When Gabrielle Burton accepted her friend's invitation to go to a drag show in Ohio, she had no idea that this outing, which she describes as being “on a lark,” would turn into a documentary exploring sexuality, gender roles and the complexity of people.
Kings, Queens & In-Betweens, the documentary Burton made with her four sisters, centers around the stories of eight individuals who are a part of the drag community in Columbus, Ohio, which Burton says is “surprisingly thriving.”
The documentary follows these figures, and brings in other voices from the community, in a way Burton describes as positive and upbeat while also taking time to delve into the more negative side of the subjects’ experiences.
“You are lead through this experience where it’s positive and upbeat and you really care about these characters, and then as you get further into it you see the painful experiences … that people who are not conforming to gender stereotypes today face … through that there is a lot of poignancy,” Burton said.
Through the lens of drag, Burton explores the relationship, or lack thereof, between sexuality, gender expression and biological identity, hoping to open up the conversation in a fun, creative way.
Burton said that ultimately she hopes people walk away from the film with a new way of thinking about issues of gender and sexuality that may be challenging but that help move towards a more positive, accepting and loving mindset.
“A number of people have had reactions where they have said after the screening that they were … spending time trying to categorize certain people in the film. You know like, is that a man, is that a woman, are they trans, are they gay … and then at the end realized that it really doesn’t matter,” Burton said.
The documentary will screen at the Jules Collins Smith Museum as part of the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers on Thurs., April 28 at 5:00, with a Q&A with the director to follow.
Learn more at the documentary's website or Facebook page.
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