MQFF NOTES: Dressed as a Girl (2015, Dir. Colin Rothbart)

There's an underlying sadness cutting through Colin Rothbart's take on East London's alternative drag scene in Dressed as a Girl. That's not to say there isn't a whole lot of frenetic, frocked-up fun as well, but it is the come down that hits hardest here.

For five years, Rothbart followed the tight-knit instigators of 'Gay Bingo', capturing their anarchic brand of dragged and tucked joie de vivre. The crew, led by the iconic Jonny Woo, hosted the semblance of a bingo game as a front for some heavily self-medicated communal release. The high times were high and everyone involved hopes to ride it to stardom...

The thing is, the kind of fucked up drag on show here represents a very specific subset of a subculture that is already sneered at in most artistic quarters. Banging out a legendary party isn't enough to guarantee crossover success but that doesn't appear at all apparent to Woo and the crew. It's a bone of contention features heavily throughout Dressed as a Girl, especially when some stars begin to burn a little more brightly than others.

It is in the down time that Rothbart's film finds its real voice though. Peering past the glittered facade and into the hangover the next day, he sees a lot of what the makeup obscures. The thin veneer of community that holds everyone together does not stand up to close scrutiny (even an injured knee is enough of an excuse to cut someone loose) and it isn't long before most have gone their separate ways. Rothbart spends most of his time following Amber Waze as she transitions (admittedly with the assistance of a well-organised boobathon). The desire for both connection and community, especially when things get darker than expected, basically screams off the screen. It is almost enough to drown out the partying.

It gets pretty dire at one point. It is a fascinating insight but it does feel like Rothbart starts to lose control as things start spiralling downwards.

Thankfully, Dressed as a Girl perks up in its final act. Rothbart finishes off with the 'Gay Bingo''s 10 year reunion show at the Empire. The crew once again go large in a remarkably vibrant homage to the best moments of the good times. They may not have harnessed the notoriety in the way that they wanted (well, some of them at least) but they've become legendary within their own subculture. And most of us know from experience that such moments are indelible.

It is great to have a record of it.

★★★

Trailer:

Dressed as a Girl screened as part of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival 2016.

You can check out other films from the festival here.