Girlfriend in a Kimono
Encyclopedia
Girlfriend in a Kimono is a short film shot in the summer of 2005, written and directed by Dominic Thackray who describes it as an anti-romance
. Named after the 1987 song Girlfriend in a Coma
by the Smiths, it tells the tale of autoslacker Vincent who falls for French burlesque
dancer Candice, and who finds that consensus reality
is unable to help him explain her lack of engagement. With most roles played by first-time actors it also features Penny Rimbaud
(of Crass
) as the enigmatic Rimbaud and Shizuka Hata (of Banzai) in two roles. The film's score is by Hey Is Dee Dee
(Ramone) Home producer Ronni Raygun Thomas
, and there is additional music from Saint Etienne
, Crass
and Talulah Gosh
. It was produced by former Raindance producer Oli Harbottle and former East End Film Festival producer Rachael Castell.
The film was selected by the British Council
in early 2006 for inclusion in their film festivals programme and was shortlisted for awards at the Raindance Film Festival
, the Halloween London Short Film Festival and Coney Island
Film Festival. Writer-director Thackray worked a succession of low-rent jobs, the last of which as a receptionist in a zero-star hotel on the left bank in Paris in 1995, where he occasionally rented out rooms by the hour. Soon after quitting he embarked upon a degree in graphic design. Since 1999 he has worked for the Raindance Film Festival
in London
as designer and programmer. Girlfriend in a Kimono was his first film as director.
Some reviews of the film:
'A seductive sense of chaos, anarchy and romance. An original, spirited take on the madness and unpredictability of life in our capital city' Dave Calhoun, Time Out London
'Really funny' Wendy Mitchell, Indiewire
'Smart script and well-paced. This is the short Zach Braff might have made before embarking on Garden State' Adam Watkins, Six Degrees Film
'Penny Rimbaud crops up as a malevolent presence in the groovy mini-fable Girlfriend in a Kimono, a nicely shot and perfectly formed short' Chris Anderson, Plan B magazine
Anti-romance
An anti-romance, sometimes referred to as a satire, is a type of story characterized by having an apathetic or self-doubting anti-hero cast as the protagonist, who fails in the object of his journey or struggle. Most anti-romances take place in urban settings, and frequently feature insanity,...
. Named after the 1987 song Girlfriend in a Coma
Girlfriend in a Coma (song)
-Covers:* Mojo Nixon's cover of "Girlfriend in a Coma" on his 1995 album Whereabouts Unknown is in his usual psychobilly style. After the bridge, Mojo asks that the listener not blame him for the lyrics, launching into one of his trademark "rants" in which he finally declares that "I, Mojo Nixon,...
by the Smiths, it tells the tale of autoslacker Vincent who falls for French burlesque
Burlesque
Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects...
dancer Candice, and who finds that consensus reality
Consensus reality
Consensus reality is an approach to answering the philosophical question "What is real?" It gives a practical answer: reality is either what exists, or what we can agree seems to exist....
is unable to help him explain her lack of engagement. With most roles played by first-time actors it also features Penny Rimbaud
Penny Rimbaud
Jeremy John Ratter , better known under his pseudonym of Penny Rimbaud, is a drummer, writer, poet, former member of performance art groups EXIT and Ceres Confusion, and co-founder of the anarchist punk band Crass with Steve Ignorant in 1977.-Biography:Rimbaud Jeremy John Ratter (born 8 June 1943,...
(of Crass
Crass
Crass are an English punk rock band that was formed in 1977, which promoted anarchism as a political ideology, way of living, and as a resistance movement. Crass popularised the seminal anarcho-punk movement of the punk subculture, and advocated direct action, animal rights, and environmentalism...
) as the enigmatic Rimbaud and Shizuka Hata (of Banzai) in two roles. The film's score is by Hey Is Dee Dee
Dee Dee Ramone
Dee Dee Ramone was an American songwriter and musician, best known as founding member, bassist and main songwriter of the punk rock band the Ramones....
(Ramone) Home producer Ronni Raygun Thomas
Ronni Raygun Thomas
Ronni Raygun Thomas is a filmmaker - born in Brooklyn, New York in the mid 70s. His short films include The Head Shop, Dawn Of The Flies, Girlfriend in a Kimono and Today a New Haircut, Tomorrow The World. His feature film credits as producer include Hey! Is Dee Dee Home and Psychobilly: A Cancer...
, and there is additional music from Saint Etienne
Saint Etienne (band)
Saint Etienne are an English Pop group comprising Sarah Cracknell, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs. They are named after the French football team AS Saint-Étienne.-History:Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs were childhood friends and former music journalists...
, Crass
Crass
Crass are an English punk rock band that was formed in 1977, which promoted anarchism as a political ideology, way of living, and as a resistance movement. Crass popularised the seminal anarcho-punk movement of the punk subculture, and advocated direct action, animal rights, and environmentalism...
and Talulah Gosh
Talulah Gosh
Talulah Gosh were a guitar-pop group from Oxford, England and one of the leading bands of the twee pop movement, taking their name from the headline of an NME interview with Clare Grogan. They supposedly formed when Amelia Fletcher and Elizabeth Price, both wearing Pastels badges, met at a club in...
. It was produced by former Raindance producer Oli Harbottle and former East End Film Festival producer Rachael Castell.
The film was selected by the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
in early 2006 for inclusion in their film festivals programme and was shortlisted for awards at the Raindance Film Festival
Raindance Film Festival
Raindance is an independent film festival and film school that operates from various cities including: London, New York, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Budapest, Berlin and Brussels...
, the Halloween London Short Film Festival and Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
Film Festival. Writer-director Thackray worked a succession of low-rent jobs, the last of which as a receptionist in a zero-star hotel on the left bank in Paris in 1995, where he occasionally rented out rooms by the hour. Soon after quitting he embarked upon a degree in graphic design. Since 1999 he has worked for the Raindance Film Festival
Raindance Film Festival
Raindance is an independent film festival and film school that operates from various cities including: London, New York, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Budapest, Berlin and Brussels...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
as designer and programmer. Girlfriend in a Kimono was his first film as director.
'A seductive sense of chaos, anarchy and romance. An original, spirited take on the madness and unpredictability of life in our capital city' Dave Calhoun, Time Out London
'Really funny' Wendy Mitchell, Indiewire
'Smart script and well-paced. This is the short Zach Braff might have made before embarking on Garden State' Adam Watkins, Six Degrees Film
'Penny Rimbaud crops up as a malevolent presence in the groovy mini-fable Girlfriend in a Kimono, a nicely shot and perfectly formed short' Chris Anderson, Plan B magazine