Frameline50: 10s Across the Borders

With arresting cinematography, 10s Across the Borders delivers a long-overdue snapshot of ballroom culture in Southeast Asia through the art and work of three trailblazing performers. Not so much a companion piece to Paris Is Burning, Chan Sze-Wei’s exhilarating documentary is like the beautiful offspring of the landmark film, showcasing the ways in which queer drag stars from across the globe have reinterpreted ballroom and made it resonate for their experiences and for the local and international audiences who can’t get enough.

Diving into the voguing scene in Southeast Asia, 10s Across the Borders takes us on an odyssey across several oceans to place the rich talent of the region front and center. The film introduces us to Xyza from the Philippines, who found her calling after being rejected by the modelling industry; Teddy from Malaysia, who used performance as an escape from the homophobia he experienced at home; and Sun from Thailand, a mixed race queen who finds a sense of identity and community in the local ballroom community. A treat for lovers of adventurous and innovative drag, 10s Across the Borders culminates in a sensationally unique and exhilarating performance that sets the screen (and the world) ablaze.