The documentary Kings, Queens, & In-Betweens, which focuses on the drag kings, queens and transgender performers in Columbus, Ohio, received a national VOD launch on March 7 (including iTunes, Amazon and Google Play), as well as limited theatrical release on March 3.
Candy Factory will distribute the film, which is directed by Gabrielle Burton and produced by Five Sisters Productions.
It is selected as the inaugural film by New York’s LGBTQ film festival NewFest for their screening event series, which will take place on February 15 at 7:00pm followed by a special panel discussion about the issues raised by the film.
If you want to know more about gay directors and gay films, please read:
Gay Directors, Gay Films? By Emanuel Levy (Columbia University Press, August 2015)
In attendance will be drag queen Kari Kerning, drag king Dr. Cool Ethan, and trans performer Luster Dela Virgion (aka Sile Singleton), as well as director Gabrielle Burton and producer Jennifer Burton, two of the Burton Sisters who helm Five Sisters Productions. Learn more about the screening here: newfest.org/film/kings-queens-inbetweens
The docu explores a midwestern city with an extraordinary and unexpected drag scene, and the larger theme of exactly what gender is and means.
Through the personal stories of eight performers and their troupes in Columbus, Ohio, KINGS, QUEENS, & IN-BETWEENS makes a complex subject approachable for mainstream audiences — inviting viewers into a conversation about the distinct and important differences between gender, sex, and sexuality, which has not been represented in film before.
KING, QUEENS & IN-BETWEENS is thought-provoking and sends a message of love and acceptance, reflecting a community unified in the belief that we are all just human.
Director Gabrielle Burton is a Wexner Center for the Arts artist residency fellow who won the Ohio Arts Council’s Artist of Excellence award in filmmaking, and was selected to give a TEDx talk on KINGS, QUEENS, & IN-BETWEENS which nearly 150,000 views.
Burton helms the indie film production company Five Sisters Productions with her four real-life sisters, making films presented by MGM/Sony, Starz, Showtime, MTV/LOGO, Netflix, AMC/We Channel, and documentary campaigns for companies including Ford and Victoria’s Secret.
KINGS, QUEENS, & IN-BETWEENS has been a six-year passion project, and the Burton sisters are traveling with the film on a national tour to involve communities in discussions on the important issues presented by the film.
Director Burton is also a mom of a young son and daughter. When she went to a drag show in Columbus, she was inspired to make this film about a current social topic, and thus promoting the importance of diversity, complexity, and understanding.
About Candy Factory Films
Candy Factory Films is a filmmaker-friendly multimedia company dedicated to producing and distributing compelling films. Candy Factory is at the forefront of a new vanguard of independent distributors maximizing profit by reaching distinct audiences in numerous ways. With a catalog stocked with award-winning and acclaimed films across every genre, they’re committed to creating and fostering communities around independent and progressive cinema. Avenues for distribution include digital platforms such as Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, iTunes and the national Video on Demand platform on cable television.
