Duck Butter is directed by Miguel Arteta.
Alia Shawkat played the character of Nima, while Laia Costa played Sergio in the film.
Films depicting same-sex relationships are many, some of which stand out. From Moonlight to Call Me By Your Name, these movies have tried to underline the complications and challenges faced by LGBTQ community in the present society. Another such film is Duck Butter. It is an American film which is directed by Miguel Arteta and stars Alia Shawkat, Laia Costa, Mae Whitman, Hong Chau and Kate Berlant in the lead roles. One of the lead actors, Alia Shawkat, collaborated with director Miguel Arteta to write the screenplay of the film. Currently streaming on the OTT platform Netflix, the film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2018. Duck Butter revolves around the story of two girls who fall in love at first sight in a pub. Each from diverse backgrounds, the girls come into a relationship which further invites problems for both.
Alia Shawkat played the character of Nima, while Laia Costa donned the role of Sergio. Nima is an actor who is working on a film but faces trouble due to the lack of vulnerability on her part. One day, she accompanies her friend to a date at a gay bar. There Nima meets Sergio, an esoteric girl who performs a song at the bar. After going home with Sergio and her friends, the two ended up having a casual hook-up. With love igniting between them, Sergio proposes the idea of spending 24 hours with a person – including having sex once per hour – to ‘fast forward’ a relationship and get to know a person as quickly as possible.
Initially, Nima declined the offer but later agreed after she got the unfortunate news of getting replaced in the film. That evening, she spontaneously decides to return to Sergio’s house and take her up on her offer. As the love blossoms between them, Nima learns that Sergio is more adventurous and unburdened by societal pressures.
With time, the differences started developing between the couple. Things take a downturn after Sergio’s mother visits the place. The performance of Alia Shawkat and Miguel Arteta was appreciated by the critics and the audience. Alia Shawkat won the Best Actress award at the Tribeca Film Festival for her performance in Duck Butter in 2018.