Megan Wennberg is a writer and director based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. She works in both documentary and fiction, and her work has screened at festivals around the world and been broadcast on CBC, The Comedy Network, and Documentary Channel.

“Drag Kids” will premiere at the 2019 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival on April 28.

W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.

MW: “Drag Kids” is an intimate journey into the lives of four kids who long to be fabulous. Stephan, Jason, Bracken, and Nemis are all very different, but they’re united by a shared passion for drag and a determination to blaze their own way in the adult world of drag shows and vogue balls.

The kids have never met anyone else “like them,” but with the loving support of their parents, they come together for the first time to perform at the world-famous Montreal Pride Festival.

W&H: What drew you to this story?

MW: When producer Erin Oakes pitched this idea to me last spring, I was immediately interested. As a filmmaker I’ve always been drawn to characters, points of view, and worlds that are new to me, and the Drag Kids are all totally unique. They each have deeply personal reasons for doing drag, and I was privileged to get to know each of them in their hometowns and to witness firsthand what drives them, as well as the challenges they face. The passion, bravery, and self-awareness they display at such young ages astounds me, and I am excited to help share their stories.

W&H: What do you want people to think about when they are leaving the theater?

MW: I hope this film inspires people to think about the ways in which they can express their true selves. The Drag Kids are fierce and fabulous, and I think they challenge us all to think about what that could look like in our own lives—if we can be brave enough to follow our own wildest dreams.

W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?

MW: Sleep deprivation, but that’s not unique to this film. For “Drag Kids,” the biggest challenge was probably trying to follow the action of all the kids and their parents during their whirlwind five-day visit to Montreal Pride. They had never met, so we weren’t sure how it was going to go having so many big personalities in the same space and under such a crazy deadline to rehearse and perform together. But they clicked instantly.

I really feel incredibly lucky with how smoothly this film has come together—with everything from the funding to the Kids’ supportive families to the generosity and talents shared by so many to make this film the best it can be.

W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made. 

MW: “Drag Kids” was commissioned by the Canadian public broadcaster CBC as a 45-minute film for their POV Documentary strand. The project also received funding from the Canada Media Fund, the Nova Scotia Film and TV Production Incentive, and Federal tax credits, and the producers financed the 80-minute theatrical version.

W&H: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

MW: I have always loved films, but growing up in a small town in New Brunswick I never considered that filmmaking was an option for me. Then, when I was at journalism school in Halifax, I got to make a short documentary, and I fell in love with the whole process.

W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?

MW: I’ve gotten lots of good advice over the years, but the best came from filmmaker Teresa MacInnes. When I was finishing journalism school and realized that I really wanted to make films, I met Teresa and she said the simplest, most accurate — and at the time, most annoying — thing: “Just keep doing it.”

No “worst advice” is coming to mind. I’m sure I’ve gotten some, but I’d like to think I’ve ignored it.

W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?

MW: The same advice I have for anyone—know why you’re doing what you’re doing, and trust yourself.

W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.

MW: There are so many, but the first that comes to mind is “Fish Tank” by Andrea Arnold. I love the raw, intense power and vulnerability of the main character, and how Arnold takes us face-first into the messiness, longing, and frustrations of her life. This is one of the first films I remember feeling jealous of, which to me is always a good indicator that I both love it and want to make work in a similar vein.

W&H: It’s been a little over a year since the reckoning in Hollywood and the global film industry began. What differences have you noticed since the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements launched?

MW: I’ve been very lucky in that I’ve almost always felt supported and respected on any set I’m directing. In the few instances where I haven’t, I think the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements have helped bolster me to stand up for myself.