RED QUEEN
Red Queen tells a story of extraordinary metamorphosis, requiring fierce strength and vision to achieve true freedom and queer self-expression.
This project was conceived as an opportunity for me to take on both the directing and editing roles, allowing for a purely artistic approach. The final piece has now evolved into a fan music video for the song "Queen" by Perfume Genius.
“Ugly Ambitious Women”
Official music video FOR Ziemba —
a multi-sensory performance artist and musician
“Mirrors, self-portraits, and autobiographies became popular during the Enlightenment. A psychological shift, the "self" became understood through the imagined eyes of society. I remember five year old me, projecting giant future boobs onto my chest as I looked in the mirror. I was aware then of the importance of beauty and sexual appeal for determining my worth in the world. Hysterical, silly, too quick to cry, the category of "woman" has largely been defined by men. I read a youtube comment on a video of a female politician giving a speech, "Ambitious women can't help being ugly," and wrote a song about the ways men describe women who harness their power. The eye of the world stuck in tired hierarchies is a pure mirror and a damn prison.”
— René Kladzyk (Ziemba)
“UGLY AMBITIOUS WOMEN”
Role: Co-Director and Set Designer
Song “Ugly Ambitious Women” Director: Veronique Halbrey DOP: Alexa Wolf, MUA: Malisa Khamphong, Set Design & Prop Master: Julia Torres, Executive Producer: Veronique Halbrey, Producer: Chen Xiangyun
RED QUEEN
Role: Director / Editor / Set Designer
Co-Director / Costumes: Diego Montoya Studios, Talent: Darnell Bernard, DP: Mary Evangelista, Camera: Vladimir Goroshnikov, Producer: Ruthie Martinez, PA: Anna Kowalczuk, Color: Dustin Wadsworth, Sound: Connor Donahue