Narratives are a source of conflict because of the value or power in being the one in control of it. We inherently claim to believe in objectivity and truth, and yet, even in documentary filmmaking, the director, producer and editor filter’s truth through their subjective lens. So, the mockumentary is an interesting concept in that it acknowledges the fallacy of certain things we hold dear.

In British director Samuel Abrahams’ Lady, a mockumentary and parody of privilege, a film crew is hired to film the annual talent show, that just so happens to be held in the eccentric Lady Isabella’s (Sian Clifford) mansion. Jazzed by the prospect of being filmed, Lady Isabella becomes insufferable as she soaks up as much of the attention as she can.

There’s a definite tension early on between Isabella and Sam (Laurie Kynaston), the director. It’s hidden behind the humour the opening scenes stir up, as Isabella introduces herself and gives Sam a whistle-stop tour. The scenes are filled with ridiculous humour but the joke about ice buckets is a ludicrous gem, especially when she asks Sam, “Where do you stand on ice buckets?”. You can already sense the silly and pointless depths Bottomley and his co-writer Miranda Campbell Bowling are reaching for, when ice buckets land on the political agenda.

Lady is a playful film whose themes of a lonely older woman in a mansion teases a possible connection to Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard (1950), only to then swerve around it. There’s also a playfulness when it comes to the characters. Through the journey Isabella and Sam share, we find ourselves in different places to where we began when we first met them. While Isabella appeared to have a darker side, the passage of 97 minutes comes to reveal a warmer, more sympathetic and likeable character. In Sam’s case, he’s a little more ambiguous. A moment in which he breaks the fourth wall, there’s a look in his eye that suggests he’s not a particularly nice person and any kindness might reveal his manipulative tendencies, even his black soul.

As playful as Lady is, and as boisterous as it can be when it comes to its humour, it possesses a quieter side. Isabella’s face is a landscape filled with subtle details that are easily missed on a first viewing.

Lady’s biggest saving grace is that Bottomley and Bowling never lean into the mockumentary conceit too much. Instead, it keeps the characters, the themes and ideas as the focus, avoiding wearing the audience down with a conceit that can easily outstay its welcome. There are inevitably still lulls, but more often than not the film draws you back in.

There’s a definite sense that Lady is an analogy of our time, and listening to Isabella explain to Sam that she hasn’t left the mansion grounds in the last four years, casts the impression that privilege is its own prison. However, towards the end, the themes and ideas don’t always emerge as easily as they should, depriving Lady of a more fierce satirical bite.

Lady premiered in the First Feature Competition of the 29th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, where this piece was originally written. Also showing at REC Tarragona.