Sultana's reign سلطانة زمانها
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Portrait of a proud Palestinian drag queen
Synopsis (EN) :
Sultana of New York is a Palestinian drag queen, performer, and artist. "Sultana’s Reign" opens with a conversation with Sultana, as she is being painted by Jordanian artist, RIDIKKULUZ. Reflecting on her journey from Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, to then New York, Sultana tells of the challenges of performing drag in conservative societies, her nostalgia for the glory days and the glamour of Egyptian cinema icons, and her struggle to prove her existence and her self-expression as a performer and artist. She also shares her love of celebration and her everlasting commitment to be true to herself.
Synopsis (FR) :
Sultana of New York est une drag queen, une artiste et une performeuse palestinienne. « Le règne de Sultana » s'ouvre sur une conversation avec Sultana, alors qu'elle est peinte par l'artiste jordanien RIDIKKULUZ. Réfléchissant à son parcours entre la Jordanie, l'Égypte, le Liban et New York, Sultana évoque les défis que pose la pratique du drag dans des sociétés conservatrices, sa nostalgie des jours de gloire et du glamour des icônes du cinéma égyptien, ainsi que sa lutte pour prouver son existence et son expression personnelle en tant qu'artiste et performeuse. Elle partage également son amour de la fête et son engagement permanent à rester fidèle à elle-même.
Credits
Produced by
h7o7
Film by
Hadi Moussally
DOP / Post-Production / Special Effects
Olivier Pagny
With
With Sultana of New York and Ridikkuluz
Music
Louise From Scratch
Line production by
My Kali magazine
Editor in Chief
Khalid Abdel-Hadi
Managing editor
Eliza Marks
Transcription and translation by
Hiba Moustafa
Arabic translation edited by
Musa Shadeedi
Poster Design by
Alaa Sadi
2025
• Mix Film Festival Laval, Laval, Canada
Best Short Documentary Award
• Milwaukee Illuminate Film Festival, Milwaukee, United States
Best Documentary Award
• Out! Mostra de Cinema LGBTIQ+ de les Illes Balears, Palma, Spain
Audience Award
2024
• Los Angeles Super Shorts Film Festival, Los Angeles, United States
Best Short Doc Award
• MIX Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Nominated for Best Short Film
5 Awards & Nominations
36 Official Selections
2026
• Queer Shorts Vienna, Vienna, Austria
• PinX, Ghent, Belgium
2025
• Lebanon Cinema Days in Canada, Canada
• Rawy Films, Berlin, Germany
• Minnesota Film Festival, United States
• Milazzo Film Festival, Italy
2024
• Chéries-Chéris, Paris, France
• Leeds International Film Festival, United Kingdom
• Flip the Script, United States
• Soura Film Festival, Berlin, Germany
• Linz International Short Film Festival, Austria
• Scottish Queer International Film Festival, United Kingdom
• Queer Porto – International Queer Film Festival, Portugal
• Reel Q Pittsburgh LGBTQ+ Film Festival, United States
• Cinemaqueer Stockholm, Sweden
• Queer Lisboa – International Queer Film Festival, Portugal
• Toronto Palestine Film Festival, Canada
• Queer Wave, Cyprus
• Vancouver Queer Film Festival, Canada
• Reel Queer Film Festival, United States
• GAZE International LGBTQIA Film Festival, Ireland
• FIRE!! Barcelona LGBTI Film Festival, Spain
• Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival, Canada
• NorthwestFest International Documentary Festival, Canada
• Queer Spectrum Film Festival, Ireland
• Arlequeen, Paris, France
2023
• Haram Honey!, Malmö, Sweden
• Queer Cinema for Palestine, Toronto, Canada
• ASVOFF, Paris, France
• (In) Visible Structure(s), Berlin, Germany