Armenia sits at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East. While in much of the European Union, the drag scene is mainstream, in Armenia it remains underground. Performers face threats of violence, stigma, police pressure and even rejection by their own families. Despite this, drag queens have built a vibrant, bustling community that has attracted both local Armenians and international crowds. They make up a passionate and determined microculture challenging ultraconservative norms. And this avant garde scene is, in turn, being influenced by Armenia’s evolving political landscape.
As Yerevan strengthens ties with the EU and distances itself from Moscow, this conservative Christian country has become a refuge for tens of thousands of Russians fleeing the war in Ukraine – reshaping Armenian society in unexpected ways.
Renée Bertini and Kal Berjikian from ENTR, alongside François Picard, take us inside this hidden microculture in an upcoming documentary, produced with support from the Pulitzer Center.
