Charli xcx reflected on playing a heightened version of herself in “Brat” mockumentary “The Moment” at its Berlin Film Festival press conference, joking that she went “Method from the day I was born” for the role.
“The Moment” stars Charli as an alternate-reality version of herself grappling with whether to stay true to her art or cross over to the commercial dark side. When a sinister director, played by Alexander Skarsgard, is hired to make a concert film about her upcoming “Brat” tour, Charli faces the ultimate test. Alongside Charli and Skarsgard, “The Moment” also stars Rosanna Arquette, Kate Berlant, Jamie Demetriou, Hailey Benton Gates, Isaac Powell, Rish Shah, Kylie Jenner and Rachel Sennott.
As someone who had spent so long in the music industry, Charli said she has “definitely come close” to some of the moments in the film and that characters were loosely based on people she had come across.
“I’ve been training to play this role my entire life in ways, very Method from the day I was born I guess,” she said with a laugh. “And I’ve definitely reacted in ways like how I react in the film. Have I had a breakdown in the back of a Viano while smoking a million cigarettes? Yes. So I definitely had a lot to draw on.”
“The Moment” first premiered at Sundance Film Festival last month before releasing in U.S. theaters. It became A24’s fastest-selling limited release in history, with more than 50 screenings selling out across key markets and the majority of ticket buyers being under 35 years old. The film opens in Europe next week following its Berlinale premiere.
Charli also spoke about the importance of taking the film to Berlin, applauding the festival for “not shying away from political films, from films that have a real social angle, films by directors who really are visionary and have something to say.”
“Those are the kinds of films that we love and want to champion ourselves,” she said, adding: “I’m only just starting out in this industry, but I feel passionate about working within those spaces.”
But asked if “The Moment” means the “Brat” era is truly over, Charli didn’t mince her words: “For me, it’s over and you can’t dread the end when it’s over.”
She continued, “In the film, Charli decides to free herself of ‘Brat’ and kill ‘Brat.’ And I think we were aware that this film was probably the full stop at the end of an album campaign.”