Queendom is a 2023 documentary film, directed and co-written by Agniia Galdanova. It portrays the Russian performance artist Gena Marvin, who attracts the attention of the public and the government of her country with her provocative works, in which she transforms her own body into gigantic, menacing silhouettes.[2]
Gena Marvin, a queer artist hailing from a small Russian town, creates otherworldly costumes from junk and tape to protest the government in Moscow. At just 21, having grown up on the harsh streets of Magadan, a former Soviet gulag outpost, she stages radical public performances that blend art and activism. Through these often dark, strange, and evocative displays, Gena aims to challenge perceptions of beauty and queerness while highlighting the harassment faced by the LGBTQ+ community. These performances, deeply rooted in her subconscious, come at a significant personal cost.[3]
She is known for her provocative works that always create a buzz. During a photo shoot with her friend, she dons a gigantic silhouette outfit. However, when she enters a grocery store in this attire, the employees ask her to leave, deeming it inappropriate and comparable to lingerie.[7]
"I like the idea that people can feel different emotions from anger to fear or joy when looking at my art." Gena Marvin on the effect of her art on the people.[8]
The documentary also explores her complex relationship with her grandparents, who appear to be loving toward Gena but are puzzled by her artistic and unconventional tendencies.[9]
The film is directed by Agnija Galdanova, who met Gena Marvin in 2019 while researching for a planned documentary. At the time, she lived in St. Petersburg near the home of the director's mother.[10] It was produced by Agniia Galdanova and Igor Myakotin, alongside executive producers Jess Search, David France, Arnaud Borges, and James Costa. It is a Galdanova Film production created in collaboration with the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program, the International Documentary Association, InMaat Productions, Doc Society, and Sopka Films.[9]
For the filming, Galdanova collaborated with cinematographer Ruslan Fedotov.[10] They captured footage at a Navalny demonstration, in Moscow, in a suburb of St. Petersburg, and in Gena Marvin's hometown of Magadan. The film's producer, Igor Myakotin, is also from Magadan.[11]
The film was released in United Kingdom cinemas on 1 December 2023, and was released on video-on-demand on the same day.[21][22]
In April 2024, Greenwich Entertainment acquired North American right and released the film on June 14, 2024, in selected United States theaters and Video on demand platforms.[9][23]
Reception
Critical response
On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes website, the film has an approval rating of 100% based on 18 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10.[24] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 82 out of 100 based on 6 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[25]
Wendy Ide reviewing for The Guardian rated the film with four stars out of five and wrote, "To call Gena a drag artist fails to capture just how subversive and courageous are her public "performances"."[26]
Manuel Betancourt, writing in Variety in his review Betancourt said: "Agniia Galdanova’s Oscar-shortlisted doc on a Russian drag artist and activist Gena Marvin is a heartbreaking portrait of strength and resilience." Betancourt concluded: Queendom is both a powerful portrait of a queer artist as well as a sly call to arms."[27]
Vladan Petkovic reviewing the film at CPH:DOX 2023 for Cineuropa wrote, "Agniia Galdanova's CPH:DOX prizewinner is an urgent, rich portrait of a Russian queer artist fighting prejudice and heavy-handed patriarchy."[28]
Stephanie Archer reviewing for Film Inquiry at SXSW Film Festival 2023, wrote, "Queendom is a beautiful film of pain, emotion, expression, and resilience."[7]
Monica Castillo reviewing for RogerEbert.com gave 3.5 out of 4 and wrote, "Galdanova and cinematographer Ruslan Fedotov give Gena marvelous closeups, highlighting the nuances of her performance, the articulate lines of makeup, and intricate costume designs for a dazzling effect."[23]
^Siim Lõvi (27 October 2023). "PÖFF объявил полную программу фестиваля" [PÖFF has announced the full program of the festival]. ERR (in Russian). Retrieved 23 December 2024.
