Billie is an operatic revenge thriller that flips the male-dominated poker industry on its head. Writer/director Vincent Bossel‘s short film artfully puts the control back into the hands of young women everywhere. An exercise in combating ugly and misogynistic stereotypes, Billie is an unapologetic response to the power imbalance that still exists in certain communities and lifestyles.

This Queen of Hearts Seeks Revenge

Set in a Lynchian-style red room with dark furnishings, Billie (Luna Demeules) spends her nights as a masseuse at a private poker club. As the high-rolling men sit around the table smoking, drinking, and carelessly throwing money down in hopes of hitting the jackpot, Billie has her eyes on a different prize. For reasons slightly unclear, although we can assume it has to do with sexual abuse and misogyny, Billie attempts to find one specific man to enact her revenge on. This queen of hearts is on a mission

The Film’s Visual Style Hits the Jackpot

Running just shy of 10 minutes, Billie impressively feels like a cornucopia of visual style. From the luscious production design to the dramatic organ piece in the opening sequence, Billie is an inspired crime drama. Award-winning Swiss-Vietnamese filmmaker Vincent Bossel seemingly takes inspiration from Quentin Tarantino and Park Chan-wook in crafting this short. The film’s moodiness and fantastical elements play like fever dreams, blurring the lines of reality and fantasy. Bossel also expertly plays with the senses. Bold colors cut drastically between black and white, while walls of sound frequently descend into silence.

Takeaway

A pulsing thrill ride from start to finish, Billie is a deliciously satisfying femme-focused power anthem. The film played at the Rhode Island International Film Festival.