Untold LGBTQIA+ history can be difficult to come by, with much of it finding its way into archival trash bins. P.S. Burn This Letter Please is a documentary that captures a moment in queer history – a moment that could have easily been lost. This film about New York City’s drag community unfolds thanks to the discovery of a box of letters, held in secret for 60 years. The result is a 5-year exploration of a never seen before chapter of queer history.
It is not just the letters that make this movie special. The filmmakers tracked down many of the letter writers who are now in their 80s and 90s. These subjects are as charming as they are historically weighty. The correspondences are addressed to Reno, a gay nightlife insider who left New York to pursue a career elsewhere, and the community’s longing fo rhis creative advice and support are rendered beautifully onscreen.
Entertaining and informative interviews are woven together with readings by actors and animations to bring to life these written conversations with a flourish of charming vernacular and LGBTQIA+ attitude. P.S. Burn This Letter Please is not only a time capsule, but a powerful reminder to the LGBTQIA+ community of today that you can only truly make history if you record it as it happens.
– Jeff Paris, Damn These Heels programming committee member
