Avant-Drag!

May 23, 2024

1h 32m

★ 7.2

Ten drag performers find solace in each other as they rebel against their oppressive reality and those who control it.

Overview

Avant-Drag! paints portraits of ten drag artists of varying gender expressions and sexualities who take to the streets of Athens to query, problematise and (yes, please!) undermine social strictures. Employing wildly imagined personas – like riot housewives and Albanian turbo-folk girls – who perform acts as revolutionary as praising abortion and as charming as drawing childish pictures, these artists call for social justice by taking aim at conservatism, patriarchy, patriotism, racism and sexism.

Genres

Documentary

Production Companies

FYTA Films

Frenel

Greek Film Centre

Avant-Drag! Trailers

Cast

Narrator

Marissa Triantafyllidou

Self

Veronique Tromokratisch

Self

Kangela Tromokratisch

Self

Lala Kolopi

Self

ER Libido

Self

Aurora Paola Morado

Self

Thanasis McMorait

Self

Parakatyanova

Self

SerGay Parakatyanov

Self

SerGay Parakatyanov

Cotsos

Lia Smaragda

Self

Cruella Tromokratisch

A day in the city of Berlin, which experienced an industrial boom in the 1920s, and still provides an insight into the living and working conditions at that time. Germany had just recovered a little from the worst consequences of the First World War, the great economic crisis was still a few years away and Hitler was not yet an issue at the time.

6.9

Olympia: Part One – Festival of the Nations

Apr 21, 1938

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6.7

Olympia: Part Two – Festival of Beauty

Jun 2, 1938

Commissioned to make a propaganda film about the 1936 Olympic Games in Germany, director Leni Riefenstahl created a celebration of the human form. Where the two-part epic's first half, Festival of the Nations, focused on the international aspects of the 1936 Olympic Games held in Berlin, part two, The Festival of Beauty, concentrates on individual athletes such as equestrians, gymnasts, and swimmers, climaxing with American Glenn Morris' performance in the decathalon and the games' majestic closing ceremonies.

8.2

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6.0

The Boy of The Fish

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"The Boy Of The Fish" follows Noon, a young boy living in a Syrian refugee camp, who finds solace and a sense of freedom in a whale-shaped doll he names "Bahr." Set against the challenging realities of camp life, Noon’s journey is both a story of resilience and a testament to the boundless imagination of childhood. Through vivid symbolism and a unique soundscape, the film explores themes of loss, hope, and the longing for freedom amidst confinement. Shot entirely on an iPhone due to restrictions in the conflict zone, the film combines raw authenticity with poetic depth to capture the emotional landscape of a young soul navigating adversity.

5.7

The Lady in Question Is Charles Busch

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6.0

Pick up the Wind

Apr 11, 2021

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5.4

Playback

Oct 11, 2019

In Córdoba, far from the Argentine capital, the end of a military regime promises a spring that is all too brief. “La Delpi” is the only survivor of a group of friends who are transgender women and drag-queens, who began to die of aids in the late 80s. In a Catholic and conservative city, the Grupo Kalas made their weapons and trenches out of improvised dresses and lip-syncing. Today the images of unique and unknown footage are not only a farewell letter, but a manifesto to friendship.

0.0

Ocana, der Engel der in der Qual singt

Apr 4, 1979

Legendary drag performer Ocaña in performance with a cardboard Marilyn on the west side of the Berlin Wall.

7.3

Powaqqatsi

Apr 29, 1988

An exploration of technologically developing nations and the effect the transition to Western-style modernization has had on them.

0.0

Pabllo Vittar, The Town - The Documentary

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Documentary about behind the scenes of Pabllo Vittar's highly anticipated show at the first edition of The Town, in São Paulo.

6.0

F

Dec 22, 2023

F, an 18-year-old boy, immerses himself in the world of the Drag Queen where he begins to build his identity despite family and social mandates, which impose on him to be afraid and ashamed of being who he is.

7.5

Microcosmos

Sep 6, 1996

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0.0

Access All Areas: The AAA Girls Tour

Aug 4, 2022

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7.4

The Queens

Sep 13, 2019

This documentary chronicles over two years in the heels of four of the world’s most famous drag queens including former RuPaul’s Drag Race winners Jinkx Monsoon and Sharon Needles, former All Stars champion Alaska Thunderf*ck and season 7 and All Stars 2 contestant Katya Zamolodchikova. From performing across world stages to winning (and losing) Drag Race or dealing with major tragedies, The Queens lifts the lace front, giving an insight into one of the most fascinating and quickly ascending entertainment artforms.

6.4

The Queen

Jun 17, 1968

In 1967, New York City is host to the Miss All-American Camp Beauty Pageant. This documentary takes a look behind the scenes, transporting the viewer into rehearsals and dressing rooms as the drag queen subculture prepares for this big national beauty contest. Jack/Sabrina is the mistress of ceremonies, and their protégé, Miss Harlow, is in the competition. But, as the pageant approaches, the glamorous contestants veer from camaraderie to tension.

5.5

Victorian Queens

Nov 14, 2022

Victorian Queens takes a deep dive into the weird, wonderful and utterly unique landscape of Melbourne's drag community.

6.5

Chanson de gestes

Jan 1, 1966

Choreography of familiar gestures that the author was able to spice up with a peculiar and original perspective.

9.0

Being BeBe

Jun 25, 2021

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