Agnes Applewhite (Lauren Kitchen) is a blossoming young woman trapped in a claustrophobic home with her sanctimonious mother (Brooklyn Woods) and tightly wound sister, Liberty (Harlie Madison). Defying her family’s strict expectations, Agnes takes a job as a shampoo girl at the lively Hairbrain Beauty Salon. Surrounded by a colorful, welcoming crew of misfits—including a glamorous drag queen owner, Miss Laverne (Martini Bear) and a perky Satanist who takes her under her wing, Teddy Teaberry (Wicken Taylor)- Agnes finally finds her voice, gains new confidence and even secures a date with Falcon (Gabriel Steven Perez).
However, her newfound liberation is threatened by debilitating menstrual cramps. Inspired by the director’s own struggles with endometriosis, these cramps manifest as literal, supernatural, The Blob-like monsters that live inside her, blurring the line between reality and nightmare as Agnes tries to navigate her body, stand up to her family, deal with an uncaring doctor (Jared Bankens) and help her friends save their salon in a high-stakes hair-styling competition.
Director, writer and editor Brooke H. Cellars shot the film on 35mm stock and was inspired by her own painful battle with endometriosis. It tries — and sometimes succeeds, other times falls short — of being a John Waters movie, but that’s a tough one. Who else can be John Waters? That said, the colors and footage looks gorgeous, and there’s enough odd humor and gross-out scenes to keep it interesting.
The GenreBlast Film Festival is a one-of-a-kind film experience created for both filmmakers and film lovers, celebrating genre filmmaking in an approachable environment. Described by Movie Maker Magazine as Summer Camp for Filmmakers, we screen the latest in independent, cult, niche and underground films that aren’t easily accessible. Other events include filmmaker Q&As, special guests, giveaways, after-parties, and an awards ceremony. The GenreBlast team is hard at work creating a destination event that will have the independent film industry talking about it all year long. GenreBlast is a festival for filmmakers, by filmmakers, that strives to become one of the best independent film festivals around. We celebrate the finest in true genre cinema, and we look for the best features, shorts, animation, music videos and screenplays you have to offer. For more info and tickets, visit the site.
