Experiencing Interruptions?

The Mirror That Consumes You

On the brink of thirty, THING an aspiring actor, is stopped mid stride by a growing unease with her own reflection. Caught between mirrors, screens and ambition, she wrestles with self image and the quiet fear that she may never be 'enough' - for the industry, the audience, or herself.

  • GABRIELLA LEONARDI
    Director
  • GABRIELLA LEONARDI
    Writer
  • GABRIELLA LEONARDI
    Producer
  • GABRIELLA LEONARDI
    Key Cast
    "THING/ PRETTY THING"
  • SHERIDAN SMITH OBE
    Key Cast
    "THE DOCTOR"
    Two Pints of Lager, Benidorm, Gavin and Stacey, Mrs. Biggs, Cilla, Four Lives, The C Word, I Fought The Law.
  • ASH CONNAUGHTON
    DOP
  • REECE BAGROWSKI
    1ST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
  • VINCA VANESSA SHALIM
    MAKE UP ARTISTS
  • CHAU TRAN
    HAIR STYLIST
  • ENES BULDUR
    DRONE OPERATOR
  • JAMES SWIFT
    COMPOSER
  • IRENA HALCHENKO
    PRODUCTION MANAGER
  • MIKOLAJ KACPRZACK
    EDITOR
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short
  • Genres:
    drama, experimental, horror, neon noir
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 4 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 17, 2026
  • Production Budget:
    0 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:3
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - GABRIELLA LEONARDI

Gabriella Leonardi brings you her debut short film 'The Mirror That Consumes You'. Leonardi is known for writing with an intimate, vulnerable, yet explosive exploration of the darker side of humanity, peering into every character's soul - her stories often coming to life through the lens of a female character.

Gabriella Leonardi is a multifaceted talent whose work spans screenwriting, poetry, acting and modelling, consistently garnering critical acclaim and awards. Her debut screenplay, The Little Boy and the Duck on a Cliff’s Edge, has won multiple prestigious awards, including Best Drama Screenplay at The New York Screenwriting Awards, Best Drama Screenplay and overall Winner at the 2024 Gil International Screenwriting Awards, Best Young Screenwriter under 30 at The Chicago Script Awards, Best First Time Feature at Best Script Awards London and Best Drama Screenplay at the Oxford Script Awards. She has now completed a further three feature scripts, with WELCOME TO ESCAPATORIA being her fourth screenplay. She is also a best selling Poet of the series ‘The Art of a Damaged Soul’.

She has just launched her own production company 'Damaged Soul Productions' with her debut short as slate 1 ‘ created with a zero budget - 'The Mirror That Consumes You' a neon soaked, poetic exploration of body image, distorted beauty, and the quiet unraveling that happens when chasing a dream in an image obsessed world.

Gabriella has published The Art Of The Damaged Soul and The Art Of The Damaged Soul Vol 2 – When Two Souls Collide, which have both topped the British and Irish poetry charts as well as the Women’s poetry charts multiple times. These works resonate deeply with readers through Gabriella’s raw and reflective explorations of love, loss, and resilience. Her poetry has drawn comparisons to Sylvia Plath, with one critic describing her as “the 21st century Sylvia Plath.”

Gabriella Leonardi continues to challenge and inspire audiences with her fearless creativity and authentic voice, building a legacy as a groundbreaking storyteller. She has three more feature film scripts ready and in development with her fourth.

NOTE: Gabriella has 3 disabilities, is neurodivergent and is from a working class background.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

My debut film - created with a zero budget - literally zero pounds - 'The Mirror That Consumes You' is a neon soaked, poetic exploration of body image, distorted beauty, and the quiet unraveling that happens when chasing a dream in an image obsessed world.

Based on my current lived experience, this film follows 'THING' on the brink of thirty - still running hard toward her dream of becoming an actor - who suddenly finds herself questioning the reflection staring back at her. Is she developing body dysmorphia? Is it an eating disorder? Or is it simply the world she grew up in, whispering that she will never be “enough”?

Told through a neon kaleidoscope of memory, imagination, and distortion, the film captures the suffocating pressure of beauty in a world built on filters and perfection. It’s an intimate exploration of what it means to chase a dream in an image obsessed culture and how easily that dream can turn into a mirror that consumes you.

Blending my poetry, evocative imagery, and haunting soundscapes with the electrifying pulse of anxiety, we conjure a neon chaos - a dazzling kaleidoscope of emotion and light with Body Dysmorphia having it's own character portrayed by the red light.

So many of us are drowning quietly under filters, comparison culture, and impossible expectations.
I wanted to make something honest. Something that says:
“If you’ve ever felt consumed by your reflection - you are not alone.”

This project isn’t just a film - it’s a conversation, a mirror held up to the pressures we carry, and an offering of connection to anyone who has ever questioned their own worth.

https://bddfoundation.org/information/statistics/

I want to thank the entire team for working for free on this film - your talent inspires me. I also want to send my thanks to the incredible talent - Sheridan Smith OBE. Over the past two years she has followed my journey through social media and has always had an incredible belief in me and I thank her for portraying the doctor in my directorial debut.

I finally wish to thank the film festivals that champion new voices with bold unique visions and those that celebrate films that are made with little to no money.