With traditional large-scale NAIDOC Week celebrations on hold for this year, Hunter Primary Care is proud to be acknowledging NAIDOC Week in style, hosting a private screening of ‘Black Divaz’ – a one of one-of-a-kind documentary celebrating drag performance as an art form through the lens of Australian Indigeneity – on Tuesday 10th November at Event Cinemas Kotara.

Proving that life is anything but a drag, the film, directed by Adrian Russell-Wills and produced by Michaela Perske and Gillian Moody, goes beyond the glitz, glamour and glue guns of drag, encapsulating the raw essence of Black Drag in a visual and musical feast that provides conversation around what it means to be an Indigenous drag performer today.

From behind the curtains of the inaugural Miss First Nations Pageant, audiences get to know the competing queens and learn of their hardships, their challenges with finding love, and their journey to self-acceptance.

Brenda Ryan, Hunter Primary Care CEO, said that while it is unfortunate not to be able to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities at NAIDOC Week community events this year, the film screening is an opportunity to bring staff and community together to develop a deeper understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, histories and cultures, to ignite conversation and spark change.

“As an organisation we are committed to providing health and wellbeing services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We are also committed to embracing diversity and eliminating all forms of discrimination in the provision of health services. We welcome all people irrespective of ethnicity, lifestyle choice, faith, sexual orientation, gender identity; and those who have a lived experience with disability.”

“We are also very excited to be joined by special guest and star of film, Jojo Zaho. Jojo will join us for the screening and also take part in a Q&A session, giving an insight into the documentary and her experience as an Aboriginal drag performer,” said Ms Ryan.

Jojo first made her debut as a political statement after an Indigenous council member declared that homosexuality was not a part of Indigenous culture. After hearing this, Jojo attended Dubbo’s first Pride March donning a dress made of the Pride and Indigenous flag, making a statement of her own.

From there, Jojo took the opportunity to fill a void and represent her community. “When you’re in drag, you’re making a statement whether you like it or not. It’s an opportunity to send a positive message without having to shout it, said Miss Zaho.

The ‘Black Divaz’ trailer can be viewed at https://vimeo.com/262910655.