ABOVE: Joey Brooks films “The Heart of Ybor” at Showbar. Photo courtesy SLlama Productions.
TAMPA | The LGBTQ-owned and operated SLlama Productions premiered “The Heart of Ybor” via social media Dec. 26, a new film project showcasing the history and evolution of drag in Ybor City.
Local filmmaker Samantha Luque, 24, launched her production company in 2020 to provide photography, video and other services that uplift marginalized voices. “The Heart of Ybor” was initially shot for film school in September and October of last year.
“I decided to expand my film career,” Luque recalls. “I had been working with a lot of nonprofits and local companies telling their stories and I wanted to go to school for film. I didn’t study it for my undergrad and wanted to do that for my Masters, and a lot of the programs ask you to complete a film.”
Luque found inspiration for the project during a drag show in Ybor, when Jade Embers introduced another fan favorite entertainer from the stage, Esme Russell. “She called her one of the original drag performers and started talking about her,” she says. “Right then and there I was like, ‘that’s it. This is what I want to do. I want to showcase who these people are.’”
The initial result is a 10-minute documentary that includes Russell, as well other veteran performers and rising stars. Joey Brooks, Jade Embers, Gabrielle Fearce Santi, Brianna Summers, Juno Vibranz and Kristina White were all interviewed at local hotspots including Bradley’s on 7th, Showbar and Southern Nights Tampa.
“I wanted to start with trailblazers, because none of this would be possible without them,” Luque explains, “but I also decided to showcase how they affected performers working today. I wanted to tell their stories and get the insight of the people surrounding them.”
That led her to seek input from LGBTQ advocates and allies as well. “The Heart of Ybor” includes commentary from Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, Tampa Pride President Carrie West, PFLAG Tampa Co-Founder Nancy Desmond and Trevor James, who now respectively serves as the vice president and president of the organizations.
View behind the scenes photos here, courtesy of SLlama Productions:
“As a filmmaker this was one of the hardest projects I have ever done,” Luque shared along with the premiere. “It was so important to make sure that their stories were told right and to honor the stories of the past, present and future. This community is beautiful and welcoming. It was a pleasure to capture their stories.”
Luque says a longer version of “The Heart of Ybor” will follow this year, running at least 45 minutes. She hopes to expand on each of the subjects found in her shorter film.
“I want people to understand that there is a person behind the heels and the makeup,” Luque says. “These are real people and I want them to respect their story and their journey to get a glimpse of what it really takes to be on that stage.”
View the 10-minute documentary below:
For more information about SLlama Productions, visit SLLamaProductions.com.
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