This screening will be followed by a live panel with author Alexandra Hemingsley and Brighton drag artist Ophelia Payne.
Gena, 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, Gena 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 Gena’s subconscious. But they come at a price.
ABOUT OPHELIA PAYNE
Ophelia Payne, drag artist, cabaret performer, and singer. Ophelia commands the stage with unparalleled charisma. Beyond the spotlight, she’s a dedicated LGBTQ+ activist, using her platform to amplify the voices of the community. Ophelia passionately supports multiple charities, all while shining a spotlight on the often-overlooked challenges of LGBTQ+ mental health.
ABOUT ALEXANDRA HEMINSLEY
Alexandra Heminsley is a bestselling author, journalist, broadcaster and speaker. Her work has included writing Sunday Times Top Ten bestsellers, interviewing names as diverse as Courtney Love, Billie Jean King and Kate Atkinson, and her work has been nominated for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award. She has also written about the incalculable value of LGBT+ families, Valley of the Dolls, and Strictly Come Dancing. She is author of four books about women, bodies and sport, including bestselling memoir Running Like A Girl and the recently published Some Body to Love: A Family Story. Her debut novel Under the Same Stars published in 2022.
