Boylesque

United States Of America

Documental

70 min

2023

At 82 years old, Lula is every inch the rebel. An openly gay man in communist Poland, he organized underground parties and after-curfew salons of men inside private apartments. He enthusiastically took up drag, despite a fiercely homophobic culture, to free himself from the stifling correctness of the 80s. But now, hes an old, single man in a youth-obsessed world. His friend was crushed by depression and killed himself, but somehow Lula, now Polands oldest drag queen, remains buoyant. Is he escaping loneliness with his constant clubbing, looking for love yet again to insulate himself against what he knows is coming? Lula isnt waiting for approval. Filmmaker Bogna Kowalczyks energetic portrait pairs with her subjects kinetic drive, right down to the stellar soundtrack and nimble camerawork. Whether its meeting fans at Pride or selecting an artist to sculpt his specialty crematorium urn, try to keep up with a man who knows life is to be lived out loud.