What is Queens of Joy like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Queens of Joy as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.

Is Queens of Joy violent?

Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Queens of Joy as mild.

Films with a similar feel include Paris Is Burning, Welcome to Chechnya, and 20 Days in Mariupol.

Name: Queens of Joy
Genre: Documentary
Released: 2026-01-29
Duration: 1 h 30 min
Rating: 7

202690 min★ 7.0

Three Ukrainian drag queens transform performance, solidarity, and personal courage into an act of resistance during wartime.

May contain story progression spoilers

Diva Monroe, Marlene, and Aura organize a charity drag show supporting Ukraine while defending LGBTQ+ visibility and belonging.
The three protagonists remain in Ukraine amid fear, loss, and brutality, sustaining their community through courage and collective action.
The film moves between drag-show performance and the protagonists' experiences of war, creating its central aesthetic tension.
Marlene, Diva Monroe, and Aura each receive distinct arcs involving old wounds, self-discovery, military belonging, and artistic identity.

Paris Is Burning
shares documentary realism, queer self-expression, performance culture, and intimate portraits of marginalized artists
Welcome to Chechnya
shares LGBTQ+ community solidarity, political repression, personal courage, and emotionally direct documentary storytelling
20 Days in Mariupol
shares wartime documentary urgency, civilian resilience, national identity, and a close focus on lives shaped by conflict

What is Queens of Joy about?: Three Ukrainian drag queens transform performance, solidarity, and personal courage into an act of resistance during wartime.
What is Queens of Joy like to watch?: Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Queens of Joy as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
Is Queens of Joy violent?: Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Queens of Joy as mild.
Which films are like Queens of Joy?: Films with a similar feel include Paris Is Burning, Welcome to Chechnya, and 20 Days in Mariupol.
How long is Queens of Joy?: Queens of Joy runs 90 minutes.