Jane Kazmarek in a scene from And Now I Lay Me Down.
HOLLYWOOD,CA (LA ELEMENTS) 8/13/2024 – If it must be her last day on earth can’t it at least be perfect? This is the burning question that Celia Dalvi tackles in And Now I Lay Me Down, the engaging short film written and directed by Rani DeMuth screening at the 20th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival.
In a performance that is both poignant and wickedly funny, Jane Kaczmarek stars as Celia Dalvi, a fading Hollywood actress struggling to accept that she is long past the pinnacle of her career.
The film opens with Dalvi getting the star treatment from a team of stylists and estheticians in the comfort of her own home. A diva would expect nothing less after all. What should be a time of serenity and self-care, is shattered by the divorce papers from her husband Harrison Charles Balwin lll (Eric Roberts) that she grasps in her hand.
Doing what so many jilted lovers do, Dalvi stalks her soon to be ex on social media and sees that the new woman in his life is young enough to be his daughter. As if to prove to herself that age has nothing to do with her upcoming divorce, Dalvi goes outside to her tennis court to practice with a ball launcher and manages to hit a few. Quite pleased with herself she reaches for a cocktail. (one is never far away it seems) which she can’t enjoy because the launcher suddenly starts shooting out a stream of tennis balls at her. Luckily, her gardener Manuel, (David Guerra) comes to her rescue by switching off the machine.
After her ordeal on the tennis court, Dalvi indulges in a luxurious bath. But even that goes wrong as she receives a voice mail from her agent stating that she did not get a role she auditioned for. “They’re looking for someone younger even though technically, you are the correct age.”
The stark reality of Dalvi’s career is that with the passing years, she is far from the young, dynamic actress she once was. A nostalgia that we see preserved in a tape of her winning an acting award at what had been the highlight of her career. That past is now clashing with the present indignity of losing roles exactly because of her age.
Dalvi calls her agent and accuses her of thinking that she is too old to be winning roles. Her agent hangs up leaving Dalvi hurt and frustrated. This frustration is interrupted by a seemingly random phone call to confirm delivery of a mattress.
Nothing about this day seems to be going right. And when things fall apart, apparently Dalvi turns to her comfort food of choice: Cheetos.
Because she has a Cheeto addiction, the bags are kept in a cabinet under lock and key. However, Dalvi strongarms Maya, (Shi Ne Nelson) her long-suffering assistant into giving her the key to open the cabinet despite previously making her promise not to. Nelson brings the right degree of protectiveness towards Dalvi that never ventures over into condescension. Her restrained exasperation instantly recognizable to anyone who has had to work for someone particularly challenging.
Dalvi then asks Maya to assemble “everybody.” When they do gather, it’s painfully obvious that “everybody” means her staff. There are no family members that join in the gathering.
Once assembled, Dalvi gives a heartfelt “thank you,” acknowledging that she is not the easiest person to work for. She then proceeds to give her staff presents-some of which are hilariously inappropriate. Her final gift is to let them go home early and then she is finally alone. It’s at this point, that we especially see the raw vulnerability that Kaczmarek brings to Dalvi in what turns out to be one of her darkest moments. A moment that begs the question, does giving up the pursuit of looking younger mean giving up on everything all together when you are an actress? Is this the final curtain call on a career, on a life even? One thing is for certain: The end of anything will be on Dalvi’s terms. Well….maybe.
In Celia Dalvi, DeMuth shows her gift as a storyteller as she has created a character whose flaws and imperfections are skillfully balanced with moments of self-realization. All of this combines to draw the audience to the side of a woman whose fight for her career is becoming more and more quixotic with each passing year. And with a few precious laughs along the way.
Cover photo of Jane Kaczmarek and all other photography courtesy of Ernesto Lomeli.
And Now I Lay Me Down screens on Tuesday, August 13 at 12 pm at TCL Chinese 6 Theater #6.
Follow the HollyShorts Film Festival on Instagram.
Follow LA ELEMENTS on Instagram and X. Like us on Facebook.
No Comments