Camp Belvidere

I can see the potential in Astrid Ovalles work here (certainly as an actor), but the trailer is sadly better than the film.

There are some stylish shots, but there are issues with story telling and a lack of context generally. Also, this film isn't believably set in the 50s.

This film is too reliant on minimal dialogue - which usually would be a plus, but in this case due to a lack of any other method of story telling (montage, cutaways, establishing shots, tertiary characters) there's little to go on - thus it's all very 2d and I didn't buy into the romance.

With more development, and clearer direction (particularly with the younger actor who darted out of frame too much, made 20C gestures and expressions and failed to embody a young woman of that decade), this could be a story worth telling.

Potential, yet to be realised.

Such a beautiful movie. Soundtrack so good. Plot so great. Choreography beautiful.

That's why I didn't give this 1 star. The cinematography is nice to look at. I'm always searching for a decent lesbian film and 9/10 I don't find one. Camp Belvidere is a good example of that let down. I love that Astrid Orvalles is a creative soul. She's a writer, director and actor. The concept for this short film was promising - one character coming of age, another character - a self-loathing lesbian trying to quietly navigate through the 50's. First, I think Molly Way was miscast. No matter how her character was written, she's a total wrecking ball and busts through her scenes - it's too much. Astrid Orvalles is almost completely wooden in this short - except for the love scene - she seems comfortable and comes to life when her character is giving in to her desires. I was pleasantly surprised by that, actually. The second the sex ends, though - she's back to being flat. She would have done better (my opinion) if her co-star was a better fit. The dialogue is unimpressive and paints no pictures for us - it feels sophomoric. Yes, less is more sometimes - but this short needed some life infused into it and the dialogue didn't do that. I rented this on Prime - didn't finish it until the rental was about to expire (because I didn't want to waste my money - that's how little it moved me). I felt like I was watching actors reciting lines - other than the sex scene - I never felt like I was catching a genuine glimpse into someone else's life. Bit of a pet peeve of mine when the main characters can't pull you into their world. I'm guessing the good reviews are because Astrid Orvalles is gorgeous and because the film is nicely shot - it doesn't look like it was filmed with a cell phone in 2009, like a lot of indy/low budget lesbian flicks look. If you want a decent lesbian storyline with decent acting - go watch Kiss Me (in Swedish with English subtitles). I felt like I was watching REAL people - not actors. Bonus: the sex scenes are very realistic. Watch Fire by Deepa Mehta. Emotional storyline - great actors, writing and directing. It's in Hindi with English subtitles. It's more subtle with sexual content - the beauty is in the affection and kisses from 2 women in a culture that fervently rejects that lifestyle. Novitiate by Maggie Betts is amazingly done - I recommend that. If you're looking for more RomCom/dramedy type lesbian movies then go for Chutney Popcorn, Alto, Imagine Me & You. Don't forget Bound! A crime thriller that's sexy, hilarious and tense when it needs to be. Camp Belvidere will remain a lesbian film I'll only ever watch once. Pretty amazing because my bar isn't incredibly high when it comes to lesbian movies.

I generally don't watch lesbian short films. My usual experience with them is that they're frustratingly amateurish, with poor production value and bad acting. I know that money is what makes any film possible, and that a short film is a compressed experience, but having a shoestring budget should not in and of itself result in low quality work. So I was pleasantly surprised by Camp Belvidere. With just 38 minutes to tell its story, it did so with rich visuals, a strong theme, decent performances, atmospheric soundtrack, and a compelling and satisfying plot. No film is perfect, and personal opinions are just that, but if you're in the mood for a lesbian romance film, Camp Belvidere is commendable.

Even though not all stories end up like this one but I really loved it! Recommendable for every one 😏