Dear Lorde
»P.P.S.: Secretly, I want to be important, like you«.
In a series of personal letters to her idols, 14-year-old Maxine Rose describes the details of her life. Amongst the addressees is pop star Lorde. The letters resemble intimate diary entries, combining refreshingly carefree curiosity with profound analytic insights into the everyday life of a young girl and the inner workings of her mind. Though they initially seem one-sided, the celebrity pen pal friendships provide the girl with an opportunity for self-reflection and self-discovery. With each new letter, a new part of Maxine’s personality is revealed.
Excerpts from contemporary pop culture embedded in the film, self-composed lyrics which scroll across the screen, and faded-in drawings and singing performances all serve to initiate us into the world of a sharp and creative teenager with big dreams. Maxine’s creativity finds an audience in (amongst others) the letters’ recipients. As imaginary observers, they are a source of inspiration for the young girl.
The short film Dear Lorde by artist duo Cooper Battersby & Emily Vey Duke is a lovingly sculpted coming of age story with a multilayered narrative structure and an authentic protagonist whose intelligence might just help the viewers to understand themselves that little bit better. (Lisa Han)
* We can only show an excerpt of this work in the online archive. For the complete version, please contact the artists and the Video Data Bank.
About the video
About the artists
- 1972 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, CAN, lives and works in New York, USA.
Studied at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, Halifax, CAN, and the University of Illinois at Chicago, USA
- 1971 in Penticton, British Columbia, CAN, lives and works in New York, USA.
Studied at the Okanagan College, Penticton, CAN, and at the University of Illinois at Chicago, USA
