Set in Los Angeles, California in the 1960’s, Map of the Stars is a short film which follows STELLA, who dreams of Hollywood stardom. She spends mornings visiting celebrity homes found in her souvenir Map of the Stars guidebook before heading to work as a secretary. One day, she secretly writes to the fabled director Cecil B. DeMille. She then goes down a rabbit hole where her aspirations of becoming an actress are finally realized.

• Joyce Lee
  Director

• Joyce Lee
  Writer

• Jeff Vespa
  Producer

• David Perry
  Director of Photography

• Kristina Li
  Producer

• Kristina Li
  Key Cast

• Jaydn Coletti
  Key Cast

• Elise Mireille
  Key Cast

• Lee Levy
  Production Designer

Director Statement

I am first and foremost a photographer and with Map of the Stars, I hope to have translated my photographs into moving images. This is a film that’s inspired by many other films - movies that have influenced me, from Psycho to Gentleman Prefer Blondes to Rosemary’s Baby. It’s also a movie about representation or lack thereof in a time period that was not always welcoming to everyone.

Joyce Lee is a photographer and director based in Los Angeles. She received her B.F.A. in Photography from the School of Visual Arts in NYC. Shortly after graduating, Joyce was chosen as a finalist at the prestigious Hyères Festival of Fashion & Photography, a competition held annually in the South of France recognizing new voices in contemporary photography.