A doc about New York City’s “patron saint of transformation and inclusion” is heading to theaters. The Orchard has acquired U.S. distribution rights to “Susanne Bartsch: On Top,” a portrait of the famed LGBTQ party promoter also known for her AIDS activism. RuPaul is among the project’s exec producers. Deadline broke the news.
Known as the “Queen of the Night,” Swiss-born Bartsch has been throwing parties for three decades. After losing many friends to AIDS, she created The Love Ball in 1989. The event brought together the fashion community to raise awareness and funds for AIDS research.
The doc is directed by Anthony Caronna and Alexander Smith, known as Anthony&Alex, and premiered at Hot Docs in 2017.
“I’ve created my own world,” Bartsch has said. “I don’t think I’m that special or anything; I live a certain life that I created. I give people a nightclub that’s a bit more like an art gallery. I accept people. I get a lot of different people in my life, and I think for some that can be fascinating. I just live my life, really. My rules.”
“Susanne Bartsch: On Top” hits theaters on September 7 with a digital release to follow on September 11.
