RECAP: Empire Waist at Annapolis 💜
Our hearts are full after screening for hundreds of high schoolers and amazing crowds at the 2024 Annapolis Film Festival!
For a writer, I’m having a pretty hard time putting into words just how affirming and empowering this past weekend at the Annapolis Film Festival was for our team.
So I’ll let this picture speak for me:
Thanks to the support of festival founders Patti White and Lee Anderson, as well as our distributor Blue Fox Entertainment, my two leads Mia Kaplan and Jemima Yevu were able to fly in for the weekend—allowing us to reunite after THREE years!!
On Friday, we screened EMPIRE WAIST for hundreds of Maryland high school students and educators as part of the festival’s Education Day, followed by a Q&A. Seeing these students lock into the story and root for our characters was deeply moving. And when the students realized our stars Mia and Mima were there, and flew in just to speak to them, they lost their MINDS.
But it was hearing directly from students after the screening that we will never forget—about how they saw themselves in our characters, how much that representation meant to them, and how many of them have their own dreams to go into the arts. Maryland students RULE and we can’t wait to bring the film back there when we hit theaters nationwide.
Post-screening mood:
On Saturday, we screened the film for a packed house at the Boys & Girls Club Theater for the festival’s public screening. Not only was the crowd excited and passionate about the film—and hearing from our actors—but many people from the screening stopped us all on the street and at events throughout the festival to tell us how moved they were by our film and how excited they were to share it with their children, students, and loved ones.
We loved connecting with the passionate audiences at the Annapolis Film Festival, and I’ll be donating to ensure that this special and supportive space for artists and film lovers in MD continues for many years to come.
Last but not least: Shoutout to my parents who drove all the way from Connecticut to join in on the festival fun, watched the film twice in 24 hours, and generously allowed their 30-year-old daughter to move into their basement for 3 years to make her dream a reality.
Before you feel sorry for me, Mom wants you all to know it’s a VERY nice basement.
May 1st - Dallas International Film Festival ðŸ¤
On May 1st, I’ll be at the Dallas International Film Festival to screen the film and speak with TX high schoolers! My Texas-based lead Mia Kaplan will be driving in from Austin to chat with them :)
May 5th - NY Screening at Coney Island! 🎢
Then, we’ll be in BROOKLYN, baby!
We’ll be screening at the Coney Island Film Festival on Sunday, May 5th at 5pm, followed by a Q&A. Individual tickets are already sold out (!!!) for our screening, but fear not! You can still buy a Sunday Screening Pass and join in on the fun.
Will love and joy,
Claire