The Queen

Opened Monday, August 11, 2014

Post-film discussion with Murray Hill! Digital projection

Before there was Drag Race, there was THE QUEEN. This seminal documentary about a 1967 NYC drag contest goes behind the scenes, recording the rehearsals, the conversations, and the jealousies that emerge in the lead up to the big competition. For drag king Murray Hill — “the hardest working middle-aged man in show business” — it was also “the first glimpse of gay/drag life that I’d ever seen.” Starring the legendary Flawless Sabrina, and including cameos by Andy Warhol, Edie Sedgwick and Mario Montez, we can’t think of a better way to end our Summer of Drag than with this perfectly preserved time capsule of the pre-Stonewall New York drag scene.

Screening as part of Queer|Art|Film’s Summer 2014 season.

  • Country USA
  • Rating NR
  • Year 1968
  • Running Time 68 minutes
  • Director Frank Simon

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.