Sydney drag queen Maxi Shield’s new movie The Winner Takes It All is a campy and raunchy John Waters-esque comedy.
The queer film shot in Sydney last year and is making its world premiere in a few weeks at QueerScreen’s Mardi Gras Film Festival. It’s just one of the films on the festival’s 30th annual lineup.
Maxi Shield plays Maxine Fowler in the film, and she and writer-director James Demitri shared the film’s trailer to Instagram this week.
Actress Jessica Marchi plays Kiki, and hunks Manuel Kornisiuk and Jack Stratton-Smith play Hunter and Randy in the queer farce.
“Wealthy socialite Kiki confides in her best friend Maxine that her husband is cheating on her, and is in danger of losing her rather large fortune,” the synopsis reads.
“The two women make a deal to uncover the truth, but not all is as it seems.
“Throw in a gigolo, a porn star and lashings of camp and you are in for the funniest, stupidest ride of your life.”
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The Winner Takes It All mixes Latin telenovelas with Almodóvar
Sydney filmmaker James Demitri explained during production last year he was “super excited about the very talented and phenomenal cast” assembled for The Winner Takes It All.
“I think it’s important for the LGBTQIA+ community to be represented on screen. I think the more we give these very talented artists a voice, the better it is for all of us,” he said.
During production last year, James Demitri described The Winner Takes It All as a black comedy, influenced by Latin telenovela soap operas.
“The comedy comes from the situations that are hilariously funny and twisted and bent and super, super camp. I wanted to explore the whole telenovela type of stuff which I find so campy and funny,” he said.
“It’s a combination of that and my love for Pedro Almodóvar films, especially his earliest stuff.
“Very colourful and very fun but also has a lot of heart. You feel something when you watch it.
“It’s going to be really fun ride.”
The Winner Takes It All starring Maxi Shield is screening at the Mardi Gras Film Festival on February 18.
Visit the QueerScreen website to see the full lineup of the 30th Mardi Gras Film Festival, from February 15 to March 2. Tickets are on sale now.
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I love Maxi.
She is a wonderful person.
Rock on, girlfriend..
Can’t wait to see this! Got my tickets.