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Movies are a powerful thing. They can alert you to a world you may not have known even existed, a place where you just might belong. And so it was with burlesque artist Katniss Everqueer the first time she saw Jamie Babbitt’s 1999 cult hit But I’m a Cheerleader. Everqueer will intro the film with a personal take on its impact, then host a post-screening conversation.
Largely derided by critics upon its release, but now regarded as an LGBTQ+ cult classic (IndieWire dubbed it “the best lesbian film ever made” in 2023), But I’m a Cheerleader’s none-too-subtle but hilarious satire is evident in its plot outline, in which popular-girl Megan is sent to a conversion-therapy camp to “cure” her of her lesbianism. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t work. Director Babbitt said her goal was to make a gay Clueless, and that the film’s candy-color palette was meant to create a vibe of “Barbie Dream House meets Edward Scissorhands.” Mission accomplished. Initially rated NC-17 before some minor edits, But I’m a Cheerleader feels pretty PG-13 today.
The film’s dream cast is headed up by the trio of Natasha Lyonne, Melanie Lynskey and Clea Duvall, and ably augmented by characters actors such as Cathy Moriarty (Raging Bull), Bud Cort (Harold and Maude), Mink Stole (Polyester), and RuPaul (not in drag).