cheerleader

But I'm a Cheerleader

Directed by Jamie Babbit
U.S / 1999 / Narrative
85 minutes / English / FORMAT: DCP

This 1999 cult classic follows Megan (Natasha Lyonne), a teenager whose suburban existence is filled with friends, cheerleading, and all-American fun. Everything seems fine until her straight-laced parents suspect she may be a lesbian! In a panic, they send her to True Directions, a “rehabilitation” camp run by the strict and prudish Mary (Cathy Moriarty) and the overbearing counselor Mike (RuPaul). Megan dutifully follows the program – until she develops feelings for another camper in this timeless, satirical romantic-comedy.

“A number of recent films have explored conversion therapy, including The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Boy Erased, and the recent horror film They/Them. For the most part, these are serious dramas that hone in on the psychological torture, taking place in cold, clinical settings. For the first major American film to tackle conversion therapy, Jamie Babbit’s 1999 film But I’m a Cheerleader takes a very different approach. The film is a satirical comedy, camping and queering up conversion therapy at every turn to create an extremely funny, incisive, and wildly under-appreciated film.” ~ Barry Levitt, LGBTQ Nation