Experiencing Interruptions?

Map of the Stars

Set in Los Angeles, California in the 1960’s, Map of the Stars is a short film which follows STELLA, who dreams of Hollywood stardom. She spends mornings visiting celebrity homes found in her souvenir Map of the Stars guidebook before heading to work as a secretary. One day, she secretly writes to the fabled director Cecil B. DeMille. She then goes down a rabbit hole where her aspirations of becoming an actress are finally realized. Or are they?

  • Joyce Lee
    Director
  • Joyce Lee
    Writer
  • Jeff Vespa
    Producer
  • Kristina Li
    Producer
  • Kristina Li
    Key Cast
  • Jaydn Coletti
    Key Cast
  • Elise Mireille
    Key Cast
  • David Perry
    Director of Photography
  • Lee Levy
    Production Designer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 38 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 9, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Joyce Lee

Joyce Lee is a photographer and director based in Los Angeles. She received her B.F.A. in Photography from the School of Visual Arts in NYC. Shortly after graduating, Joyce was chosen as a finalist at the prestigious Hyères Festival of Fashion & Photography, a competition held annually in the South of France recognizing new voices in contemporary photography.

Since then, she has continued to develop her dynamic use of color, light, and thoughtful composition. With her focus on realism in still life photography, Joyce is adept at blurring the line between found and created moments.

Her first short-length film, Map of the Stars, blends her photographic vernacular with motion to weave nostalgia with modern themes, evocative of her use of stylistic composition and her attention to detail.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I am first and foremost a photographer and with Map of the Stars, I hope to have translated my photographs into moving images. This is a film that’s inspired by many other films - movies that have influenced me, from Psycho to Gentlemen Prefer Blondes to Rosemary’s Baby. It’s also a movie about representation or lack thereof in a time period that was not always welcoming to everyone. Thank you for your consideration of Map of the Stars.