Austin Film Festival 2023: Sarah Kambe Holland Discusses Egghead & Twinkie, Using Humor to Shed Light on Important Societal Issues, and More

Sarah Kambe Holland is an emerging filmmaker and one of the most exciting new voices in the industry. Her directorial debut, Egghead & Twinkie, has garnered international recognition and been showcased at festivals around the world including Cinequest, the Toronto International Film Festival, Outfest, and the Asian American International Film Festival.

After awkwardly coming out to her conservative parents, Asian-American teen, Twinkie (Sabrina Jieafa), convinces her BFF Egghead (Louis Tomeo) to come along on a cross-country road trip to meet her online crush at “Lez Dance”, a big lesbian dance party in Texas. Unfortunately, Egghead has no idea what he’s being roped into, and he just confessed his long-hidden feelings for Twinkie with disastrous results. Bursting with colorful animation and kinetic comic book flourishes, Egghead & Twinkie is a heartwarmingly sincere directorial debut about embracing your identity and the ups and downs of best friendship.

Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Sarah about Egghead & Twinkie, bringing levity to the coming-out experience and racial identity, and more.

PC: The coming-out experience is unique for each person, but for some, it could be difficult, which is often how it’s depicted in mainstream media. However, Egghead & Twinkie bring so much heart and levity to that journey. Why was that so important to you as a storyteller? How were you able to toe that line so effortlessly?
Sarah: I really wanted to tell a positive, uplifting, heartwarming story because I hadn’t really seen the coming-out process portrayed in that light. I’m someone who copes with hard or awkward things with humor. That’s something that came very naturally to write, a comedy about coming out.

PC: You take audiences on such an emotional journey throughout the film. They’re going to laugh at different points. There will be tears shed. What was that casting process like finding your two leads who not only have to play with the comedic beats, but the dramatic ones as well?
Sarah: It was a tall order. When we originally cast Egghead and Twinkie, it was actually for the short film that came before the feature. The short had much less emotional depth because it’s a short. It’s only eight minutes long. When I brought them on, I didn’t know if they’d have the emotional depth to tackle the feature.

It was during the making of the short that we formed that relationship. I saw what they were capable of. I saw their amazing chemistry together. I was like, “This is a no-brainer. I need to bring them back for the feature.”

PC: I imagine as the writer, you have a strong sense of who these characters are, but when you cast your actors, you want them to make them their own. Having worked with Sabrina and Louis on the short, how did you play to each of their strengths and their interpretations of Egghead and Twinkie for the full-length feature? What was that collaboration like?
Sarah: It was such a big help having both Louis and Sabrina in mind when I was writing the feature because I could really hear their voices in my head as I was writing the jokes. I was like, “Louis would say this really funny,” or Sabrina could pull this off. I really do think that helped me in writing the characters. Their voices and their energy as people very much molded the characters in the feature-length script.

PC: They have such incredible chemistry on screen. Was there a moment when you were filming either the short or the full-length feature where you realized that they had the dynamic needed to bring these two characters to life?
Sarah: I don’t know if it was one specific moment. It was more a sense of relief that it happened. When we did the short film, Louis and Sabrina had not met each other. There’s actually a decent age gap between them as well. When we were doing the short, Louis was sixteen. He was a baby. Sabrina was closer to my age. I was like, “Is it going to be really weird that Louis is so much younger?” The second that we put the two of them together, they had this amazing chemistry. I really bought them as best friends. They made my work really easy.

PC: You also write with so much authenticity. Many people, especially the Asian community, will resonate in the moment where Twinkie explains the meaning behind her name and how she’s taken that power back. How much of the story is based on your own personal experiences and anecdotes? Why was it so important for that scene to be included?
Sarah: Twinkie is very much her own character, and the story is very much a fictionalized story. But I was pulling from a lot of my own feelings growing up as a queer, mixed Asian person. So speaking to Twinkie’s name specifically and a scene that happens between her and another Asian-American character throughout the film where they talk about their identity, it was really important for me to include that aspect of racial identity in the film.

There’s this weird idea that if you’re doing a coming-out movie, then it’s gay, and you can’t throw in race on top of that. That’ll be too much for people to handle. But that’s been my whole life. Life is intersectional and intersecting.

I was excited and nervous about including this character who is essentially reclaiming an insult that’s been used against her as a means of self-defense or a means of reclamation to empower herself where she’s at right now in life.

PC: You’re also able to incorporate elements of your character into the viewing experience with the use of animation. What was that process like weaving that into the narrative and finding moments when it served the story and didn’t detract from it?
Sarah: It was such a balance trying to toe that line. Originally when I wrote the script, I did write in several of the animation cues. But then when we got into post and we had the footage, there was a degree of watching it as a whole and then reassessing and being like, “Is this adding to the story? Do we need more animation here?” That was very much a collaborative process between myself and our lead animator, Jill Cefalo-Sanders. It’s was a super interesting process. We were sitting back and we were watching the film trying to find moments that would be enhanced by adding more animations.

There’s this whole section of the film that’s about twenty minutes where Twinkie is going through some hard stuff. She’s really hard on her luck and struggling to find herself. It was during that time that Jill and I were reassessing, and we realized we didn’t want any animation during that whole twenty-minute chunk when Twinkie is at rock bottom. So we actually went in and pulled out all of the animation that was in that section. I think that was the right decision, but that’s something that happened during post.

PC: Sabrina brought so much nuance to that scene in particular. As the director, how did you create the space for her to dive into that moment?
Sarah: First of all, Sabrina is just amazing. She’s willing to be vulnerable, which is really the first thing that I was looking for in someone to play this role. But also that particular scene, I wanted to shoot it in one take. The DP was moving with her through the whole scene. We did it in one take and then in post, we went in and chopped it so it doesn’t really play as a oner when you watch it. But for us shooting it, I didn’t want to interrupt her or get in her space and guide her through it. I wanted her to have the space and time to really live through it in the moment. That was something I felt blessed to be able to do, and we were able to carve out that time to do it right. She’s phenomenal in that scene.

PC: You also have experience acting as well. Have you found that your experiences in front of the camera have impacted the way that you approach your work as a director and writer, and vice versa?
Sarah: Absolutely. I’m so glad that I have a background in acting and working with actors because it’s helped me so much as a director. There’s this language that actors speak. It just makes it easier. It makes it easier to talk to actors when you’ve done it yourself.

PC: This story has been six years, but it’s only grown in relevance with the political climate. As you’ve brought this film around the festival circuit, could you ever imagine that it would have the impact that it’s had on audiences where they feel seen and less alone? How much does that motivate you to continue to be that much-needed voice in this industry?
Sarah: I hoped that it would reach people in that way, but you never know. It was terrifying when we were submitting to festivals. We got our fair share of rejections and all of that. But it’s really blown me away, the number of festivals we’ve been to, the places we’ve been able to travel to and bring this film, and the audiences we’ve been able to share it with.

When I wrote it, I was like, “This is going to be a film for young LGBTQ+ people.” That’s what I had in mind, but it’s really grown into something so much larger than I could ever imagine. The people who have watched it and enjoyed it have been people of all ages, and all walks of life. It’s been incredible to get that sort of feedback.

PC: It’s a huge undertaking when you’re making a film. This is the first feature that you’ve done, and I know that’s the case for many of your crew as well. Is there a scene or moment that you’re the most proud of?
Sarah: Ah. I don’t know. You’re right in that everyone that worked on this film, I believe it’s their first feature. We were learning as we went along. I’d say one of the scenes that sticks out to me the most, without giving anything away, is the chase scene where Egghead and Twinkie are running around.

As a micro-budget filmmaker with no money, people were like, “Do not write a chase scene in your movie.” I had so many people tell me to take that scene out because of the budget. But I was so adamant that it was going to stay in, and we figured it out. Every time that I watch that scene, I’m so proud of our whole crew for figuring out a way to make it work.

PC: One of the messages I took away from this film is that you’ll find the people in your life who will accept you for who you are. Who are the people in your own life who have impacted you as a storyteller?
Sarah: As far as people in my own life, it’s definitely the teachers that I’ve had growing up. I was really, really fortunate to have English teachers, theater teachers, and film teachers who supported me in my journey as a young person. I fell in love with creative writing and storytelling when I was in the fourth grade because of my teacher. That’s something that I’ve been really grateful for. I’ve had people in my personal life that have supported me and fostered my growth.

PC: Like we were just talking about, this is your feature film debut. Congratulations, by the way. What’s been the most surprising part? What’s been the biggest takeaway?
Sarah: I’ve learned so much going through trial by fire and making mistakes. It’s been about getting back up, learning, and collaborating. I’d say one of the biggest things that I’ve learned is the importance of teamwork and how incredible it is when people can get together to make something happen. There’s no way that I would have been able to make this movie on my own. I’m not just talking about the cast and our crew, who are incredible, but the sheer number of supports that have come together for this movie and supported us on social media. It’s beyond me, and that’s something I’ve learned not to take for granted and something I hope to harness in my future projects.

PC: What has it been like getting to take this project around the festival circuit and share it with a live audience?
Sarah: Oh my God. It makes all the struggles worth it. It really does. It’s like healing a little part of my soul every time. I remember at our international premiere at BFI Flare, which was in London, it was our first ever in-person screening. I was there watching the movie, and I noticed this older gentleman in the front row. I ended up watching him more than the actual movie because his reactions were amazing. I could see him laughing, smiling, crying, and then laughing through the tears. He was on this whole emotional journey. It’s so inspiring for me, and it really inspires me to push through the obstacles that we face.

PC: You touched upon this earlier, but you tackle so many universal themes throughout this narrative. Why do you think comedy lends itself to this type of storytelling?
Sarah: Comedy is so underestimated because people see comedy and they think it’s not real cinema because there’s no angst. People tend to dismiss it, but comedy can be so powerful because people don’t realize they’re learning and their perspectives are growing. They’re embracing new ideas because they’re having fun. I’ve found that you can change people’s minds easier with comedy because they’re enjoying themselves.

PC: You’re such an exciting voice in this industry. Outside of this project, what’s next for you? Are there plans for a sequel?
Sarah: [laughs] I’ve been asked that so many times. They’re like, “Where is Egghead & Twinkie 2? If it comes naturally to me, I’ll consider it. But at this point, I’m looking at my second feature which will be a brand new story. I’m considering a few ideas, one of which is a time traveling lesbian rom-com, so we’re keeping things fresh and exciting.

To keep up with Sarah, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Egghead & Twinkie is playing at this year’s Austin Film Festival. Tickets available here.

Photo Credit: Scott Dentinger. Courtesy of CanBeDone Films.