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Frameline 29: Blood, Sweat, and Glitter
We've been trying to think of something negative to say about Sasha Aickin's Blood, Sweat, and Glitter since its world premiere last Saturday, but we haven't been able to yet. Even though the film deals with those so snarky and rapier-witted that we cringe in their presence, we have (gasp) nothing but praise for this documentary detailing the struggle to become Miss Trannyshack 2004.
If you haven't ever been to Trannyshack, call in sick tomorrow and go tonight (hey, Lady Bunny will be there!), as you really can't consider yourself a true San Franciscan until you go at least once. (Emily, can we change our interview to reflect this?)
If you have a major TPS report due tomorrow, we'll clue you in: Trannyshack is not the drag show you know from your college-town gay bar, favorite TV show (though, have you ever seen the "Streets of San Francisco" where John Davidson plays a "female impersonator"? So best.), or, really, any other place in the universe. Sure, Trannyshack has folks dressed up in crazy-ass costumes, and many of them are men in dresses, but that's where the similarity ends. Trannyshack is part Vegas, part performance art, and part gorgeous primal scream. Sasha Aickin took on a project that many others have also attempted, and failed -- to capture all this on film, within the context of the annual Miss Trannyshack pageant.
Heavily influenced by Spellbound, the acclaimed documentary on the 1999 National Spelling Bee, Aickin follows several performers as they prepare to and compete for the crown. The result is a hilarious, touching, and intense portrait of several driven performers, all of whom acknowledge the ludicrous nature of the competition at the same time that they pursue the title.
We are so freakin' sick of the stereotype of the tragic drag queen (you know what we're talking about), and are so happy that this movie puts it to rest. We found everyone in this story empowered and empowering, even as their pursuit of excellence occasionally blinds them to the love and support of those closest to them. From Kiddie's brilliant intensity to Diva Dan's unbelievable showpersonship to Ana Conda's witty politicalism, each of these performers brings so much more to the table than the lip-synched version of "Vogue" that some might associate with drag performance.
Sasha Aickin has made a modern San Francisco classic, and we hope with all our hearts that it finds an audience in the rest of the country. We don't know if it will -- we moved here so we didn't have to think about what the rest of the country will or won't like. We understand that the superficial subject matter might be challenging to some (and Diva Dan's entry in the swimsuit competition might not fly in the Red States), but this is a great documentary and deserves to be seen.