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It’s only June, but it’s already been a banner year for the filmmakers at Borscht. Last month, they showed a short film at Cannes — Day N Night Out, written by Tarell
Alvin McCraney and directed by Lucas Leyva. And one of their films
won second place at a contest at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. The
MoFilm competition judges short films centered on a particular
organization. Borscht chose the Seven Bar Association, a non-profit
that throws lingerie fashion shows to fundraise business loans for women.
Although it sounds like a righteous cause, Luca Leyva, who directed the film with Spencer Morin, admits
he was mostly excited to transform downtown Miami into a monster set that’s
invaded by a 500-foot lingerie model. Local performance artist Jillian Mayer (seen
recently in Mrs.
Ms. in the Miami Made Weekend), who’s also a real-life lingerie model,
plays the bra-clad femme who dwarfs Miami’s skyline of condos and office towers.
Meanwhile the lead singer of Arfobeta,
Cristi Garcia, provides a supporting role as well as the short’s
indie soundtrack. The
short, titled “500 Feet and Rising” after Leyva’s favorite play 30
Stories and Rising by Miami playwright Marco Ramirez, was made in
under four days and for just $20, thanks to the donated time and skills
of friends.
