2019 Directed by Numa Perrier
A true story. In the last days of her mother’s life, 19-year-old Tiffany crashes with five family members in a Las Vegas studio apartment. In order to make ends meet, her sister, a phone sex operator, introduces her to the world of fetish cam girls.
USA
South by Southwest Film Festival
Russian Federation
Feeling Film Festival
USA
USA
Russian Federation
USA
Based on the early life of its writer and director Numa Perrier, Jezebel is a dazzling debut that incorporates a surprising casualness which sees an aptitude from the filmmaker in establishing a self-reflective territory to judge a period of her past that appears to have been both monetary beneficial and empowering. The narrative observes nineteen-year-old Tiffany (Tiffany Tenille) who undertakes employment as a cam girl to support herself financially, with the filmmaker continually safeguarding the storyline from falling into being just another exercise in exploitation.
Tiffany’s live chat room and cramped living accommodation are provided consideration to generate the most out of their tight spaces by cinematographer Brent Johnson, and its portrayal of the sex work beneficially doesn't collapse into…
This felt more like it was supposed to be the pilot of a series than its own complete story
Pretty amateur on all fronts. I get what they were going for, but the hazy cinematography and dull script are a bit painful. The writing is unfortunately just not up to scratch. Acting is hit and miss, the story amounts to very little, and I'm not a fan of Tenille's style.
Had its moments, but ultimately I'd be quicker to recommend Cam or Starlet if you're interested in watching something that includes sex work.
I can tell Numa Perrier and Tiffany Tenille both will have a bright future! A beautiful directorial feature debut by Numa who has shared her own personal, intimate story. Can’t wait to see what’s ahead for these shining talents! Your voice has been heard Numa ❤️
A really excellent debut feature from director Numa Perrier based on her own experiences doing webcam work in the late 1990s, this is a coming-of-age film that doesn't present sex work as a straightforward path to empowerment but that also isn't here to moralise or provide its audience with vicarious thrills via a dramatic downfall for its main character. Instead this a gentle, low-key, intimate story about a young woman taking steps towards independence and an understanding of her own sexuality that's not blind to the risks that are inherent in most entry-level work – whether it's catty coworkers, a racist boss or a potentially predatory customer – but that also understands that there's confidence and even joy to be found…
Adore what Perrier does with her camera in the scenes at home. Well-composed, thoughtful images, shaded with pastel colors, that evoke a feeling of intimacy. There’s a confidence to her direction that’s admirable, particularly in how she lets the action unfold organically. However, in the scenes at the cam studio, there’s a stark difference in feeling. Part of this was intentional, I’m sure, in that work and home are very different environments for Tiffany, but I became frustrated by how much of these sequences were covered in locked off wide shots. We’re seeing what the cam audience sees, but I was much happier when we were in Tiffany’s point of view.
You can feel that this is a likely faithful…
so much obvious talent here but it didn’t quite come together for me. the narrative really does hammer the point home that sex work is work, which is awesome and too rare. i’m absolutely looking forward to whatever Perrier does next!!
Jezebel is a paltry-looking film made on a miniscule budget about a newbie compelled into the fetish cam sex industry. And I'm sorry, but I'm not one of these people that goes on cheering campaigns for tiny indies just because they got made. If you're going to make a movie that cheap, you better have something to say.
As it turns out, the writer/director Numa Perrier has something to say. And she brings a clear-cut voice to her characters and a low-key realism to her setting. This is not a movie that needs a lot of money after all, it grips us and goes by in a brisk.
Tiffany is a barely legal adult living in a Las Vegas motel…
there was a part in this (i think it’s the first session she has) that felt like i was watching a documentary and legit forgot i was watching a film. i feel like that’s the highest compliment to give a debut filmmaker. not like my opinion means shit but it has to be said. sisterhood! the colour palette! that ending! tiffany tenille is such a star.
Involving in parts, but a little too flat and well resolved. Still, what a riff on the coming-of-age self-discovery, eh
Loved the naturalism in this.
Loved the Black sisterhood.
Loved that this was about sex work and not from the male gaze.
Tiffany and Numa are fucking stars! 🌟
Support films written and directed by Black Women! See them in their festival runs and see them in theaters! Money talks y’all! If we want more representation, we gotta support these smaller films as well as the big ones! ✊🏿
