Film Screening: 'Queendom'

Jenna (she/her, non-binary), a queer artist from a small town in Russia, dresses in otherworldly costumes made from junk and tape, and protests the government on the streets of Moscow. Born and raised on the harsh streets of Magadan, a frigid outpost of the Soviet gulag, Jenna is only 21. She stages radical performances in public that become a new form of art and activism. By doing that, she wants to change people’s perception of beauty and queerness and bring attention to the harassment of the LGBTQ+ community. The performances - often dark, strange, evocative, and queer at their core - are a manifestation of Jenna’s subconscious. But they come at a price.

"From an early age, I had a hard time accepting myself and constantly endured humiliation and beatings because of my “unfeminine” look. Later, as an adult, I was beaten up by two men in the very center of Moscow because they had mistaken me for a guy in a skirt. This was a catalyst for me to explore the themes of sexuality, gender identity and freedom of expression in my work. For QUEENDOM, my initial idea was to follow several drag queens from remote regions across Russia. One of them was Jenna Marvin from Magadan, a small town in the Russian Far East 5,000 miles away from Moscow where the gulag labor camps used to be. I was immediately struck by Jenna’s artistry and courage, and I knew the film would be just about her. To me, she was the freest person coming from one of the most suppressed places. She was exploring her artistry in unique and daring ways while embarking on a journey of self-discovery. I decided to join her in this journey.

I hope that when someone from Russia or any other country where being queer is illegal watches QUEENDOM, the film and Jenna will give them the confidence to accept themselves and share their truth with the world."

-Agniia Galdanova, Director