Being BeBe

Play trailer

1:00

Being BeBe

2021

1h 33m

Documentary

Biography

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

8 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Being BeBe intimately charts 15 years in the life of drag performer Marshall Ngwa (aka BeBe Zahara Benet): An immigrant to America from homophobic Cameroon, first champion on Reality TV phenomenon RuPaul's Drag Race, and a leading artist celebrating Black Queer Excellence today. Marshall's emotional journey raises timely concerns at the intersection of LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and immigrant lives within the context of a hard-fought artist's journey toward success against all odds.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Natalia Winkelman

New York Times

Jun 7, 2022

Within her profile of Marshall Ngwa, who performs drag as BeBe Zahara Benet, Branham tucks lucid insights about the codes, ethics and art of cinematic biography.

Go to Full Review

David Rooney

The Hollywood Reporter

Jun 29, 2021

Even if Being BeBe doesn't often go deep, the candor and infectious humor of Ngwa make it a satisfying watch - particularly for fans who have made RuPaul's Drag Race its own vibrant chapter in contemporary queer pop-culture history.

Go to Full Review

Rich Cline

Shadows on the Wall

Dec 19, 2023

3.5/5

The very first winner of RuPaul's Drag Race is the subject of this fairly straightforward documentary.

Go to Full Review

Valerie Kalfrin

AWFJ.org

Jun 13, 2022

While the film doesn’t have a tight structure, it’s a warm profile of an effervescent personality who radiates self-acceptance and encourages others to do the same.

Go to Full Review

Joey Keogh

Vague Visages

Jun 8, 2022

Being BeBe is full of heart, soul and wit — much like the subject herself — and provides a fascinating glimpse behind the curtain for fans and curious newcomers alike; a joy-filled, life-affirming must-watch.

Go to Full Review

Amelia Harvey

Screen Queens

Mar 28, 2022

3/5

Branham has too much footage over the years of highs and lows that even she appears to struggle to know what to do with it. She clearly tries to cover too many angles, leaving interesting points feeling like perfunctory footnotes.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Emily Branham

Director

Nea Marshall Kudi

Actor

Emily Branham

Producer

Jonathan Goodman Levitt

Producer

Marc Smolowitz

Producer

Emily Branham

Film Editor

Workhorse Queen

100%

%

Workhorse Queen

Watchlist

Becoming a Queen

100%

%

Becoming a Queen

Watchlist

Simply Johanne

%

%

Simply Johanne

Watchlist

Invisible Beauty

100%

82%

Invisible Beauty

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Invisible Beauty

Code Red: Diaries of Madness

%

%

Code Red: Diaries of Madness

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Being BeBe: Teaser Trailer

1:00

Now Playing

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Being BeBe intimately charts 15 years in the life of drag performer Marshall Ngwa (aka BeBe Zahara Benet): An immigrant to America from homophobic Cameroon, first champion on Reality TV phenomenon RuPaul's Drag Race, and a leading artist celebrating Black Queer Excellence today. Marshall's emotional journey raises timely concerns at the intersection of LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and immigrant lives within the context of a hard-fought artist's journey toward success against all odds.

Director: Emily Branham
Producer: Emily Branham, Jonathan Goodman Levitt, Marc Smolowitz
Production Co: 13th Gen, Work And Serve Productions
Genre: Documentary, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 7, 2022
Runtime: 1h 33m

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings