‘The Last Showgirl’ makes a dazzling premiere at Austin Film Festival

AUSTIN, Texas — Director Gia Coppola’s screening of “The Last Showgirl” at Austin Film Festival sparked emotions of loss and love in the audience.

The movie centers around Shelly, a showgirl with 30 years of experience portrayed by Pamela Anderson, as she attempts to start anew following the sudden closure of her long-time show, Le Razzle Dazzle.

Shelly tries to cope with the loss of the show that defined her identity, accepting the pain of parting ways with her show and fellow dancers.

While dealing with that heartbreak, she also attempts to mend her relationship with her daughter, Hannah, played by Billie Lourd.

Coppola discussed how the story impacted her from both a mother’s and a daughter’s point of view. She talked about the film’s message and its relatability as a tale of “the families we create in the workforce and a mother-daughter story and the complex sort of relationship that any parent child face.”

Coppola skillfully intertwined the challenges of rejection and adaptation in a world that constantly evolves, beyond the flashy showgirl lifestyle of Las Vegas.

Shelly’s last performance of the film is beautifully crafted, the showgirl wears blue angel wings and is a nod towards the Blue Angel Motel Sign and Statue in Las Vegas. The statue served as a turnaround point for drivers in the 1990s, indicating that it might be time for Shelly to make a fresh start and choose a different path for her future, such as pursuing a new job or repairing her relationship with her estranged daughter.

The movie premiered at the Austin Film Festival on Oct. 29, and it will hit theaters nationwide on Jan. 10, 2025.

During the Austin Film Festival, director Gia Coppola expressed her love for Austin and her hope to one day shoot a movie in the city. “I think Austin is such a fascinating city. I would love to make a movie here, and I hear so many wonderful things about Austin itself; the people, the food. I’m always looking for an opportunity to selfishly hang out here.”