, watching friends perform, discovering a variety of new sounds and ideas. You’re introduced to the most talented, passionate, and absurd people that you’ve had ever met. You make music videos for these musicians. With hardly any budget at all, no concept ideas, use friends as extras, and shoot in abandoned buildings. At times, it all feels cliché. But it always feels special. Welcome to the Columbus underground music scene! “Poser” uses this world of underground music as a backdrop. The eccentricities that often accompany musicians helped guide this idea. There’s already a universe there, with real characters that feels like they should be in a movie.The script for “Poser” starts with Bobbi. When we meet Bobbi Kitten, she’s charismatic, wild, and an amazing performer. We discover her band, ‘ ‘Damn the Witch Siren’. What kind of fun, twisted story the movie creates using her and ‘Damn the Witch Siren’ as the backbone? Their music is different. Weird. With a self-described genre of Witch Rock, their shows are a high energy experience that captured our imagination. “Poser” builds the narrative around real bands and music, ultimately having Bobbi play a caricature of herself. We see Lennon in a ‘proof of concept’ trailer in order to help us get funding for “Poser”. We see the chemistry between her and Bobbi. We feel like “Poser” is a movie for a twenty something generation. It draws on the emotions of being a young adult and struggling with your identity.”Poser” could be seen as a more stylized and somewhat darker version of “Ingrid Goes West”, with the obsessions and delusions of social networks as a common ground. It’s narrative approach through the podcast plays in favor of the general aesthetics of the movie and sets all the necessary elements to characterize the characters and the city’s counterculture. It’s atmospheric visuals and it’s hipster vibe shows many references to “Under The Skin”. With pitch perfect style, atmosphere and a dash of dark humour, “Poser” is a stunning snapshot of a vivid artistic community, and a profound psycho-drama of misdirected identity. (5,5)Written by Gregory Mann.