Private Project

Sultana's reign

Sultana of New York is a Palestinian drag queen, performer, and artist. "Sultana’s Reign" opens with a conversation with Sultana, as she is being painted by Jordanian artist, RIDIKKULUZ.

Reflecting on her journey from Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, to then New York, Sultana tells of the challenges of performing drag in conservative societies, her nostalgia for the glory days and the glamour of Egyptian cinema icons, and her struggle to prove her existence and her self-expression as a performer and artist. She also shares her love of celebration and her everlasting commitment to be true to herself.

  • Hadi Moussally
    Director
  • h7o7Studio
    Producer
  • Sultana
    Key Cast
  • Ridikkuluz
    Key Cast
  • Olivier Pagny
    DOP & Post-Production
  • Louise From Scratch
    Music
  • My Kali Magazine
    Line Production
  • Khalid Abdel-Hadi
    Editor in chief
  • Eliza Marks
    Managing Editor
  • Hiba Moustafa
    Transcription
  • Musa Shadeedi
    Arabic Translation Edited
  • Alaa Sadi
    Poster
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Genres:
    portrai, queer, lgbt
  • Runtime:
    9 minutes 53 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 28, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    France
  • Country of Filming:
    France
  • Language:
    English
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Qweery كويري 2026
    Geneva
    Switzerland
    March 13, 2026
  • Queer Shorts Vienna 2025
    Vienna
    Austria
    February 26, 2026
  • PinX 2026
    Ghent
    Belgium
    January 27, 2026
  • Mix Film Festival Laval 2025
    Laval
    Canada
    October 23, 2025
    "Best short documentary" Award
  • Lebanon Cinema Days in Canada 2025

    Canada
  • Milwaukee Illuminate Film Festival 2025
    Milwaukee
    United States
    September 7, 2025
    "Best Documenatry" Award
  • Rawy Films 2025
    Berlin
    Germany
    September 6, 2025
  • Out! Mostra de Cinema LGBTIQ+ de les Illes Balears 2025
    Palma
    Spain
    May 26, 2025
    "Audience Award"
  • Minnesota Film Festival 2025
    Minnesota
    United States
    March 19, 2025
  • Milazzo Film Festival 2025
    Milazzo
    Italy
    March 6, 2025
  • Los Angeles Super Shorts Film Festival 2024
    Los Angeles
    United States
    December 3, 2024
    "Best Short Doc" Award
  • Chéries-Chéris 2024
    Paris
    France
    November 16, 2024
  • Leeds International Film Festival 2024
    Leeds
    United Kingdom
    November 6, 2024
  • MIX COPENHAGEN 2024
    Copenhagen
    Denmark
    October 25, 2024
    "Best Short Film" Nomination
  • Flip the script 2024
    Minnesota
    United States
    October 11, 2024
  • Soura Film Festival 2024
    Berlin
    Germany
    October 10, 2024
  • Linz International Short Film Festival 2024
    Linz
    Austria
    October 9, 2024
  • Scottish Queer International Film Festival 2024
    Glasgow
    United Kingdom
    October 8, 2024
  • Queer Porto - International Queer Film Festival 2024
    Porto
    Portugal
    October 8, 2024
  • Reel Q: Pittsburgh LGBTQ+ Film Festival 2024
    Pittsburgh
    United States
    October 4, 2024
  • Cinemaqueer 2024
    Stockholm
    Sweden
    October 2, 2024
  • Queer Lisboa - International Queer Film Festival 2024
    Lisbon
    Portugal
    September 20, 2024
  • Toronto Palestine Film Festival 2024
    Toronto
    Canada
    September 28, 2024
  • Queer Wave 2024
    Nicosia
    Cyprus
    September 22, 2024
  • Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2024
    Vancouver
    Canada
    September 20, 2024
  • Reel Queer Film Festival 2024
    Little Rock
    United States
    August 8, 2024
  • GAZE International LGBTQIA Film Festival 2024
    Dublin
    Ireland
    August 5, 2024
  • FIRE!!, Barcelona LBGT Film Festival 2024
    Barcelona
    Spain
    June 7, 2024
  • Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival 2024
    Toronto
    Canada
    May 24, 2024
  • NorthwestFest International Documentary Festival 2024
    Edmonton
    Canada
    May 8, 2024
  • Queer Spectrum Film Festival 2023
    Dublin
    Ireland
    February 14, 2024
  • Alrequeen 2024
    Paris
    France
    January 18, 2024
  • Haram, Honey! 2023
    Malmö
    Sweden
    December 8, 2023
  • Queer Cinema For Palestine 2023
    Toronto
    Canada
    November 4, 2023
  • ASVOFF 2023
    Paris
    France
    November 9, 2023
  • (In) visible structure (s) 2023
    Berlin
    Germany
    September 16, 2023
Director Biography - Hadi Moussally

Hadi Moussally was born in Lebanon in 1987.
By age 18, he decides to go study film direction in France where he acquires a first master’s degree in “Fiction Cinema” from Paris-Est Marne la Vallée University. Moussally then chooses to take on a complementary masters in “Documentary and Anthropological Cinema” from Paris X Nanterre University, in the course of Jean Rouch. In that respect, Hadi Moussally acquainted himself with reality-cinema. The anthropological and documentary approach accustoms him with the sense of keen observation of his subjects and alerts him to the importance of instantaneous shooting; whereas his fictional background gives him the urge of creating sensual, esthetically pleasing imagery universes.
From 2012, Hadi Moussally shifts towards the world of fashion and directs several experimental films some of which received various distinctions in festivals. In 2014 he made his first documentary on the end of his grandmother's life, and in 2016 a docu-portrait on a senior model. In 2018 he completed an experimental project on albinism "Positive" whose photos have been exhibited at the UNESCO, the City Hall of Paris and Beirut Art Fair as well. In 2015 he founded the production unit H7O7 whose main objective is to enable the making and promotion of films and photos with "hybrid" vocation where is privileged the mixture of genres between experimental, documentary, fashion and fiction. His films have been awarded worldwide and have received more than 45 awards and 300 selections in international festivals. In 2020, he founded the collective “Hybrid Wave” with around 30 hybrid artists from around the world.

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