Queens of Joy has made history by becoming the first LGBTQ+ film to be shown on the national public broadcaster in Ukraine.
Since the Ukraine war in 2022, Russia has become a more hazardous place for LGBTQ+ people, and the film industry has been impacted hugely. But filmmaker Olga Gibelinda manages to capture joy in this groundbreaking movie that narrates the lives of three drag queens who chose to continue to live—and perform—in Ukraine during the war.
Starring Diva Monroe, a trans woman, and drag performers Marlene and Aura, the three artists’ individual journeys of self-acceptance and self-expression are explored in the documentary.
Queens of Joy “demonstrates that the Ukrainian LGBTQ+ community is an integral part of society and actively supports the country in its most difficult times,” notes producer Ivanna Khitsinska, according to Deadline.
Producer Louis Beaudemont adds: “Queens of Joy goes against all our preconceived notions. It shows that the war in Ukraine does not bring more paternalism, more hatred, more racism, or more homophobia. On the contrary, the development of Ukrainian identity, freed from the chains of the Russian Empire and in the terrible conditions of the most violent conflict Europe has experienced since the Second World War, embraces an idea that lies at the very foundation of Europe: united in diversity.”
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“People will have the opportunity to see how LGBTQ+ people have chosen to stay in the country and support Ukraine,” Gibelinda says in an interview for Variety. “We have a lot of LGBTQ+ voices in the army, fighting on the frontlines. Things are changing in a very good way. We used to (share) a lot of thoughts with Russia during my dad’s generation but now I’d say 70% of Ukrainians either openly support LGBTQ+ people or don’t care.”
Queens of Joy was born thanks to Gibelinda’s friendship with one of the film’s main characters, Diva Monroe, who is trans. Monroe has been an influencer and trans activist in Ukraine since the 1990s, paving the way for drag in Ukraine.
Their deep relationship is one of the reasons why the film is so well acclaimed. When Gibelinda began working on the project in the autumn of 2022, the first year of pre-production was based on nurturing the relationship with Monroe, but also with Marlene and Aura, the two other drag queens featured in the film.
“I wanted to capture my characters in their daily lives but also their stage personas and realised that, for that to happen, we needed time,” she explains to Variety.
“We needed trust, and trust takes time. We were sharing each other’s lives,” she adds.
The film explores a key issue for the country’s queer community–the lack of legal recognition for same-sex relationships and the rights of partners of LGBTQ+ soldiers killed on the frontlines.
As gay marriage is currently illegal in Ukraine, when LGBTQ+ soldiers are killed, their partners are not immediately informed. This means that they do not have the right to decide what happens to their bodies, as well as not being entitled to state support.
Because during martial law, it is prohibited to change the Consitution, it has been impossible to legalise same-sex marriage in Ukraine since the war began. However, activists have organised petitions asking for the recognition of civil partnerships in the meantime.
“The law to safeguard LGBTQ+ relationships is important for all people because LGBTQ+ rights are human rights,” emphasises Gibelinda. “At a time of war, we need to have these conversations, we need to understand how the law works for relationships. There are thousands of LGBTQ+ soldiers on the frontlines. We hope the film will help.”
Gibelinda and Khitsinska have expressed some optimism regarding how Ukraine’s legislature is considering a draft law that would grant legal status to same-sex partnerships, which might be approved.
Queens of Joy premiered as part of the Newcomers Competition at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival in Greece. It is among the Ukrainian projects that have earned support from ARTE since the start of the war and is co-produced by ARTE and Suspilne Ukraine. It is produced by Malanka Studios, Les Steppes Productions, and Films & Chips.
Watch the trailer below for this promising LGBTQ+ film that is making history as the first to be publicly broadcast in Ukraine.
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