EMPIRE WAIST Trailer (2024) Mia Kaplan, Drama Movie

EMPIRE WAIST Trailer (2024) Mia Kaplan, Drama Movie

EMPIRE WAIST Trailer (2024) Mia Kaplan, Drama Movie
© 2024 - Blue Fox Entertainment
ComingSoon can exclusively reveal the trailer for Empire Waist, a new coming-of-age dramedy movie coming to theaters. Directed by Claire Ayoub, the movie stars Mia Kaplan, Rainn Wilson, and more. It will be released nationwide in the United States and in Canada on September 27, 2024, from Blue Fox Entertainment.

“Lenore Miller is a plus-size, insecure teen whose talent for fashion is discovered by her confident, plus-sized classmate, forcing her into the spotlight—and into the path of both bullies and new friends. Lenore’s father Mark (Wilson) is her biggest cheerleader, but the fears of her image-conscious mother (Pyle) and Lenore’s own insecurities prevent her from wearing her own designs. Will Lenore ever feel the self-love she inspires in others?” reads the synopsis.

Check out the exclusive Empire Waist trailer and poster below (watch more trailers):

What is Empire Waist about?
Along with Kaplan (SMILF) and Wilson (The Office), Empire Waist stars Missi Pyle, Jemima Yevu, Jolene Purdy, Daisy Washington, Holly McDowell, Kassandra Tellez, Isabella Pisacane, Tabyana Ali, Aric Floyd, and Joe Ando-Hirsh.

Crystal Collins, Justin Baldoni, and Andrew Calof serve as producers on the film, while the production companies are Wayfarer Studios, P&G Studios, Try Anyway Productions, and American High. Steve Sarowitz, Jeremy Garelick, Will Phelps, Molle DeBartolo, Kimberly Doebereiner, and Anna Saalfeld serve as executive producers, while Angela Cardon is the co-producer.

“Making Empire Waist was such a deeply healing experience for me,” Ayoub previously said about the movie, via Deadline. “Knowing that audiences across North America and around the world will be learning that they are worthy and loved exactly as they are goes beyond my wildest dreams. I’m so grateful to the team at Blue Fox Entertainment for championing our film and its message.”
Blue Fox Entertainment announced on Tuesday that it will be bringing Wayfarer Studios’ body-positive, coming-of-age YA film Empire Waist, starring Mia Kaplan (SMILF), Rainn Wilson (The Office) and Missi Pyle (Captain Fantastic), to theaters across the U.S. and Canada on September 27.

Marking the debut feature of writer-director Claire Ayoub, whose script was ranked as the #1 Comedy on the Black List in 2019, the film follows Lenore Miller (Kaplan), an overweight, insecure teen whose talent for fashion is discovered by her confident, plus-sized classmate (newcomer Jemima Yevu), forcing her into the spotlight — and into the path of both bullies and new friends. Lenore’s father Mark (Wilson) is her biggest cheerleader, but the fears of her image-conscious mother (Pyle) and Lenore’s own insecurities prevent her from wearing her own designs. Will Lenore ever feel the self-love she inspires in others?

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In conjunction with Empire Waist‘s theatrical release, the filmmakers will soon unveil the Empire Waist Confidence Curriculum — a free resource on body image and self-confidence for tweens, teens, and adults, enabled by Gillette Venus, which will help them to process questions and feelings raised by the film.

Watch on Deadline
Produced in association with Ayoub’s Try Anyway Productions, American High, Wayfarer Studios and P&G Studios, pic’s cast also includes Jolene Purdy (The White Lotus), Daisy Washington (Spider-Man: The Lost Avenger), Holly McDowell (Lie Next to Me), newcomer Kassandra Tellez, Isabella Pisacane (Law & Order; Special Victims Unit), Tabyana Ali (General Hospital), Aric Floyd (Doors), and fashion designer Joe Ando-Hirsh (The Walking Dead).

The film was produced by Crystal Collins, Justin Baldoni and Andrew Calof. Steve Sarowitz, Jeremy Garelick, Will Phelps, Molle DeBartolo, Kimberly Doebereiner, and Anna Saalfeld served as executive producers, with Angela Cardon as co-producer. Blue Fox acquired worldwide rights to the project last year and launched sales ahead Cannes, at the same time setting plans to release the film domestically.

In a statement on the acquisition, Ayoub told Deadline, “Making Empire Waist was such a deeply healing experience for me. Knowing that audiences across North America and around the world will be learning that they are worthy and loved exactly as they are goes beyond my wildest dreams. I’m so grateful to the team at Blue Fox Entertainment for championing our film and its message.”

Added Blue Fox’s Lisa Gutberlet, “We’re very excited to bring Empire Waist and its body-positive messaging to theatrical audiences this Fall. Working with Wayfarer Studios, P&G Studios, and writer-director Claire Ayoub on her debut feature has been a dream, and we look forward to seeing how impactful this film about self-love will be to anyone who has ever felt uncomfortable in their own skin.”
Blue Fox Entertainment has added Wayfarer Studios’ body-positive, coming-of-age YA film Empire Waist starring Rainn Wilson, Missi Pyle and Mia Kaplan to its Cannes slate.

Claire Ayoub wrote and directed her feature directorial debut about a group of teens who overcome societal bias and celebrate self-acceptance through inclusive fashion design and friendship.

Lenore (Kaplan) is a teen deeply insecure about her weight. Hiding her passion for fashion design, she tries to make herself invisible in her day-to-day life to avoid being bullied by her classmates and image-conscious mother (Pyle).

Lenore’s father Mark (Wilson) is her biggest cheerleader and her best friend Kayla (newcomer Jemima Yevu) is confident, funny, outgoing, and proud of her plus-sized body. Through their support along with teacher Ms. Hall (Jolene Purdy) Lenore is encouraged to step outside her comfort zone and embrace her talent.

Jemima Yevu and Jolene Purdy

Source: Mildred Agyapong / Irvin Rivera

Jemima Yevu and Jolene Purdy

Empire Waist is produced by Crystal Collins, Justin Baldoni and Andrew Calof. Steve Sarowitz, Jeremy Garelick, Will Phelps, and Molle DeBartolo served as executive producers, and Angela Cardon is co-producing.

The film was produced in association with Ayoub’s Try Anyway Productions and American High and was fully financed by Wayfarer Studios and P&G Studios/Gillette Venus.

Blue Fox’s Lisa Gutberlet said: “We’re so thrilled to bring Empire Waist to the international marketplace and to be working with Wayfarer Studios. Writer-director Claire Ayoub and the film’s stellar cast have brought to life a fantastic and entertaining film, that champions body positivity, diversity and the power of female friendship.”

Ayoub added: “I wrote Empire Waist for my inner 12-year-old self who never thought she was worthy of her dreams due to her weight. Bringing this film to life fulfilled a creative dream for me, but it also proved to be a deeply healing experience, as well. I am so proud of the film we’ve made – a true love letter of self-love and friendship – and am beyond excited to work alongside Blue Fox Entertainment to share Empire Waist with the world.”

Blue Fox Entertainment’s Cannes sales roster includes satirical comedy Maximum Truth starring Ike Barinholtz and Dylan O’Brien. Recent international sales titles include Aristotle And Dante Discover The Secrets Of The Universe, and Space Oddity directed by Kyra Sedgwick.