Better Known As Peaches Christ

Two decades after Joshua Grannell gave birth to his bold, brazen, busty alter-ego, Peaches Christ has become a beloved cult icon.

This lush, intimate portrait offers a rare candid glimpse into the pre-show transformation of San Francisco’s most sought-after drag queen. Both man and queen get personal as they discuss transgression, catharsis, and how by becoming someone else, Joshua learned to love himself.

Through his development of Peaches Christ, Joshua was able to explore his feminine side and his sexuality. In the piece we hear from both Joshua and Peaches about their lives growing up Queer while attending Catholic school. Joshua developed the character of Peaches as a way to process and rebel against their Catholic upbringing.

As Joshua transforms into Peaches, we hear how Peaches helped him love himself. The film culminates in Joshua’s acceptance of himself, as we see Joshua/Peaches in their element at a drag show.

Directors Statement:

We were interested in the process of internal and external transformation that takes place in preparation for a drag show. Drag is as important and relevant as ever now. It’s a subversive act that is also a profound celebration of identity. I think a lot of people have felt like their identity has been under attack. We wanted to make a film, and actually a series of films, that celebrates diversity in thought, experience, and identity.

We wanted to make something that was accessible to people that have never seen a drag show, and get them interested in drag as an art form. At the same time, it was important to make a film about someone who learned to celebrate their own uniqueness, and we are hoping that it inspires others to embrace the qualities that make them unique. Jeff Dragomanovich and Nate Visconti (the directors) are both fans of Peaches.

Directors Bio:

Nate Visconti is a San Francisco Bay Area native. For the last 10 years, Nate has produced narrative and documentary shorts, worked on film and television sets, and shot and produced
corporate training, recruiting, and promotional videos. Nate and the other filmmakers on Better Known as Peaches Christ have created a film collective to make films together.

Jeff Dragomanovich is freelance sound mixer that's worked on feature films, commercial and corporate videos. He is the owner and operator of Appetite For Production. Jeff is a San Francisco Bay Area native and has worked in the industry for nearly 10 years. His love of film led him to study cinema at San Francisco State University where he fell in love with documentary film making. Better Known as Peaches Christ is the third short documentary that he has directed.

To learn more about Nate & Jeff's work, check them out at the links below:

http://fourcornerlabs.com

https://twitter.com/fourcornerlabs

https://www.facebook.com/FourCornerLabs

https://vimeo.com/fourcornerlabs

https://www.instagram.com/fourcornerlabs

Credit List

Directed by Jeff Dragomanovich & Nate Visconti
Produced by Nate Visconti
Co-produced by Oli McCormack & Greg Armstrong
Featuring Joshua Grannell as Peaches Christ
Director of Photography Dan Williams
Editor Greg Armstrong
Art Direction Helen Slomowitz
Gaffer Hart Perez
Production Assistant Dan Isaacs
Colorist Eric Escobar
Compositor Tim Kwong
Sound engineer and Editor Patrick Schaffer