Poster image for Nelly Queen: The Life and Times of Jose Sarria, courtesy of Joe Castel.

Join us for a special screening of director, producer, screenwriter and playwright Joe Castel’s new documentary film Nelly Queen: The Life and Times of José Sarria (2020). An intimate look at an extraordinary man, the film documents Sarria’s life, starting with his performances at the North Beach establishment the Black Cat Café in the 1950s, to his historic run for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1961 (becoming the first openly gay person to run for political office anywhere), to his founding of the Imperial Court System in 1964. Alternating historical footage with bittersweet revelatory interviews, the film shows “how a marginalized outcast fought unjust laws and united an often fractured community by giving them a political and social identity,” as the Bay Area Reporter wrote in its review. The film is preceded at 7:00 p.m. by a discussion with Castel (see the separate event listing).

Note: the discussion and the film screening are ticketed as two separate events, so please register for each event if you wish to attend both.

Enjoy the official trailer for Nelly Queen here:

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

This event will take place online. After you register, you will receive a confirmation email with a link and instructions on how to join.

ADMISSION

$10 | Free for members

Register online here: http://bit.ly/3qBNDex

JOIN THE GLBT HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Become a member of the GLBT Historical Society for free museum and program admission, discounts in the museum shop and other perks: www.glbthistory.org/memberships.