When I first moved to Orlando in the spring of 2021, I was nervous about figuring out how I would become involved in the film community at UCF. I had no idea where to begin, who to talk to first, or even what exactly I wanted to do in the film industry.
Then, I received an email about a ‘Production Meet and Greet’ hosted by the school. Though it was through Zoom, I got the opportunity to meet some of the principle crew for a feature-length film. After a few interviews, I was offered the position of a COVID-19 Safety Production Assistant, though I would eventually end up as a script supervisor and assistant art director.
This special film is titled Egghead and Twinkie. You may have heard of this project, especially because of its viral TikTok following in the last few years. It is a queer coming-of-age story about an Asian-American girl who goes by the name Twinkie, and she convinces her best friend, who goes by the name of Egghead, to impulsively go on a road trip with her.
After years of hard work by writer and director Sarah Holland and the many, many people apart of the crew, you have the opportunity to see more than just snippets of the film on your vertical screen.
As an official selection of the Florida Film Festival, Egghead and Twinkie is coming to Regal Winter Park Village (7 p.m. on April 16) and the Enzian (9:15 p.m. April 20), and tickets are already on sale. What better way to celebrate a local micro-budget film than to dress up and hit the cutest local theaters? Both screenings will feature a live Q&A with the actors playing titular characters, Sabrina Jieafa and Louis Tomeo, and the festival will also be hosting a panel with writer/director Sarah Holland that will feature conversations surrounding LGBTQ+ representation.
Amid the conservative bills being passed into law, making our voices and art heard loud and proud is special and important. Consider celebrating your local queer artists in big and small ways and spreading the word about Egghead and Twinkie, a film meant to be seen.