What Is Sleeping Beauties About?
The premise of Sleeping Beauties in 313 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a sun‑kissed Los Angeles that never quite sleeps, the story opens with a mother weaving a modern fairy‑tale for her daughter, comparing the ordinary to the mythic. The tale of a “Princess Charming” and her Sleeping Beauty becomes a quiet lens through which the film examines longing, heartbreak, and the way we try to polish the past. The tone balances dark humor with tender melancholy, inviting viewers to see beauty in unexpected places.
Heather works as a make‑up artist at Rolling Headstones Funeral Home, a sleek yet slightly morbid studio where dead rock‑stars are coaxed back to a glossy existence for album covers and memorial shoots. Her hands, trained to turn pallor into glow, carry the weight of a recent breakup with her ex‑girlfriend Cindy, who vanished after demanding a “real prince.” As Heather brushes away the final traces of glitter from a corpse, she also strives to smooth the ragged edges of her own heart.
The day Cindy reappears, escorted by Vince, a fellow embalmer with his own ambitions, the atmosphere shifts. Their unexpected reunion stirs old feelings and raises questions about whether the past can ever truly be brushed away. Meanwhile, Clea, a quick‑witted photographer’s assistant, drops a casual line and a phone number, offering a new possibility that glitters as faintly as stage lights on a memorial set. The office becomes a crossroads where grief, desire, and professional poise intersect.
The film’s narrative voice, subtly supplied by Heather, frames these encounters like an intimate bedtime story, hinting that the tale will one day be passed to a younger generation. Through its muted color palette and a soundtrack that sways between reverent silence and electric pop, the movie invites curiosity about how we confront loss, re‑imagine romance, and ultimately decide who we want to become when the lights dim. The mood remains evocative, never fully resolved, leaving room for wonder.
What Happens in Sleeping Beauties?
The complete story of Sleeping Beauties, from the first scene to the last, in 324 words (about 1 minute). Spoilers throughout.
Spoilers ahead
A mother tells her daughter a real-life fairy tale about a “Princess Charming” and her Sleeping Beauty. Heather [Sarah Lassez] is in love with her girlfriend Cindy [Radha Mitchell] until one day Cindy wakes up and breaks up with Heather, saying she wants a “real prince”. Heather works as a makeup artist at Rolling Headstones Funeral Home in Los Angeles, “making dead rock-stars look good” for their next album covers. One day she is working on the body of musician Sno Blo [Rose McGowan]. Her coworker Vince [Vince Vieluf] brings his new girlfriend to the funeral home. It is Cindy, who is moving back to Los Angeles and wants to be friends with Heather.
Before Sno Blo is buried, the band holds a photo shoot with her at her grave site. Heather does the makeup for the session. The photographer’s assistant Clea [Clea DuVall] flirts with Heather and hands her her telephone number, but Heather can only think about Cindy. Cindy arrives with Vince and tries to persuade the remaining members of the band to let her be their manager. When Vince ruins the opportunity for her, she grows angry with him and tells Heather she’ll be staying with her.
When Heather gets home, she finds Cindy sleeping in her bed. She kisses Cindy to wake her up, and asks for some kind of a response. Cindy tells Heather that she can kiss her if she wants to, but not to expect anything back from her. Heather tells Cindy to get out of her bed and she phones Clea. Later, Heather practices her makeup techniques on Clea and they share a kiss.
Throughout the story, Sno Blo and her band linger in the background, with Sno Blo Band [Nicole Eggert] and Sno Blo Band #2 [Leisha Hailey] contributing to the mood and scenes as supporting figures. In the end, the narrator Heather is joined by Clea to finish telling the story to their daughter.
Sleeping Beauties Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
11 key events in the order they happen, from “Cindy ends their relationship and Heather grieves” to “Narrator Heather is joined by Clea to tell their daughter the tale”. 11 events name a place, across 6 locations.
- 1
Cindy ends their relationship and Heather grieves
Heather is in love with Cindy, but one day Cindy wakes up and ends the relationship, saying she wants a real prince. Heather is left reeling and questions whether true love can endure such a twist. The moment frames the rest of the story as a modern fairy tale turned bittersweet.
Where:Los Angeles
- 2
Heather's makeup artistry at the funeral home
Heather works as a makeup artist at Rolling Headstones Funeral Home in Los Angeles, where she makes deceased rock-stars look good for their album covers. Her artistry brings her into contact with celebrities and mourners, blending glamour with mortality. The job sets the stage for the film's crossover between life, death, and fame.
Where:Rolling Headstones Funeral Home, Los Angeles
- 3
Sno Blo's burial prep and makeup
Heather applies makeup to musician Sno Blo's body as part of the burial preparations. The process highlights the surreal mix of artistry and mortality that defines Heather's daily work. It also foreshadows the intertwining lives of the band and those around Sno Blo.
Where:Rolling Headstones Funeral Home, Los Angeles
- 4
Cindy returns to LA and seeks friendship
Vince brings his new girlfriend to the funeral home, who turns out to be Cindy. Cindy is moving back to Los Angeles and wants to reconnect as friends with Heather. The reunion rekindles old feelings and adds tension to Heather's present life.
Where:Rolling Headstones Funeral Home, Los Angeles
- 5
Grave-side band photo shoot
Before Sno Blo is buried, the band stages a photo shoot at her grave site, with Heather doing the makeup. The scene blends tribute, rock-star fantasy, and mortality in a single tableau. It also intensifies the connection points between the living and the dead.
Where:Sno Blo's grave site, Los Angeles
- 6
Clea flirts with Heather and offers her number
The photographer's assistant Clea flirts with Heather and hands her her telephone number. Heather remains preoccupied with Cindy, highlighting a love-triangle dynamic. This moment introduces a potential new romantic thread for Heather.
Where:Grave site / photo shoot location
- 7
Cindy and Vince push for management; plan collapses
Cindy arrives with Vince and tries to persuade the band's remaining members to hire her as their manager. Vince's interference sabotages the opportunity, and Cindy becomes more determined to stay with Heather. The event escalates the tension between personal desire and professional ambition.
Where:Band's meeting place, Los Angeles
- 8
Cindy decides to stay with Heather
After Vince's disruption, Cindy tells Heather she will stay with her, signaling a renewed commitment to their relationship. Heather feels torn between past heartbreak and present possibility. The moment marks a turning point toward a fragile, resumed bond.
Where:Heather's home
- 9
Heather discovers Cindy asleep in her bed
Heather comes home to find Cindy sleeping in her bed and wakes her with a kiss. Cindy says she can kiss Heather but should not expect anything in return, prompting Heather to tell her to leave. The scene emphasizes boundaries and the fragility of renewed romance.
Where:Heather's home
- 10
Heather and Clea share a kiss
After the confrontation, Heather practices makeup on Clea and they share a kiss. This moment signals a new possible romance and expands Heather's emotional orbit beyond Cindy. Clea's presence starts to redefine Heather's personal life.
Where:Heather's home
- 11
Narrator Heather is joined by Clea to tell their daughter the tale
In the ending, the narrator Heather is joined by Clea to finish telling the story to their daughter. They frame their experiences as a real-life fairy tale being shared within a family. The closing moment reinforces the film's meta-narrative.
Where:Heather's home
Who Are the Main Characters in Sleeping Beauties?
7 characters, among them Heather (Sarah Lassez), Sno Blo and Clea: who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- H(
Heather (Sarah Lassez)
Played by Sarah Lassez
Heather is a makeup artist at Rolling Headstones Funeral Home, balancing artistry with a longing for a real romantic connection. She navigates a complicated love triangle, torn between her relationship with Cindy and her attraction to Clea. Her introspective nature and creative skills drive the emotional core of the story, highlighting nontraditional romance and resilience.
- 🧪 Character
- 🎨 Artist
- 💕 Romance
-
Sno Blo
Played by Rose McGowan
Sno Blo is a deceased rock musician whose body becomes the focal point of a photo shoot, embodying fame and tragedy. Her presence influences the living characters and adds a glamorous, haunted dimension to the funeral home setting. She functions as a cultural icon who lingers in memory and aesthetic after death.
- 🎤 Icon
- 💀 Death
- 🎬 Music
-
Clea
Played by Clea DuVall
Clea is the photographer's assistant who flirts with Heather, offering a potential path to a new form of affection. She represents curiosity and openness, challenging Heather to explore feelings beyond traditional expectations. Her presence fuels the film’s sense of playful, evolving relationships.
- 📷 Photographer
- 💫 Flirt
- 💖 Friend
- V
Vince
Played by Vince Vieluf
Vince is a coworker whose connection to Sno Blo’s legacy and Cindy’s ambitions creates tension and comic friction at the funeral home. He embodies the disruption that fame and complicated relationships can bring to a close-knit circle.
- 👤 Co-worker
- 🎭 Comic relief
- 💔 Tension
-
Cindy
Played by Radha Mitchell
Cindy is Heather's girlfriend who returns to Los Angeles seeking friendship and control over her love life, ultimately expressing a wish for a 'real prince.' Her choices spark Heather's self-discovery and broaden the film's exploration of love.
- 💑 Ex-girlfriend
- 🪞 Choice
- ❤️ Love
- SB
Sno Blo Band
Played by Nicole Eggert
Sno Blo Band is the group led by Sno Blo, whose fame colors the backdrop and provides a soundtrack to the events at the funeral home and grave-site shoot.
- 🎸 Band
- 🎤 Fame
- 🎶 Music
- SB
Sno Blo Band #2
Played by Leisha Hailey
Sno Blo Band #2 is a member of the Sno Blo ensemble, adding further dynamics to the rock-star world depicted in the film.
- 🎼 Bandmate
- 🕊️ Background
- 🎤 Music
Where and When Is Sleeping Beauties Set?
Sleeping Beauties is set in Los Angeles and Rolling Headstones Funeral Home. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Los Angeles, Rolling Headstones Funeral Home
The story unfolds in Los Angeles, centering on the Rolling Headstones Funeral Home where a make-up artist works amid celebrities and the dead. The venue doubles as a backstage of glamor and grief, turning burial into an art form for album covers. The grave-side photo shoots with Sno Blo anchor the film in a world where fame, memory, and appearance intersect.
- 🏙️ Los Angeles
- ⚰️ Funeral Home
What Are the Themes of Sleeping Beauties?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them LGBTQ+ Love, Fairy Tale and Death & Glamour.
-
01
LGBTQ+ Love
The narrative centers on Heather's love for Cindy, challenging conventional expectations of romance. Cindy's wish for a traditional 'real prince' tests the strength of their bond and Heather's own identity. Heather's growing connection with Clea expands the scope of intimate relationships beyond heteronormative norms. The film uses warmth and humor to explore acceptance and queer self-discovery.
-
02
Fairy Tale
A mother narrates the events as a real-life fairy tale, complete with princess motifs and waking romance. The Sleeping Beauty metaphor threads through Heather and Cindy's relationship, highlighting themes of awakening and transformation. The boundary between myth and reality blurs as characters inhabit storybook roles. This metafiction invites a playful, hopeful lens on love and identity within a family context.
-
03
Death & Glamour
Sno Blo's body becomes a stage for glamour—makeup, photo shoots, and spectacle at the funeral home—melding fame with mortality. The setting contrasts celebrity image with the finality of death, suggesting that memory outlives the physical form. The film uses this tension to critique the culture of show business and the rituals surrounding fame. Storytelling itself becomes a way to cope with loss and celebrate unconventional love.
What Kind of Film Is Sleeping Beauties?
Bittersweet in tone, with steady pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Bittersweet
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Happy
A bittersweet and reflective indie romance about navigating heartbreak and cautiously embracing a new connection, told through a gentle, modern fairy tale structure.
- melancholic
- hopeful
- reflective
- nostalgic
- romantic
- quirky
- romantic breakup
- moving on
- lesbian relationship
- grief
Where to Watch Sleeping Beauties
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