19-25 January
2026
Drag artist and costume designer Gena Marvin captivates TikTok with her androgynous monsters. But is there space for Gena's expression in today's Russia? Queendom is a documentary that sheds light on being different within an authoritarian society.
Gena grew up with their grandparents in Magadan, where their gender expression is met with little understanding. Moscow provides Gena with the opportunity to study and practice costume design, but will the authorities tolerate Gena's expression? Queendom is director Agniia Galdanova's first feature-length documentary, conveying both a clear political commentary and universal themes such as a lack of belonging. The documentary offers a contrast between Gena's costumes within Moscow's urban landscape and Gena's costumes set against the spectacular coastal scenery around Magadan.
Throughout the documentary, we gain a deep insight into Gena's spectacular art costumes and the political context they enter. Queendom is a fascinating portrait of Gena Marvin's resilience and the social and political mechanisms that control society.
Note: The screening on Thursday is a part of Arctic Pride’s Queer Night.
Agniia Galdanova (b. 1987) is a Russian filmmaker from St. Petersburg. In 2012, Galdanova moved to Berlin and began her education at the Practical Filmmaking at Met Film School. Galdanova participated in the 2017 German-Israeli project Out of Place which dealt with the theme of feeling out of place. Queendom is her debut documentary, and, like Out of Place, it explores the theme of not belonging.
2020 One Step Forward, One Step Back
2017 Something in Me, Something in You (short)
Kl 11:45
Fokus 5
Kl 18:00
Off Screen
Kl 18:00
Driv Cinema
Kl 09:00
Verdensteatret
| Programme: | East Side Stories |
| Part of: | Arctic Pride’s Queer Night |
| Director: | Agniia Galdanova |
| Country: | France |
| Year: | 2023 |
| Run time: | 1h 38m |
| Cast: | Gena Marvin |
| Dialogue: | Russian |
| Subtitles: | English |