Be a part of this historic project! Please visit our website to make a tax deductible donation and updates:
http://www.nellyqueenfilm.com
Invite your communities and organizations across the country. Join us in recognizing Jose’s immeasurable contributions to the LGBT movement with an overdue biography on the legendary diva and activist. Please tell your friends that their tax deductible contribution is made possible through our fiscal sponsor, From The Heart Productions on IndieGOGO.
What is Nelly Queen?
Nelly Queen: the Life and Times of Jose
Sarria
is a feature documentary on the life of Jose Sarria, the first openly gay American
to run for office in 1961. The drag cabaret performer was an early and leading champion for equality for the homosexuals in San Francisco 15 years before Stonewall. The 90-minute documentary revolves around personal footage
taken by Sarria’s close friend and Executive Producer Joe Castel, spanning
23-years from 1992 to 2013.
Who is Jose Sarria?
When San Francisco city officials vowed to shut down all the gay
bars in 1961, the 38 year-old female impersonator threw caution to the wind and
campaigned for a seat on the Board of Supervisors. Sarria lost the election,
but garnered nearly 6,000 votes, proving for the first time in American
politics that the LGTBQ community had a voting bloc.
Why is it Called “Nelly Queen: The Life and Times of Jose
Juilio Sarria” ?
From 1951-1963, whenever the vice squad entered the café to entrap patrons, Sarria exposed them by forcing his closeted patrons to stand up and sing “God, Save Us
Nelly Queens,” a takeoff on Britain’s national anthem as the vice marched out
of the café.
Why
is Jose Important Now?
Jose is important today as he was back in 1961 when he
ran for office. Jose stands as a courageous role model to people still struggling with their sexual
identity and self-esteem.
Who’s
Making This Movie?
Executive Producer Joe Castel is a writer from Los Angeles who befriended
Jose in 1990. He currently is working on a feature film script of Jose’s
amazing journey. Joecastel@hotmail.com or 563-271-6473
Director Dante Alencastre work includes a
slate of short films, cable television programs, international magazine
collaborations and, most recently, the critically acclaimed documentary
TRANSVISIBLE: BAMBY SALCEDO’S STORY. droa70@msn.com or 310 661 0388
Who's Sponsoring this Documentary? ![]()
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This film is associated with The National LGBTQ Task Force, and Jose's nonprofit organization the Imperial Court System.
“What
Do You Need?”
We’re
looking for funds to complete production. We have more than 60 hours of never
seen before footage of Jose’s cabaret performances, coronations, cemetery
marches as the Widow Norton, and intimate interviews at home. We still need to conduct interviews
with Jose’s contemporaries, historians, LGBT politicians and close friends,
searching for the most compelling confidants, seeking to mine stories and life
experiences that elucidate Jose’s personal and political trajectory.
