Reflective Encounters

“There’s something comical about the Queen of Sheppey pageant (taking place on the eponymous Kent island) that speaks to the broader problems of parochial culture. In Laura Jayne Tunbridge’s Dragged Up, Sarah’s mum expresses fear about what others will think - of what is and isn’t normal. She forces her daughters to follow in her beauty contest footsteps, while Sarah would rather be a drag king.

The comedic insignificance of the pressures Sarah’s mum puts on her daughters makes light mockery of the broader social pressures queer people face. By putting the stakes of difference on a small community like the Isle of Sheppey it shows how non-threatening Sarah’s love of drag and sexuality truly are. It’s notable that Sarah’s interests and idols, like Freddie Mercury and Elton John, connect her to a bigger canvas, something her mother never tries to see.

Dragged Up highlights the challenges queer people face in rural areas, especially with regards to finding their community. Often films show queerness as something that can only be celebrated after moving to a city, whereas Sarah finds a partner and an outlet of expression close to home that gives her self-confidence. It’s a moving and funny story about not only finding yourself, but also finding your people.”

— Lillian Crawford