“Pageant” directed by Ron Davis and Stewart Halpern-Fingerhut, 2008
“I got that rush–and a whole lot more that I wasn’t expecting–watching Pageant, a 2008 documentary from Ron Davis and Stewart Halpern-Fingerhut that chronicles the 2005 plight of five men on a mission to be crowned the 34th winner of Miss Gay America. Far more than just a peek inside one of the more intriguing (and overlooked) pageants around, the film provides a window inside the lives of some very intriguing individuals.
Pageant works on so many levels, it might surprise you. It’s funny, endearing, emotional and entertaining–and this comes from someone who’s (at best) indifferent to drag, which has never done anything for me. The film draws you in not only with the fanfare and tense competition (the filmmakers couldn’t have asked for a better lead-up to the announcement of the winner), but also with its powerful human interest element.” – Cameron McGaughy, DVD Talk