a short film by John Winter 2008 | 10 mins | Australia ›› Mirror Mirror mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest drag queen... Essentially a ten-minute monologue delivered dual style, this Australian short marks a moving examination of the ageing process, as former drag queen Joe bids a fond farewell to his alter ego. Only can feisty Jana be laid to rest so easily? And that is the central point of this emotive work, given how many drag queens, let alone cross-dressers have cast aside makeup and wigs in the bid to put 'that side' of their life behind them, only for the urge to dress up again to surface in the weeks / months thereafter? Then again, to give up something, let alone someone, that has been part of your life for so long, cannot be easy, given such a decision is guaranteed to bring to the surface thoughts of what was and what no longer will be. To that end, Roy Billing as Joe / Jana aptly conveys the emotions of a man saying goodbye to the woman he has known all his life, thoughts that culminate in the line "you'll miss me / always." Well-executed throughout, with the only props the jewellery and makeup tools of the trade that are thrown away one by one, the result is a well-observed tale that speaks volumes on life, love and if anything regret, as when you're no longer the fairest drag queen of them all. available on DVD as part of the Peccadillo Pictures catalogue - 'Boys on Film 1: Hard Love' release starring: Roy Billing Copyright 2009 David Hall - www.gaycelluloid.com. archive reference #210 ›› previous page | back to top | print me ‹‹