The summer of 2024 carried a bold hue: a neon-bright lime. Charli XCX, the British singer and LGBTQ+ icon, and her album brat dominated pop and internet culture for weeks. Although summer has long since passed, the musician (33) remains one of the biggest stars at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale).
Here she previewed her new film The Moment (theatrical release: February 19), a satirical take on the music industry. Fans waited for hours in the cold along the red carpet to snap photos with the pop star or to snag an autograph. Some dressed in brat-green or even dyed their hair neon green.
The Satire “The Moment”
With the album title brat, Charli XCX helped spark an international phenomenon nearly two years ago—the term and the neon-green album cover spread especially quickly. In Britain, Collins Dictionary even named the term Word of the Year.
It stood for a confident, independent, and hedonistic stance, they said at the time. The word, which previously referred to a spoiled kid in English, stood for both self-acceptance and rebellion.
The film The Moment, directed by Aidan Zamiri, picks up this summer’s thread—the label ponders how to keep the hype going as long as possible. A concert film is planned, but the director (Alexander Skarsgård) increasingly tinkers with tour planning. His vision leans more toward glossy glittery aesthetics than gritty club vibes.
How Absurd Much of It Feels
Charli XCX, playing herself in the film, finds the whole setup rather cringe-worthy, falls into an identity crisis, and escapes to Ibiza. There, she runs into Kylie Jenner (surprise) who also plays herself. In the film, many sunglasses are worn indoors and meetings happen from the backseat of cars. The situation spirals out of control because of a credit-card advertising deal.
The film is funny because it appears to pull back the curtain on the absurdities of the show business—such as during a photo shoot, when it suddenly becomes a big deal that she should stand still (“She’s gonna be standing”)—or when many people are unfailingly friendly, only to immediately ignore requests.
The satire is also interesting for how it exaggerates the way the music industry has evolved. In the past, the aim was radio play and selling records; today, music stars earn through streaming services and must seek other sources of income.
Charli XCX: I Transferred Experiences from the Music Biz into the Film
While The Moment presents an exaggerated version of her, Charli XCX told the German Press Agency that she did draw on real experiences from her earlier career for her film character. “I was approached so often by people in the industry who told me to change my hairstyle because it looked too messy, and to smile more if I wanted to succeed.”
The decisions in the film aren’t based on real events, but “they’re choices I could easily have made,” the singer—whose legal name is Charlotte Emma Aitchison and who is a big fan of German filmmaker Werner Herzog ( “I love Werner,” “his films are simply incredible”)—told us.
What Is Still Authentic Today?
In the film, she is driven by the sense of being pulled in many directions by different people, which leads her to question herself as a person and as an artist—and to feel overwhelmed.
Charli XCX uses this to gently poke at the music industry in The Moment, showing herself in a spa— beside the supposedly flawless Kylie Jenner—now sweaty and flushed. A so-called healer had just told her that, because of her age and her “inelastic skin,” she was already on the slide.
The Moment is a film that tackles the music business on a meta level. What is authentic today? Who’s behind the machinery? And how much misogyny remains? In the end, Charli XCX lets brat die in the film. “For me, it’s over.”
