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Leilah Weinraub’s loud and evocative Shakedown foregrounds representations of black lesbian sexuality in the face of intrusive law enforcement.

Drawn from archival imagery and footage shot by Weinraub over a decade, Shakedown documents a Los Angeles strip club of the same name that catered to a predominately black lesbian clientele. Through both electric footage of bodies moving and gyrating inside the club alongside gossip and anecdote, a gripping evolution of this space is told. The film’s gritty portrayal of queer sexuality tells a heartfelt story of community both forming and thriving at the margins of ‘normal’ society. Notions of the nuclear family are powerfully challenged through renderings of motherhood and kin.

Ages 18+ | Contains high impact sexualised nudity and adult themes

Ages 18+