‘Fruitcakes: Dawn of Drag’ Goes Back to ‘Happy Gays,’ “Reclaiming History” Through a Timely Film (Exclusive Trailer and Chat)

The documentary *Fruitcakes: Dawn of Drag* revisits Finland’s first drag show, Happy Gays, which began in the late 1970s, and the lives of its performers. Filmmaker Vesa Kuosmanen says he began exploring this history amid renewed hostility towards queer people, aiming to show how fear can turn into anger and to recover stories that had been forgotten.

The film combines archival material, rehearsals and re-enactments, with retired archivist Jolanda opening his collection more than 30 years after his friend Mummo was murdered in Helsinki in 1988. New generations of drag artists bring Happy Gays back to the stage, connecting its joyful past with memories of discrimination and loss. The documentary is due to premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival’s Doc@PÖFF competition.