By: Sarah Morton
Taking yourself out of your comfort zone, while daunting, can also be rewarding. Taking yourself out of your comfort zone and waking up next to your celebrity crush is a different matter altogether. Such is the reality that timid Ally, played by actress and co-director Rachel Paulson, finds herself in when she awakens to find herself next to rock star crush, Meg (Calico Cooper). Finding herself elated, it’s quickly displaced with an anxiety-filled nightmare as her one time lover decides to turn into a full-time resident.
Led by first time director, Julia Eringer, known for her starring roles in “Girls Like Magic” (2017) and “Good Kisser” (2019), “Fire Fucking Fire” made its East Coast debut at the Tribeca Film Festival just a few weeks ago. Joined by co-director and lead actress Rachel Paulson, known for her co-lead role in “Good Kisser” (2019), the film made a noticeable glow, already a winning recipient of best short at the 19th annual Sunscreen Film Festival in St Petersburg, Florida. It now has the honor of making its way out west, having been officially selected for the LA Shorts International Film Festival.
Over the course of 17 minutes, Eringer and Paulson treat audiences to a film that toes the line between situational humor and serious drama. It allows viewers a peek into the aftermath that comes with getting into bed with your desires. The idea for the film came from a chance moment on the set of “Good Kisser” – a film that both Paulson and Eringer starred in together.
Working into the night, deliriously the castmates found themselves coming up with elaborate ideas revolving around Paulson’s message exchange with a celebrity on Raya. “It was exciting at first,” says Paulson, “but I found myself in a situation where I had to decide whether I would put myself first. So some of those events I experienced were put into the film. Of course, we exaggerated the events in the movie, but the inspiration was from my life’s experiences.”
Told from a queer-focused perspective, Eringer acknowledges that these unfortunate situations can be had by anyone, regardless of their gender identity. “What we would like audiences to take away is that I really wanted this to be a ride—a really fun ride where you up the stakes,” Eringer stated back in June. “And then, later on, when they’re thinking about it, they can say, “Well, gosh, I do that. And maybe I don’t want to do that. And what’s a way that I can be truer to myself and be clearer with my boundaries so that I don’t end up in an explosive situation.”
Standing proudly amongst the surge of LGBTQ centered, lesbian directed films, “Fire Fucking Fire” is meant to be, on the surface, an illustration of hilarious but disaster filled night and morning-after movie. Underneath that, however, is a modern-day depiction of how, while something may seem promising, the consequences trump the reward, no matter what shape or form that desire manifests in. And, yes, while it’s pleasant and amazing to dream, oftentimes, reality is never what it appears to be.
Emphasizing the importance of listening to your intuition and finding your voice when in new circumstances, “Fire Fucking Fire” promises to be a film relatable to anyone, regardless of their gender identity or orientation, whether they be tall or short, male, female or non-binary, it is a film inclusive for all.
Catch “Fire Fucking Fire” at the LA Shorts International Film Festival on July 28th, premiering at Regal LA Live. Tickets for the premier can be found here.
Published by: Nelly Chavez
