Private Project

What We All Lack

Inspired by the story of Man Ray and Lee Miller, a couple of surrealist photographers who worked together in the 1920s, "What We Lack" conveys a reflection on the male gaze and the female body. While Man, an important artist, admires Lee's beauty, she feels trapped in her role as muse and realizes she needs to escape. Using Man Ray's love letters and reenacting his portraits of her, "What We All Lack" is an invitation to reflect on our own relationships and the power dynamics behind them.

  • Maria Fernández Navarro
    Director / Writer
  • Marcie Rich
    Key Cast
    "Lee"
  • Marcus Stock
    Key Cast
    "Man"
  • John Tangney
    Key Cast
    "Man (Voiceover)"
  • Alfredo Torres
    Cinematography
  • Blau Cubarsi
    Music
  • Carlota Bravo
    Sound
  • Luiz Chamon
    Sound
  • León Bertone
    Sound Mixer
  • Mia Sweeney
    Assistant Camera
  • Elena Presilla
    Production Assistants
  • Eugeniu Cuznetov
    Production Assistants
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    9 minutes 11 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 30, 2022
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - UC Berkeley
  • Panamanian International Film Festival/LA
    Los Angeles
    United States
    November 19, 2022
    World Premieree
    Official Selection
Director Biography

Maria Fernández Navarro is a Spanish filmmaker currently based in Barcelona. Her work portrays a particular interest in experimental film, alternative media arts, and feminist film theory. Some of her previous credits include the two documentary features “Rere el mirall, la música” (2020) and “Els perfils d’Alícia” (2021) —directed by Alexis Borràs and broadcasted on TVC—, in which she was the producer. In 2021 she moved to California for a year to complete her studies at UC Berkeley. The film “What We All Lack” was her first short film as a writer and director and was part of the Film and Media Studies program.

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