Natalia, a young burlesque hotshot accustomed to headlining, is shocked and slighted when the headliner spot goes to Momma Money Button, an elderly showgirl. Adding insult to injury, Momma requests Natalia help strap on her high heels for her. Seething, Natalia kneels and fastens a worn set of ballroom shoes onto the old lady’s feet - and leaves one of the straps unbuckled in a plot to sabotage her unlikely nemesis. But Natalia soon learns that the old lady is an Old Legend and is not easily thwarted once she steps on stage.

Natalia, a young burlesque hotshot accustomed to headlining, is shocked and slighted when the headliner spot goes to Momma Money Button, an elderly showgirl. Adding insult to injury, Momma requests Natalia help strap on her high heels for her. Seething, Natalia kneels and fastens a worn set of ballroom shoes onto the old lady’s feet - and leaves one of the straps unbuckled in a plot to sabotage her unlikely nemesis. But Natalia soon learns that the old lady is an Old Legend and is not easily thwarted once she steps on stage.

Origin Story of High Heels movie with director, Tonya Kay

Artist Profile of Canadian filmmaker and director of High Heels movie, Tonya Kay

Mentorship and Age vs. Youth themes in High Heels movie with director, Tonya Kay

Cancer comeback with High Heels movie director, Tonya Kay

"Fresh Squeeze" lyrics and vocals by Nadia von Hahn, recorded for High Heels movie at Wizard&Sage Performance&Audio in Vancouver, BC, mastered by Joey Heshion.

KALLIE HU as Natalia

Born in Vancouver BC, Kallie trained as a dancer and competed across North America while completing a Cognitive Systems degree at the University of British Columbia. Her plans to accept a masters program in Barcelona were derailed when she booked her first dance role in Disney’s Descendants 2 before a serendipitous crossover into acting.  Since, she has performed as Peg on Paramount+'s Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, Showtime’s Yellowjackets, CW’s The Flash, DC’S Legends of Tomorrow and Charmed. Fun fact: Kallie was hired the night before the filming of High Heels and had next to no rehearsal before arriving on set!

JUDITH STEIN as Momma Money Button

As a recognized Legend of Burlesque, Judith recalls director Tonya Kay reaching out to her directly to perform the role of Momma Money Button and without prior experience acting on camera, Judith responded, "Thanks for giving me a shot!". With 52 years of exotic dance experience, Judith related to the role of the aging stripper who has become the target of abuse by a much younger burlesque performer. She has been recognized twice in the International Burlesque Top 50 for her great contribution to the art of burlesque and was featured in HBO’s League of Exotic Dancers, a documentary about women in their 60s - 90s who still perform burlesque with the style and cheekiness that was a requirement for the strippers of their era. Judith lauds with praise Tonya and her exceptional crew, who took a chance on this movie newcomer, all of whom were kind and patient as "this old dog learned some new tricks”.

Tiana Swan

Frankie

Christopher hunte

Stormy Grey

JUSTIN ANTHONY

Harry

Abby Metcalfe, Aidan Muth & Odessa Beaty

Can Can Dancers

Olivia Barnabe

Contortionist

Zachary Burke & Lauren Maynard

Tap Dancers

This story actually happened to me.The previous decades of my life have been that of a professional dancer, performing on Broadway, in Las Vegas and on tour. I'd been the young hotshot who took for granted her headlining spot on every stage and one night in Hollywood, I entered the theatre, read the posted show flow and gasp - someone had taken my spot! I casually asked whom was headlining (if it wasn't me!) and was introduced to an elderly showgirl in the dressing room. This arthritic exotic dancer asked me to put her shoes on for her since she "couldn't reach her feet anymore"! Shocked and bewildered, I performed my very athletic signature act on stage and waited in the back of the house to see what was so special about this senior citizen strip-teaser and WOW, was I humbled. When she stepped on stage, she exuded pure joy and boundless confidence gained only from decades of experience. She didn't have to dance on those swollen feet at all - she just had to let us behold her having that much fun entertaining - the audience was hers! Later, I found out this was burlesque legend, Satan's Angel, originator of the "fire tits" act. An act I had been tributing for years.

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TONYA KAY, director / producer / story by

Tonya Kay's career started as a professional dancer on Broadway and in blockbusters. Expect to see dynamic physicality, choreographed camera movements and a fascination with bodies glorified in all their gross, hilarious and sensual shapes in Tonya Kay-directed works. Mentored by Birds of Prey director, Cathy Yan, Tonya Kay's film directing debut, The Ascension of Ava Delaine (Amazon Prime), was called a "ridiculously difficult" single-take shot entirely on drone and won the AT&T SHAPE Film Awards with notable funding at Warner Bros Studios. Her tv directorial debut premiered on The CW in Ripley's Believe It Or Not! Curious Christmas segment, which she also wrote. With an established film/tv acting career, Tonya Kay works quickly and powerfully with actors' unique psychology as seen in her latest directing efforts; thriller Every Digital Ghost, comedy Band, the Admit One series and a library of artistic music videos with contortionist, Lyra Star.

TONYA KAY, director / producer / story by

Tonya Kay's career started as a professional dancer on Broadway and in blockbusters. Expect to see dynamic physicality, choreographed camera movements and a fascination with bodies glorified in all their gross, hilarious and sensual shapes in Tonya Kay-directed works. Mentored by Birds of Prey director, Cathy Yan, Tonya Kay's film directing debut, The Ascension of Ava Delaine (Amazon Prime), was called a "ridiculously difficult" single-take shot entirely on drone and won the AT&T SHAPE Film Awards with notable funding at Warner Bros Studios. Her tv directorial debut premiered on The CW in Ripley's Believe It Or Not! Curious Christmas segment, which she also wrote. With an established film/tv acting career, Tonya Kay works quickly and powerfully with actors' unique psychology as seen in her latest directing efforts; thriller Every Digital Ghost, comedy Band, the Admit One series and a library of artistic music videos with contortionist, Lyra Star.

ROBERT BEAUCAGE, screenwriter / co-producer

Robert Beaucage is an award-winning writer and producer. Their first narrative feature film, Closer to Death, won awards on the festival circuit and Robert’s second feature, dark fantasy, Spike, premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival where it was chosen as part of their Best of the Fest, won Best Fantasy Feature Film at Shriekfest in Los Angeles and has aired continuously by distributors such as Showtime, NBCUniversal, Starz, Amazon and Vudu. Their third feature, Raze, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was released theatrically by IFC Films. With the support of Bob Gale and NBCUniversal, Robert wrote and directed short film, Back to the 2015 Future, shot at Courthouse Square on the Universal Studios Backlot with cameos from several of the original Back to the Future cast members. It premiered at Universal CityWalk as part of the Back to the Future 30th Anniversary celebration and has millions of views on YouTube.

TEDDY YONENAKA, executive producer

Teddy Yonenaka is an IATSE Department Head helping productions from studios like Marvel, Lucas Films, Netflix and Disney go smoothly for the past 31 years. High Heels marks his sixth film project with director, Tonya Kay.

TEDDY YONENAKA, executive producer

Teddy Yonenaka is an IATSE Department Head helping productions from studios like Marvel, Lucas Films, Netflix and Disney go smoothly for the past 31 years. High Heels marks his sixth film project with director, Tonya Kay.

ROGAN LOVSE, cinematographer

Rogan Lovse is an aspiring cinematographer with over 8 years of experience on a plethora of IATSE projects in both the lighting and camera departments. Rogan has had the opportunity to learn from a multitude of established cinematographers that have helped to hone his craft. That combined with significant technical knowledge of camera systems as a 1st AC, has led to a budding indie portfolio of projects. Rogan was accepted into the ASC’s 2024 Vision Mentorship Program and was awarded Best Cinematography at Vancouver’s 48 hour film competition, Run N Gun.

DENNIS HO, editor

Dennis's roster of projects as a tv producer includes Fantastic Four (Marvel) and Iron Man. Dennis’ experience as a short-form creative includes a legion of on-air promo and advertising for Disney, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros, Universal and ABC. As director, his feature film A Better Place and documentary feature Qi, have won countless accolades and can be seen on online streaming platforms and have screened internationally.

DENNIS HO, editor

Dennis's roster of projects as a tv producer includes Fantastic Four (Marvel) and Iron Man. Dennis’ experience as a short-form creative includes a legion of on-air promo and advertising for Disney, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros, Universal and ABC. As director, his feature film A Better Place and documentary feature Qi, have won countless accolades and can be seen on online streaming platforms and have screened internationally.

BREANNA ENGLISH & CHRISTIAN LAGASSE, choreographers

Founder of PLATFORM On Camera, Breanna has established herself as a renowned choreographer, producer and educator in the entertainment industry. She has collaborated with industry leaders such as Disney, Warner Bros and Netflix and choreographed feature film A Nice Indian Boy, coming to theaters in the United States in April 2025. She is also recognized for her role as the dancing Scooby-Doo in Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.Christian Lagasse is a choreographer, motion capture performer and actor whom has worked on over 250 projects for companies including Nickelodeon, Disney, Netflix and 20th Century Fox. His credits include The Thundermans: Undercover, New Tales From The Borderlands, Disney's Descendants 1 & 2, The Edge Of Seventeen, Riverdale, The Art Of Racing In The Rain, DC's Legends Of Tomorrow and A Nice Indian Boy.