Directed by: Maarten Cornelis, Joe LoBianco
Runtime: 63 minutes
"DRAG REPAIR" is a feature documentary and a love letter to creativity, resilience, and queer joy. It celebrates the people who keep traditions alive while carrying forward the spirit of protest, pride, and belonging that has defined the LGBTQ+ movement for generations.
The film follows Dennis as he searches for a new leader of Drag Repair, the behind-the-scenes crew of artists and friends who keep Fire Island's legendary Invasion of the Pines alive. The Invasion is an annual, decades-old drag protest-turned-celebration in which hundreds of queens arrive by ferry to transform the beach town into a spectacle of glamour, satire, and queer resistance.
As the founder of the Invasion, Thom Hansen, better known as Panzi, often reminded participants, "I don't go to a parade, I go to a march." That sentiment remains at the heart of the event. While the Invasion is a celebration, it is also a reminder of the LGBTQ+ community's ongoing fight for visibility, equality, and the freedom to live authentically.
Not all heroes wear heels. Some carry glue guns and lashes.
Through Dennis's search for the next generation of leadership, DRAG REPAIR explores the power of chosen family, community, and artistic expression. It shines a light on the dedicated artists, builders, organizers, and volunteers whose work makes the Invasion possible year after year.
"DRAG REPAIR" is a celebration of the people behind the spectacle and the legacy they are working to preserve for future generations.