New body positivity film Empire Waist features non-binary star and queer fans can’t wait
Empire Waist stars Mia Kaplan (left) and Jemima Yevu (right). (YouTube/Blue Fox Entertainment)
As Brat summer ends, it’s time to look ahead at what pieces of culture will be making up the zeitgeist this autumn. Mia Kaplan’s new body positivity film Empire Waist could be in the running.
Empire Waist follows non-binary SMILF actor Mia Kaplan as Lenore, a young high school student who feels “deeply insecure” about her weight, as per the film’s official synopsis.
Her life revolves around body image; when she’s not at school trying to avoid cruel, aesthetic-obsessed classmates, she’s at home with her “image-conscious” mother, played by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory star, Missi Pyle.
Throw in the fact that she is hugely passionate about fashion design and clothes, and it seems her life has to revolve around the way she looks.
Yet her life gradually changes with a little help from her friends (particularly best friend Kayla, played by newcomer Jemima Yevu), her biggest cheerleader and father, Mark (The Office star Rainn Wilson), and her teacher Ms Hall (WandaVision star Jolene Purdy), as they encourage her to follow her dream of becoming a fashion designing superstar.
The recently released trailer for the new film, directed by Claire Ayoub, starts with a dejected Lenore trundling through the school hallways, questioning: “If you could have any superpower in the world, what would it be?”
As she responds to the question with “invisibility,” new classmate Kayla arrives, and is fatefully paired up with Lenore.
As both the new girl and someone with a larger body type, Kayla faces mean quips from her fellow students, but she’s unbothered. “Just when I though you couldn’t take up any more space,” spews one student. “Was that a fat joke,” Kayla responds with feigned hurt, clutching her invisible pearls and leaving the bully with egg on her face.
Kayla’s love for Lenore’s design skills opens up a new world of possibility, as she sets out to make Kayla a new dress – and everyone at school loves it. “That’s an empire waist, universally flattering,” utters one student.
Before long, all of Lenore’s friends – including Tina, played by trans actress Holly McDowell – are wearing her works.
Kayla then gets to work on her next endeavour, encouraging Lenore to enter the fashion institute’s new designer showcase. Through collaboration, the collection comes to life, and Lenore’s dreams take shape.
Despite it not hitting cinemas for a month yet, queer film lovers have already dubbed the heartfelt, feel-good feature “fantastic”.
“A film with multiple fat leads, disabled, trans and poc [people of colour] characters, body positivity, AND fat fashion? I’m seated,” wrote one fan on X/Twitter, in a viral post that has acquired nearly one million views. “The theatre employees are scared and asking me to leave because it’s ‘not out yet’ but I’m simply too seated!”
“Okay, I need EVERYONE to SHOW THE F**K UP for this movie when it comes out in theatres,” wrote another film lover, as a third admitted: “Not me crying at just the trailer.”
“The trailer made me emotional,” wrote a fourth. “The representation is so beautiful to see. I wanna go see this!”
Empire Waist is out in cinemas from 27 September.
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