At this special screening, we welcome two guests: assistant director and producer Spyros Patsouras, and Thanasis McMorait, one of the ten drag artists portrayed in the film. After the film, they will answer questions from the audience. This evening's host: QP curator Renske Diks.
Avant-Drag!
Athens-based Zacharias ‘Zak’ Kostopoulos was an activist, a man who championed refugees, sex workers and the LGBTQ+ community. He was also a drag artist, performing under the name Zackie Oh. On 21 September 2018, he was harassed on the street. To escape it, he stepped into a jewellery shop. The owner did not want him there and, along with another man, punched and kicked Kostopoulos. When the police arrived, not these two but Kostopoulos was arrested and rather violently handcuffed. On the way to hospital, he died.
In this documentary, director Fil Ieropoulos not only dives deep into this case, he also portrays ten Greek drag artists who, with a great deal of courage, protest against patriarchy, sexism and racism, against all societal mechanisms aimed at oppressing those who do not want to fall in line - a hopeful signal in a hostile world. Scenarist Foivos Dousos states, 'Our film showcases how queer communities can fight back, create supportive networks, and manage to have a good time in the process.’
