Experiencing Interruptions?

Ornamentation is a Gift

Celeste turns to her mother for support and comfort after she is bullied at school. Instead of the warmth she’s expecting, she receives a lesson in aggression, manipulation, and hard power—in the form of a makeup tutorial. Years later, we find her all grown up. Her beauty, an armor against the world.

Her mother’s daughter.
Yet still without comfort.

  • Ray Smiling
    Director
    Khaki Is Not Leather, Adidas, Rockstar Games, Beats By Dre
  • Ray Smiling
    Writer
    Khaki Is Not Leather, Adidas, Rockstar Games, Beats By Dre
  • Carol McCarty
    Producer
  • Massimo Legittimo
    Producer
  • Nadia Aboulhosn
    Key Cast
    "Celeste"
  • Emilia Ortiz
    Key Cast
    "Narrator"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 59 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 1, 2019
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED Dragon 6k
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Short Films That Matter at Alamo
    Brooklyn
    United States
  • New York No Limits Film Series
    New York
    United States
    March 3, 2020
    New York Premiere
Director Biography - Ray Smiling

Director and writer Ray Smiling is a lifelong Brooklynite and member of the Clio Awards jury, having worked extensively in the worlds of streetwear, sports, video games, and music. As a writer/director, Ray aims to juxtapose universal human truth with an absurdist worldview, focusing on the stories of outsiders as they reckon with the wider world. His work has been praised by Complex, Forbes, VICE, and many others.

Add Director Biography