Beauty Mark is a 2017 American drama film written and directed by Harris Doran. Inspired by true events, the film follows a poverty-stricken young mother who has to get money from a man from her abusive past in order to save her family. The film explores the interconnected themes of abuse, cycles of abuse, systemic poverty, addiction, and race.
Set in the Portland area of downtown Louisville, Kentucky, the film follows Angie Simms (Auden Thornton), a poverty-stricken young mother taking care of her three-year-old son Trey (Jameson Fowler) and her alcoholic mother (Catherine Curtin). She works at a convenience store which Lorraine (Laura Bell Bundy), a dancer at a local club, frequents. Lorraine insists the men "ain't using me, I'm using them." Angie finds out the house her family is living in is condemned and they must move immediately. Out of options, she decides to try to sue Bruce (Jeff Kober) a man who abused her as a child, only to find out that at twenty-four, she is one year past the statute of limitations under Kentucky law.
She seeks help from Zachariah (Radney Foster) the father of a childhood friend, Pastor Hodges (Deirdre Lovejoy), Kaylee (Paten Hughes) a childhood acquaintance, and Pam (Madison Iseman) a girl a few years younger than she.
Director Harris Doran was shortlisted for the Independent Spirit Awards Someone To Watch Award for his work on Beauty Mark. A day after its digital release, the film hit #14 on the iTunes Top Independent Film chart.
Ashley Judd said of the film, "Powerful film. Survivors must no longer be silent."
