Fresh from a successful screening at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, the documentary film “Audience with the Queens” will have its premiere local screening at the Tropic Cinema on Wednesday, Feb 17, at 7 p.m.
When a straight guy like Robbie Hopcraft takes a look at the lives and experiences of drag queens, onstage and off, he comes up with an eye-opener that’s both informative and entertaining, regardless of where it’s showing.
“The screening at the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival was incredible,” said Hopcraft. “The theatre was packed and the crowd not only applauded, they cheered and whistled after the film was over; it was really overwhelming and emotional, in fact, Gugi, one of the stars in the film was sitting with me during the screening and tears were welling in her eyes.”
Hopcraft says drag queens work very hard, and they love to entertain: “I think they got a great deal of enjoyment seeing themselves on the big screen. They were also a big hit at the cocktail party that followed the film,” he said.
“Coverage in Paradise Magazine before the screening in Fort Lauderdale led many locals to ask me when they could see it here, and Key West’s Tropic Cinema is a natural for an art flick like this.”
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The film features several of the drag queens who perform at the 801 Cabaret Club in Key West. Sushi is the main star and the film also includes Gugi Gomez, Samantha Woodward, RV Beaumont, and Gassy Winds. It also has footage about Destiny, who passed away during filming.
This is Hopcraft’s first-ever entry into professional filmmaking. He produced, directed, and did all the cinematography on the film.
“It’s definitely a one man film crew,” Hopcraft said. “However, I hired editors and I sat with them through every minute of every scene that we put into the film. That’s tedious work on a project idea that existed only in my head,” he laughed.
“I built the storyline as I went along, and along the way I learned a lot about a very interesting group of men in dresses.”
“You talk about drama; we had plenty of it and it all happens daily in the lives of these drag queens,” he said.
Although the film has been well received elsewhere, Hopcraft says he’s extremely nervous about how it will be accepted in Key West.
“I’ve lived in Key West for more than16 years and until this film I never had a conversation with a drag queen,” said Hopcraft. “I hope the film gives the viewers the depth of understanding that I have gained because I know how difficult it is to be labeled ‘different’ by our society—and in this case, to say ‘different’ is really an understatement.”
By gaining the trust of the drag queens, Hopcraft was even allowed to film in the inner sanctum—the back-stage dressing room—where each Queen is transformed into her unique personae.
Hopcraft’s film production company, Key West Unplugged, is based in Key West. For more information about the film go to www.audiencewiththequeens.com.
Tickets for the screening may be purchased at www.tropiccinema.com or call the box office at 305 294-5857.
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