Maddie's Secret

Two-time Emmy-nominated gay cult comedian John Early has built up a loyal fanbase in his home country of America over many years. Early's performances, including covers of pop divas, are shot through with sincere gender-bending and a love of the exaggerated emotions and aesthetics of camp (aimed squarely against 'good' taste). With Maddie's Secret, he directs his first independent feature film. The all-round artist steals the show himself as protagonist Maddie, a successful food influencer secretly battling a simmering eating disorder. For the film's script and style, Early drew inspiration from unadulterated 1950s melodramas (think Douglas Sirk), as well as those made for television in the 1980s, especially ones starring housewives in the lead role. The influence of John Waters, and even Showgirls, is never far away either. Played with total sincerity, the result is a hilarious satire that at the same time dares to be vulnerable.