Maddie’s Secret

Inspired by Douglas Sirk, Todd Haynes, Showgirls, and the nearly pornographic world of online food influencers, comedian, writer, and actor John Early makes his critically acclaimed directorial debut with the story of a breakout new-media star who’s hiding a secret. Early portrays Maddie, a dishwasher at L.A. food-content creation studio Gourmaybe, who makes her own vegetarian cooking videos at home with help from her adoring husband (Eric Rahill). When one of her videos goes viral, Maddie is thrust into the influencer sphere herself, straining her bond with her sassy queer BFF (Kate Berlant) and threatening to expose her struggle with an eating disorder. Blending satire and melodrama, the film announces a bold new voice in contemporary cinema.