Filmmaker Millicent Hailes & 'Perfect' Cast Discuss Crafting Queer Drama

The director and actors break down the making of their "hot, sexy, fun" SXSW film.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 6:18pm

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In a post-apocalyptic world with a contaminated water supply, a lost soul named Kai finds solace in a hidden utopian lake community, where she meets and falls for the enigmatic and pregnant Mallory. As their passionate romance deepens, Kai begins to uncover Mallory's dark secrets that threaten to unravel their relationship and the fragile peace of the community.

Why it matters

The film 'Perfect' aims to uplift queer voices and characters in a story that is not solely focused on their queerness, but rather explores universal themes of loss, hope, and the power of human connection. The director and cast hope the film will leave viewers feeling "sexy" and "horny" while celebrating queer identity.

The details

Director Millicent Hailes wanted to break away from her previous work in music videos to create a longform narrative that resonated with her. The film features a diverse cast including Lío Mehiel and Julia Fox, and the filmmakers hope viewers will feel "aroused" and realize parts of themselves they never knew existed after watching the "hot, sexy, fun" queer drama.

  • The 2026 SXSW Film Festival is taking place through March 18th.

The players

Millicent Hailes

The writer, director, and producer of 'Perfect', who wanted to create a longform narrative that uplifts queer voices and characters.

Lío Mehiel

An actor in 'Perfect' who hopes the film will make viewers "realize that there's parts of their body they never even knew existed, that they themselves want to explore with another person, perhaps. [Or] multiple people."

Julia Fox

An actress in 'Perfect' who plays the enigmatic and pregnant Mallory, whose dark secrets threaten to unravel her relationship with the film's protagonist Kai.

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What they’re saying

“The idea for Perfect just came from wanting to break away from what I was doing before. I was doing a lot of music videos, and I wanted to make something longform, something that really resonated with me.”

— Millicent Hailes, writer-director-producer

“We want them to feel aroused. We want them to maybe realize that they're bisexual. We want them to realize that there's parts of their body they never even knew existed, that they themselves want to explore with another person, perhaps. [Or] multiple people.”

— Lío Mehiel, actor

“We want people to leave feeling sexy. We want people to leave feeling horny. We want people to leave just blasting music on the way home. I want people to feel the shake of the base.”

— Millicent Hailes, writer-director-producer

The takeaway

By centering queer characters and relationships in a post-apocalyptic setting, 'Perfect' aims to challenge traditional narratives and uplift diverse voices in a way that is both thought-provoking and sensual. The film's director and cast hope to leave viewers feeling empowered to explore their own sexuality and identity.