El Cangrejo

Documentary film, 38 min

Director: Meritxell Campos Olivé

Producer: Pepe Rubianes

Camera: Amir Fathi and Esther Dittmann

Music: Luís Miguelez

Editor: Steffen Bartneck and Meritxell Campos Olivé

Cast: Carmen de Mairena, Rubén, La Pasti, Desirée and Pepe Rubianes

Executive Producer: Silvia Vartán

Photography: Peer Schröder

Postproduction: Steffen Bartneck

About: El Cangrejo is a documentary film that provides an insight into the world of drag show culture in Barcelona. Pepe Rubianes, one of the most important artists and comedians in Spain, tells us about his experience at this bar. The film focuses on the lives of the performers, showing them on stage and behind the scenes, as well as the challenges they face in their daily lives. The documentary captures the essence of the vibrant subculture of the El Cangrejo bar, shedding light on its history, evolution and impact on the LGBTQ+ community and its relationship with its audience and society.

The early 2000s, when the film was made, was a time of transition in both the city of Barcelona and Spanish society. This is illustrated by the fact that a performer like Carmen de Mairena, one of the iconic drag stars of El Cangrejo, became an integral part of the world of television, despite or because of her advanced age. Other Cangrejo personalities, such as La Pasti, Rubén and Desirée, also achieved national recognition. 

On the verge of their national breakthrough, all these characters are intimately portrayed in this film.