Reel to Real X The Stove Cafe: Queendom

This month’s film for our Reel to Real Cinema programme is Agniia Galdanova’s award-winning documentary Queendom, which follows queer artist and drag activist Gena Marvin as she plays a dangerous game with non-conformity in Putin’s Russia—an intimate portrait of a radical performance that challenges pre-conceptions of beauty and queerness.

The world is one giant catwalk for intrepid 21-year-old Gena, who grew up in the Soviet-era industrial city of Magadan, built on top of an old gulag camp. She stages radical performances in supermarkets, metro stations and streets – wearing teetering heels and incredible, otherworldly homemade costumes – to bravely protest the oppression LGBTQ+ people face in Putin’s Russia. But as the conflict in Ukraine looms, and state-sanctioned intolerance grows, Gena’s lone rebellion comes at a high price.

Beautiful and atmospheric, Agniia Galdanova’s film explores and extends Gena’s inner universe, skilfully capturing the defiance and vulnerability of this young activist over the course of four years. Pitched somewhere between art and activism, documentary and science fiction, it’s a powerful reminder of the worrying regression of LGBTQ+ rights in Russia – and elsewhere across the globe – as well as the potential of individuals to presage a freer, more vibrant future.

Reel to Real Cinema is a monthly film space in the Stove Cafe, featuring an eclectic mixture of conversational films – from artist made shorts to feature length documentaries, locally made to international cinema. A space for discussion and thought-provoking films, you are welcome to join us after the film for a short discussion about the themes from this month’s selection. The Stove Cafe will be open from 5.30pm – 6:45pm with a special pre-film dinner option alongside hot drinks and cakes.

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