Olivia Bortolazzo as Stella performing beneath vivid red light in Starry Eyed
STARRY EYED

An award-winning short film

What if the light you were searching for was already yours?

A visually poetic story of identity, resilience, and the quiet power of self-worth.

Discover the storyView on IMDb
8 minDramaToronto, Canada
01

The story

Synopsis

When the world looks past you, where do you go?

Stella stands at a personal and professional crossroads. Feeling unseen, she retreats into a luminous inner world where memory, imagination, and identity collide. What begins as an escape becomes a quiet reckoning—and an invitation to recognize the light within.

01

Self-love

A journey of learning to meet yourself with compassion.

02

Inner dialogue

Private doubts become vivid, cinematic encounters.

03

Transformation

Acceptance reveals strength that was present all along.

Stella moving beneath a corridor of cinematic red lights

Visual language

Emotion, written in light.

Intense purples, reds, and blues trace Stella's shifting inner world. Confined framing creates intimacy and isolation, while soft focus, layered reflections, and double exposures turn psychological tension into a visual landscape.

Runtime
8 minutes
Camera
Canon R5
Location
Toronto, Canada
02

Leading role

Portrait of Olivia Bortolazzo, who stars as Stella in Starry Eyed

As Stella

Olivia Bortolazzo

A performance of raw vulnerability, restraint, and magnetic emotional clarity.

Olivia guides Stella through doubt and self-discovery without losing sight of the character's quiet strength. Her performance draws the audience into an intimate internal battle—and earned Best Actress recognition at the Red Movie Awards.

Follow Olivia
03

Recognition

Festivals & awards

A story beginning to find its audience.

Red Movie Awards winner laurel

Best Actress

Olivia Bortolazzo
MADFA official selection laurel

Official Selection

MADFA
Stella silhouetted against violet stage light
Olivia Bortolazzo framed by the camera during production of Starry Eyed
Stella immersed in saturated red stage light
04

The production

Made in Toronto

A small crew. A singular vision.

Created in collaboration with the Toronto Academy of Film and Television, the production paired an eight-person core crew with emerging film talent. Multiple roles, shared instincts, and close collaboration kept the film's emotional and visual language unified from production through post.

17film students engaged
8core crew members
2Toronto studio locations
05

Key creatives

The creative team

01

Carlo Molle

Producer · Writer · Director

02

Jaze Bordeaux

Producer

03

Ilham Aragrag

Producer · Story Editor

04

Jason Romolo

Producer · Director of Photography

06

Quick answers

About the film

Frequently asked questions

What is Starry Eyed about?

Starry Eyed follows Stella, a young woman who escapes into her imagination while confronting feelings of invisibility. The film explores identity, resilience, and the gradual discovery of self-worth.

How long is Starry Eyed?

Starry Eyed is an eight-minute dramatic short film with a contemplative, visually driven style.

Who plays Stella in Starry Eyed?

Olivia Bortolazzo plays Stella. Her performance received the Best Actress Award at the Red Movie Awards.

Where was Starry Eyed filmed?

The film was produced in Toronto, Canada, with locations including Kensington Studios and Huddle ShareSpace.

Who created Starry Eyed?

The film was written and directed by Carlo Molle and produced by Carlo Molle, Jaze Bordeaux, Ilham Aragrag, and Jason Romolo.