Meet Genna Marvin (she/her, non-binary), a queer artist from a small town in Russia who stages radical performances in public that embody a new form of art and activism - and put her life in danger. The performances, often dark, evocative and otherworldly are queer at their core, calling attention to the harassment of the LGBTQ+ community.
Explore her boundary-pushing artistry in Queendom, the award-winning debut from Agniia Galdanova that’s set to be "One of the best documentaries of 2023" (Film Inquiry).
Find out more about Gena and her radical performance art below. Queendom is in UK cinemas from 1 December.
RADICAL QUEER ART
Gena dresses in otherworldly costumes made from junk and tape, and protests the government on the streets of Moscow. Born and raised on the harsh streets of Magadan, a frigid outpost of the Soviet gulag, Gena is only 21. She stages radical performances in public that become a new form of art and activism. By doing that, she wants to change people’s perception of beauty and queerness and bring attention to the harassment of the LGBTQ+ community. The performances - often dark, strange, evocative, and queer at their core - are a manifestation of Gena’s subconscious.
ART MEETS ACTIVISM
Gena’s boundary-pushing work comes at a price. The 2013 “gay propaganda” law introduced in Russia has increased social hostility and is an assault on freedom of expression (read more here). This fear of the unknown is central to Gena’s work, she explores the edges of creativity and pushes boundaries that challenge the status quo. “[Queendom is] an extraordinary character study – both visually and politically” - Sight & Sound.
Even filming the documentary posed challenges, Director Agniia Galdanova states:
“One of the challenges was keeping the crew and protagonists safe. Filming in Russia, especially with someone like Gena, who uses her art to protest in public, posed a considerable risk, and we had to evaluate each shoot and be careful everywhere we filmed. There were many close calls, and it was often a dangerous task. Still, we wanted to reveal the real story of what was happening inside contemporary Russia, especially around the often invisible LGBTQ+ community.”
QUEENDOM FILM
Winner of the CPH: DOX Next: Wave Award and the 2023, Zurich Film Festival Audience Award 2023 Queendom is set to be a hit this year. “A riveting portrait of an artist’s ferocious courage, filled with moments of humour and heart-stopping grace” - AnOther Magazine.
“While making Queendom, I stayed true to the observational approach, but I also knew that I wanted to develop a new visual language that reflects my vision of Gena’s world.” - Director Agniia Galdanova.
Book tickets to watch Queendom (Out 1 Decmeber) below.