Starring Canada’s Drag Race legend Kendall Gender, Stay is a tender exploration of relationships. On their last night in town, Kaleb– known more commonly by the stage name Ivy Diamonds (Kendall Gender)– meets Ryan (Riley Davis), an artist from Vancouver. The few hours they spend together before Kaleb heads back to his tumultuous relationship bring him an unexpected sense of clarity.
Director’s Vision for ‘Stay’
STAY is inspired by years of being a fan of drag art, watching Drag Race, and wondering what it’s like to date and be in a relationship when you’re a drag artist and what it’s like to date a drag queen. I’ve been wondering, “Is it difficult for either party? What are those experiences like?” With STAY, I want to tell a story of a relationship that isn’t impeded by this stigmatism and by the typical setbacks that we’ve seen frequently addressed in queer cinema. I want to tell a story that captures an innately unique tension. Even though the setting is particular, I think the story is a very universal one. Who hasn’t met someone spontaneously one night and had an instant connection only to have that romantic bubble bust because that person is not available. Most importantly, I wanted to create a portrait of Drag from a much deeper perspective. The story of STAY is as relevant today as ever in its attempt to show that they are more than pretty makeup and wigs. There are so many stories to tell in this world, and so many that aren’t being told. STAY explores a budding queer and drag romance through a naturalistic lens that makes us feel like we’re in the room, right there with them. I hope that audiences will come away from the film knowing that we all will find love at some point in our lives, and it doesn’t matter if you are gay, straight, bi, transgender, or a drag queen.
