Waco Independent Film Festival Preview

By Elizabeth Riley

Belly Belly- Short

“I’m obsessed with food.”

This short film production uniquely captures the daily struggle with food noise, disordered eating, and the obsessive battle with thoughts about the body. Depicting two queer femmes reconnecting over dinner, “Belly Belly” produces a tender balance of fear and excitement with disturbingly unexpected turns.

In “Belly Belly,” witness the fear of food impacting body image and mental wellbeing. The internal struggle with eating disorders is typically seen as an individual suffering. However, screenwriter Loren Hayes portrays an interesting situation in which food affects more than oneself.

Amidst dinner, you can’t help but expect recovery and found-love, but are our darkest urges easy to resist?

The director, Gabriel Carnick, alongside producers Aurora Perrineau, Loren Hayes, Kaeleigh Morrison, and Thea Touchton, capture magnificently beautiful foods, reminiscent of imagery in the television series “The Bear.” This short film is downright delicious.

With conversations that highlight the impact of dieting culture on our abilities to connect, to fuel ourselves, and to love the bodies we’ve been given, “Belly Belly” is recommended to those who are familiar with the horrific capabilities of human nature.

Catch the short film “Belly Belly” at Waco Indie Film Fest’s Shriek Show on Saturday, July 19th, at the Grand Lodge of Texas. Starting at 4:30 pm, this block is packed with horror shorts that’ll have you screaming, squirming, and laughing nervously in your seat.

Waco Indie Film Fest presents a variety of underground short films and full length movies across creative spaces in the city. This festival presents films of various genres from artists across the world at beloved locations in Waco. The schedule is absolutely packed with screenings, panels, and live screenplay readings. Don’t forget about the after parties and award ceremonies!

Friday JULY 18th

• Bloodlines & Fault Lines 10:30 am @ Performing Arts Community Center
  • 924 Austin Ave Suite 150, Waco, TX 76701
• The Work is Mysterious and Important 10:45 am @ Texas Music Cafe
  • 110 S 6th St, Waco, TX 76701
• It’s Complicated 11:00 am @ Grand Lodge of Texas
  • 715 Columbus Ave, Waco, TX 76701
• The Pantone Guy 1:00 pm @ Texas Music Cafe
• Solitaire 1:30 pm @ Grand Lodge of Texas
• Hereafter 2:30 pm @ PACC
• World Without Cows 3:45 pm @ Texas Music Cafe
• The Strange Dark 5:00 pm @ PACC
• WTF: Weird, Twisted, Fantastic 5:30 pm @ Grand Lodge of Texas
• Peeping Todd & For Pete’s Sake 8:00 pm @ Grand Lodge of Texas
• What Do We Owe Each Other 8:00 pm @ PACC
• North Shore 8:00 pm @ Texas Music Cafe

SATURDAY JULY 19th

• Shorts and Spurs 10:00 am @ PACC
• Ultimate Citizens 10:15 am @ Grand Lodge of Texas
• Where the Horses Heal the Soul 10:30 am @ Texas Music Cafe
• All Ages, All Heart 1:00 pm @ PACC
• Sex and Consequences 1:15 pm @ Grand Lodge of Texas
• On Firm Ground 1:30 pm @ Texas Music Cafe