“Nelly Queen: The Life and Times of José Sarria”: Have a limited amount of time? Be sure to put this sweet, fascinating nostalgic dive into the life and influential ties of Sarria, a San Francisco drag performer who was an LGBTQ trailblazer and the first out gay person to run for office, high on the list. Director Joseph R. Castel was a friend of Sarria, and that closeness proves to be an asset in “Nelly Queen” as it provides a sentimental but complete overview of one of the Bay Area’s unsung heroes — someone who delighted crowds at San Francisco’s gay Black Cat bar and became a fixture as the “widow” of the Bay Area’s notorious Emperor Norton. Bay Area history lovers will eat it up.
Available to stream Thursday through June 27
