“Dope Queens” Debuts: Indie Romantic Thriller Premieres at Bentonville Film Festival!

“Dope Queens,” an independent movie that highlights the renowned Tenderloin district of San Francisco, is set to debut at the Bentonville Film Festival in Arkansas.

The film is scheduled for its global premiere on June 20 at the festival, which will take place from June 16-22.

In November 2021, the cast was revealed to include Alexandra Grey (“Empire,” “Gossamer Folds”), Pierson Fodé (“The Man From Toronto,” “The Wrong Paris”) and Trace Lysette (“Hustlers,” “Monica”), with Grafton Doyle taking the helm as the writer-director. Also, stars from “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Kylie Sonique Love and Krystal Thomas, were added to the supporting cast.

The romantic thriller is inspired by actual events and revolves around three friends, Goldie (played by Grey), Blake (played by Fodé), and Angel (played by Lysette), navigating a challenging night in the Tenderloin streets. This area is noted as a significant landmark within the LGBTQ+ community, recognized globally as the first legal transgender district.

Producing the film are Julio Lopez Velazquez (“Buck Run,” “A Place in the Field”), John Reyes Doyle (“On Our Way,” “A Place in the Field”) and Grafton Doyle through Tomorrowland Productions. Co-producers include Eugene Koh (“Feeling Through”) and Jillian Houghton.

Beyond the premiere, the 11th annual Bentonville Film Festival also features a week filled with film screenings, panels led by industry experts, Q&A sessions, and networking opportunities. Actress Geena Davis initiated this festival in collaboration with Walmart and Coca-Cola, and she chairs the event in conjunction with her Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, which campaigns for gender equality in media representation.

Grey has been seen in “MacGyver,” “The Alienist,” and “How to Get Away With Murder,” and is represented by Citizen Skull and Zero Gravity Management.

Fodé’s acting portfolio includes a three-year stint on “The Bold and the Beautiful” and roles in “Supergirl” and “Tacoma FD.” His representation includes Innovative Artists, Zero Gravity Management, and Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman.

Lysette, who is represented by Innovative Artists, Stride Management, and Peikoff Mahan Law Office, has received an Independent Spirit Nomination for her leading role in “Monica” and a GLAAD Media Award for best film. Her additional roles include “Transparent” and “Q-Force,” and she has also worked as a producer and subject for the documentary “Disclosure.”