The delightfully warm film follows Asian American teenager, Twinkie, on a road trip with her hapless best friend to meet her online crush
BY GEORGIA DIMDORE-MILES, IMAGE BY BFI FLARE
Could you tell us a bit more about yourself and your experience so far as an LGBTQIA+ filmmaker?
My name is Sarah Kambe Holland, and I’m a queer, mixed-Asian filmmaker. The proof-of-concept short film that inspired Egghead & Twinkie was the first LGBTQIA-themed film I ever directed, because prior to that I was in the closet. With that said, I’ve always been passionate about minority representation in film, given my background as an actor, and I hope to continue to shine light on the experiences of sapphic women in my future work.
What are three adjectives that capture your film’s spirit?
Witty, fast-paced, heart-warming.
What inspired you to submit your film to BFI Flare and what does it mean to you?
I’m a big fan of the British Film Institute, and I had heard amazing things about BFI Flare from fellow LGBTQIA filmmakers. I also knew that I wanted to bring Egghead & Twinkie to the UK, because my dad is British, so I spent many summers in England when I was growing up. I’m so completely ecstatic to be a part of BFI Flare, especially given its long history of championing queer independent cinema!
Why do you think onscreen representation at BFI Flare is valuable for LGBTQIA+ audiences and allies?
Onscreen representation at events like BFI Flare is important, because it lets LGBTQIA audiences know that their stories matter. Many of us spend years feeling very alone in our identities. So, I think there is a certain power in being able to see characters who reflect our lived experiences up on the big screen, and to hear an audience full of people clapping and cheering them on. For allies, supporting queer independent cinema is a great way to learn more about the community and the issues we feel are important.
Part of BFI Flare is the #FiveFilmsForFreedom initiative – five films are streamed for free for audiences globally. It invites everyone everywhere to show solidarity with LGBTQIA+ communities in countries where freedom and equal rights are limited. Why do you think this is important?
The fight for LGBTQIA rights is an international initiative, because not all countries afford queer people with the same liberties. I think it’s important to have a global perspective and to uplift the voices of LGBTQIA communities all over the world, especially in countries where their voices are being actively suppressed.
Could you tell us a bit about your film and the themes it explores?
My debut feature film, Egghead & Twinkie, is a coming-of-age comedy about coming out of the closet. It follows an Asian American teenage girl as she comes out to her parents and takes off on a road trip to meet her online crush with the help of her hapless best friend. So, it’s like a road movie, a buddy comedy, and a coming-of-age story all rolled into one. Between the jokes and some fun 2D-animated elements, the movie does tackle larger issues and themes, including racial identity, teenage sexuality, LGBTQIA allyship, and of course, friendship.
If you had to choose one film that inspired this feature, what would it be?
Only one film? That’s tough! I think I’d have to go with Little Miss Sunshine, because it’s my favourite road movie, and tonally, I tried to strike that balance between the laugh out loud moments and a few hard-hitting emotional scenes. But stylistically, people have said our movie is similar to Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, if it were gayer and made on a microbudget.
What do you hope LGBTQIA+ audiences take away from the film?
The main message of the film is about friendship. So, I hope that LGBTQIA audiences will walk out of the movie theatre knowing that they should surround themselves with friends who will accept and support them exactly as they are.
What is your favourite LGBTQIA+ film of all time?
I watch so many LGBTQIA films I don’t think I can pick a favourite! But I’d say The Way He Looks is high on my list. Both the proof-of-concept short and the final feature are wonderful. It’s uplifting with a great soundtrack and very touching performances.
Finally, what do you think are the next steps for LGBTQIA+ representation in the film industry?
I would love for the film industry to uplift more queer creators to tell the stories they want to tell. And by that, I mean stories of all different genres! I want sweet teen comedies. I want historical period pieces. I want weird sci-fi movies, docs, slashers, you name it! I think the most important thing is that these LGBTQIA films should come from an honest and impassioned place so that the proper care is put into making them.
Egghead & Twinkie screens at BFI Flare on Thursday 16 March, 18:10, Saturday 18 March, 11:20 and Sunday 26 March at 19:45. For further details visit the BFI Flare website.
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