Robby Kendall has lived in the East Bay city of Emeryville for 15 years. An artist, filmmaker and drag queen, he was long frustrated by the lack of queer events in the town where he had made his home. So, Kendall took the matter into his own hands. He began producing queer events in town under the auspices of Fishnets and Film, his nonprofit. So far F&F has produced drag shows, drag bingo, and, this past September, Emeryville's first Pride event.
On Saturday, February 8, from 12pm-9pm, F&F will offer Drag Me to the Cinema, the town's first day long queer film festival. It all happens at Emeryville's Bay Street Cinema. Kendall promises to bring the community together for a joyful experience, both during the festival and at the Gayla which will precede it on Friday the 7th.
In an interview with the Bay Area Reporter, Kendall spoke about what attendees at Drag Me to the Cinema can expect, and about some of Emeryville's other queer events.
David-Elijah Nahmod: Does Emeryville, a relatively small town, have a sizable queer community?
Robby Kendall: I'm not sure I would say there's a big community here, but we are certainly attracting and drawing in our LGBTQ+ community as we produce more events. We have many returning guests and more and more folks learning about us and our past events. I'm doing what I can to create a variety of queer events that would draw in different audiences for different experiences, such as producing a queer carnival at Bay Street.
I do believe that we were the first to produce a drag show here in Emeryville, and we made history, queer history, producing the first Emeryville Pride event. My drag persona Ms. Sweet Nothing was the first to host drag bingo, at Tipsy Putt, and currently hosts drag bingo first Thursdays at Public Market Emeryville.
As a gay living here in Emeryville, prior to our events, we would actually have to leave the city to celebrate the queer community. But now, with what we are doing, we can bring queer entertainment to Emeryville.
What inspires you to produce Drag Me to the Cinema?
To be frank, we need this. Our community needs this. As a psychologist, my main gig, I am constantly reminded about our challenges in society at all levels. And as a gay man who has experienced and witnessed a lot of struggles I've had, my friends have had, our queer ancestors have had, I am more and more determined to advocate for our community and help shed light on any darkness that befalls upon us.
What exactly will Drag Me to the Cinema entail?
So, on Saturday, February 8, we are going to have five blocks of themed programs in the theater that combine queer performance art with queer cinema. Outside in the courtyard of the AMC, we will have community engagement for our guests to mingle with our community partners and sponsors in a festival structure.
On the first floor there will be a film hub where we will have two structured seminars organized by Frameline and SF Queer Film Festival, respectively, for our participating filmmaker, guests, and anyone who wants to learn more about filmmaking from their expertise. Our films are programmed in collaboration with Frameline. Most films are from the libraries of Frameline and Fishnets and Film.
One film is provided by Bravemaker. Two films are loaned to us by our streaming partner Dekkoo. With film selection, we wanted to include films by Bay Area artists. I also threw in the film I made at the Lookout as an homage to the start of this creative journey I've taken.
We have over three dozen sponsors and supporters on board to help us in many ways. We are getting in-kind donations from sponsors, including Tito's handmade vodka and Drake dealership. Our ongoing supporters, including Hot Cookie SF, will provide treats for our guests. We also have other perks to provide, such as free coffee for our earlier blocks, a photo op with performers on our red carpet, and we have booked street performers, queer clowns, to engage with guests in the courtyard.
What is it about AMC Bay Street that you like?
AMC Bay Street offers a lot of benefits and queer synergy to have a festival like this there. For one, there are businesses, managers, and employees along the strip that welcome and support queer entertainment. I've been able to connect with managers and business owners, as well as employees who identify as LGBTQ+ to draw support and encouragement from.
Christa and David at Bay Street have been extremely welcoming and receptive to ideas about future events. The outdoor space, including the courtyard, ground floor, and terrace provide an extremely generous amount of space for our community partners and a festival vibe.
The theater itself is managed by staff who have been extremely welcoming and receptive to this festival. I am truly blessed to have the interest of Bay Street, AMC, and many businesses there to launch this event. I'm currently in conversations about producing and directing an outdoor Queer Carnival event at Bay Street in September.
And the Friday night Gayla will precede the film festival?
Friday, February 7, from 5pm-9pm, we will host an exclusive 21+ launch party. Our evening will include music, drag performances, community engagement and a cash bar. I'm bringing in a DJ, performers and bartenders, all of who identify as LGBTQ+. We will have special guests, including folks who work for the city of Emeryville, sponsors, and leaders of local organizations in our network.
Our drag performers include "RuPaul's Drag Race Philippines" star DeeDee Holliday. My drag persona, Ms. Sweet Nothing, is supposed to arrive at some point if she can get her act together, pun intended. We'll have free food and light bites, including food donated by Super Duper down the street at Public Market.
Trader Vic's is scheduled to attend with their famous Mai Tai boat. Representatives from our community partners, namely Frameline, East Bay Front Runners and Walkers, Pacific Center for Human Growth, and Nice Queer Pals are expected to attend. Sponsors, including Hot Cookie SF, JARS, Orange Theory Fitness, and Nice Queer Pals are expected to attend.
I'm just super-excited and doubly grateful when I have an opportunity like this to bring the community together and include sponsors and supporters who have been with us for quite some time, artists and filmmakers and guests for a truly joyful and engaging experience. I'm doing what I can to provide a joyful celebration of our festival with inspiring conversations about queer art and cinema, uplifting entertainment, and more of our queer art and cinema programming we have to offer.
Drag Me to the Cinema, February 8, 12-9pm, AMC Bay Street Theater, 5614 Bay St., suite 220, Emeryville. $10-$50. www.sweetnothingproductions.com
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