Événement

TRANSFORMISTAS (Cuba & USA/2019/79 mins.) Director Chad Hahne attending

TRANSFORMISTAS tells the story of how a group of drag queens carved out a space for the LBGTQ community in Cuba, against all odds, at a time when performing in drag was illegal and homosexuality was denounced as a product of capitalism. In the face of violent state persecution, when HIV positive people were incarcerated in sanatoriums, TRANSFORMISTAS is a story of sacrifice, resilience and commitment to the art form of drag. The film follows Samantha, an artist once quarantined in an HIV sanitarium for five years, on her triumphant journey back to stage; Omega, the former "Miss Trans Cuba" who faced a tragic and untimely death; and Cynthia, a performer once stabbed 47 times after a show but lives on to tell the tale and share her passion with the world. By making the past vividly present, TRANSFORMISTAS serves as a reminder that the struggle for the LGBTQ community never ends but there is hope for the future.

Followed by a Q&A discussion with the director and a reception.