"Stiletto" explores how the male gaze is wielded for power and violence, as well as the mistreatment of sex workers. The film is an homage to exploitation and splatter films of the 70s and 80s, such as Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.

Sex work is a world of duality. To be desired but stigmatized, emboldened yet victimized, glamourous and brutalized, is to endure amidst volatility. We live halfway in the spotlight as Venus, and halfway in the shadow as Medusa, because this profession can be gorgeous yet violent. To survive, we must play both parts, but the voyeur only looks one side in the eye.

Amongst the modern audience, victimization and its imminent threat in the sex work industry have no tolerance. Elect our cinema to rewrite mythical trauma; sanitize the gorgon out of comfort; replace her survival with a mythical peace; erase the symbol of her immeasurable strength because we don’t want to know how she earned it.

Nevertheless, the world of sex work remains indifferent.

Every day, she persists in controversial existence because she must. Should she hide her experiences that appear regressive against her will? Is it better to falsify the relationship between sex work and violence to preserve the safety of the cinema? Is it best for you that she excludes survival even though she needs it?

STILETTO mercilessly answers no.

As a depiction of cathartic retribution, this film is about: - duality given the freedom to unify - survival rewarded the exhibition of justice

You’re invited to see what happens when we reject the exploitative gaze.

Starring Deanna Noriega as Bella and Pete Young as Dress Shoes

Codirected and coproduced "Stiletto" by Maclaine Lowery and June Shaukat, for our undergraduate thesis film at UT Austin. This film is currently on the festival circuit and is not yet available to the public, but if interested please send me an email!