movies: Empire Waist
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| title | country | year | length | director | url | blurb | virtual_screening | programmer_blurb | trailer_url | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empire Waist | USA | 2021 | 94 | Claire Ayoub | https://www.siff.net/festival/empire-waist | Lenore Miller’s size has always earned her teases and jeers in her school’s hallways, but this clothes-loving teenager is about to set the world on fire with her own line of inclusive fashion designs. Co-starring Rainn Wilson and Missi Pyle. | 0 | It’s rare that a debut feature hits with so much laughter and heartbreaking relatability as Claire Ayoub’s Empire Waist. Inspired by her personal essay “Notes to My Twelve-Year-Old Self,” Empire Waist centers on Lenore (Mia Kaplan), a highschooler deeply insecure about her weight and desperate to make herself smaller wherever she goes. After a friendship blooms between her and Kayla (Jemima Yevu), an extroverted and confident fellow plus-size teen, Lenore begins stepping outside of her shell and embracing who she really is. Despite warnings from her mother (Missi Pyle, Galaxy Quest)—a diet-obsessed woman struggling with her own insecurities—and cruel bullying by the popular crowd at school, Lenore makes a group of friends who are all dealing with their own obstacles, and with them enters a fashion design contest. With the support of her new friends, her father (walking dad-joke Rainn Wilson, “The Office”) and her teacher (Jolene Purdy, “Orange is the New Black”), Lenore proves that loving yourself is a radical act. Empire Waist’s diverse young cast, spearheaded by newcomers Kaplan and Yevu, bring sparkling chemistry and hard-hitting authenticity to their roles. With hallway struts that rival your favorite ’90s teen movies, colorful photoshoot montages, and laugh-out-loud dialogue, Empire Waist is more than just another high school flick; it’s a joyful journey for anyone who’s ever struggled to love themselves.—Emalie Soderback | English |