Drag Kids, opening at Hot Docs this week, follows four internationally performing drag superstars, all between the ages of nine and eleven. This fierce and fab foursome comes together in Montreal for a night of vogue-ing at an epic drag ball. Weaving interviews with the parents and kids, the film allows us to witness the joys and heartaches first-hand as they prepare for the big event.
“I was privileged to get to know each of the kids in their home towns and to witness first-hand what drives them, as well as the challenges they face,” said Director Megan Wennberg. “All of the kids’ stories resonated with me in different ways: like Jason, I was a very shy kid but I still longed to feel seen; like Bracken, I always hated being held back from anything because of my age; and like Stephan and Nemis, I crave an outlet for self-expression that doesn’t exist in regular life.”
Wennberg believes making this film was a wake-up call about the importance of being true to yourself by being your true self. “The passion, bravery and self-awareness these kids display at such young ages astounds me, and I am so excited to help share their stories. And seeing how supportive their parents are, despite fears that their kids could face repercussions for being ‘different,’ was an incredibly moving reminder of the power of love. I don’t think any of these kids would be forging the paths they are without the unconditional love and support of their parents.”
This warm and thoughtful documentary is a beacon for those of us that don’t quite fit in. “The Drag Kids are fierce and fabulous, and I think they challenge us all to think about what this could look like in our own lives,” says Wennberg, “if we can be brave enough to follow our own wildest dreams.”
CONTEST: We’re giving away a pair of tickets to Drag Kids, opening at Hot Docs this week!
There are three ways to enter:
TWITTER: Tweet “Pick me, @shedoesthecity — I’m dying to see the fierce & fab #KidsDrag — send me to @hotdocs!”
FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM: LIKE + COMMENT on our Drag Kids posts.