Some light horseplay in Lefty Korine’s “CARROTS” (screenshots by author)
The 60’s and 70’s currently hold the number one spot for filmmaking in my opinion. The films of these years brought you into the hazy dreamworlds of directors like Karel Kachyňa, Ken Russell, and Robert Fuest. It was almost like all of these filmmakers took some acid and sneezed glitter and fever-dream-injected characters all over their work. Lately, I have been parched for the creativity that came from this time. Is anyone else tired of the same premise–shitty white man gets his big break? (Yes, Marty Supreme, I’m talking to you.) Now, I know this is an unpopular opinion, but frankly, I don’t care to see ANOTHER depiction of this trope. That being said, I’m not saying there haven’t been some great films, but I think we are all in need of WEIRD! This concept is something I’ve been mourning until I came across CARROTS, a 2025 short by Lefty Korine, the love child of Assassination Nation and Valerie and Her Week of Wonders.
The film opens with a group of young girls, played by Emma Cuba, Keishly Hernandez, Nadezhda Amé, Lilith Rosenfeld, and Crystal-Courtney Webster, in an animal cult led by a man (David Jenner) who resembles a Hulk Hogan type–musclely, old, but…without Hogan’s luscious golden locks. In this cult, he trains them like animals to prepare them for the afterlife. These scenes cut between the garden with its hurdles and a dock, which is where our cult leader preaches to the group. He lectures on how they must return to their natural state: that of the animal. The vessel that holds their soul will be shed, and through their daily exercise, they will be reborn. Their days are filled with horse jumps and carrots, and their nights resemble large Rothschild dinners in which their leader leads a chant that sums up the cult in its entirety. Eating carrots will get you into heaven. (Carrots being the main method of achieving this state of animalistic divinity.)
The dinner in Lefty Korine’s “CARROTS”
After dinner, the girls take acid, dance, and take turns kissing their leader, a moment lit in a deep red hue, with a haunting symphony of chimes and chants. This combination further exemplifies the cult’s frightening undertones. Up to this point, there is already an eerie mood, but then Korine cuts to the moon, leading us into the underbelly as we see all of the girls in a small shed. This is my favorite moment of the film as Korine delves into their panic, brilliantly expanding on their fear through the location itself and camera work. The claustrophobic, trembling use of the camera paired with the violently close shots of their faces slashes us with the soul of this film. Their panic, through their sobbing and confusion, permeates the tiny room, leaving us on edge, wondering…how the HELL are they going to get out of this perverse mess???
Then comes the final straw for the girls: Hogan’s homage to Elvis…because what cult leader doesn’t serenade his followers with that slimy singer?? This “Love Me Tender” montage cuts between his siren song and the girls in a purple room, each one sneaking away from this dungeon. This moment is a direct callback to the LSD trip, but now, instead of a red light that fills the room, we have transitioned to purple, signifying a distinct change in this relationship. From a vehement, violent loss of the girls’ autonomy to the seizing of authority, the girls have convened and are ready to fight back!
David Jenner, as the cult leader, serenades his flock in Lefty Korine’s “CARROTS”
This dynamic between the girls and this shockingly sunburnt man reminded me of Sam Levinson’s film, Assassination Nation, specifically, the scene of Levinson’s girls emerging from the fog to rescue their friend from a misogynistic cop. But this scene is like Levinson’s film if it were written the way it should have been. Assassination Nation encapsulates the rape-revenge story if it were penned for white feminists. Lines like “Men who don’t eat pussy in this day and age are seriously psychopathic” would’ve been brilliant if it hadn’t been written by SAM LEVINSON (gross). I bring this film up to say that CARROTS archives what Sam Levinson could not. We resonate with these girls. There is little to no dialogue, and somehow that brings us closer to them. Their lack of power is exemplified through their physical silence. We root for these girls from the beginning, without a lengthy introduction. The ability to achieve this is a clear indicator of fantastic storytelling.
Once the girls decide they must escape, they take Hogan’s money, gun, and leave in a classic red convertible, still wearing, of course, their animal masks and beautiful sequin dresses. This is a perfect conclusion. On the surface, the story seems like it’s building up for a violent finale. Part of us wants to see these girls kill this creep! But that isn’t the point. This film isn’t about the surreal cult’s abuse…it’s about the girls themselves, their friendship, and ultimately their freedom. They retake this traumatic experience, signified through their clothes, and rebrand the trauma into a story of solidarity. The film ends with their slight cheers, yet another beautiful addition.
The red scene in Lefty Korine’s “CARROTS”
With CARROTS, Korine did what many cannot with just 8 minutes: highlight humanity in darkness. Through this ending, we are reminded that these are just young girls. We don’t need to see brutality to understand that these girls have won. This idea is especially important in a day and age when so much of our consumption is filled with excess violence. We have allowed ourselves to be so desensitized that we almost expect blood at the end of these films. And, through this ending, we are being reminded that it isn’t reality. Bald Hulk Hogan isn’t deserving of their wrath. His story ends in a hilariously brilliant way: waking up to the girls’ cheers as they drive off. I especially loved this final shot because it highlights his stupidity and consolidates this transition of power. He no longer holds the strings and is lying impotent in his bed!
Now, for the artistic direction, I was obsessed. I love the use of color and especially the location, set mostly in a large mansion, which contributes to the film’s surreal feeling. The animal masks and beautiful long dresses, juxtaposed with our meaty cult leader, again contribute to this dream-like aroma. The lighting choices and filming all deliberately work together to create a resurgence of New Wave-like absurdity, but with a 21st-century twist! The film is also stylistically very similar to A$AP Rocky’s newest music video for his album in collaboration with Tim Burton, “PUNK ROCKY” (Even going as far as to have the same Hulk Hogan archetype!). So, if you’ve stumbled across that, might as well give CARROTS a watch too! Altogether, highly recommend a really short but exciting watch:
Francesca Krikorian (she/her) is a film/visual art student at Sarah Lawrence College and is currently working with Filthy Dreams as our social media intern. Her work ranges from highlighting marginalized voices through her 2022 short Hija Callada, to screenplays that tell the story of Ramon Novarro and the construction of his Heterosexual Latin Lover persona through media advertisement. Film analysis on young filmmakers’ work is something she is extremely passionate about, a goal Mincing Movies aims to achieve. She also paints, with art that is a mash of Otto Dix’s disorienting depictions of the body combined with her own alien-like storytelling. So, if you are in need of a fresh new lens portrayal of your fellow human, make sure to check out artof.frann on Instagram!