The Short Film
A documentary about queer nightlife, drag culture and trans joy in small-town America.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is known for its rolling hills, fluffy clouds, and deeply conservative values. But there's more than what's in the tourist guides - if you know where to look.
Amish Country Queer follows Brady Pappas, a trans non-binary photographer capturing the vibrant LGBTQ+ and drag culture in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. For Brady, photography is a way to reclaim parts of their life that carried rejection and isolation, turning them into pride and connection, and ultimately creating a living portrait of the evolving possibilities of queer life in small-town America.
The film has become a festival favorite, and audiences have called it "a remarkable tribute to queer small-town SEPA" and "pure magic."
☆
"a remarkable tribute"
☆
"inspiring"
☆
"life-affirming"
☆
"pure magic"
☆ "a remarkable tribute" ☆ "inspiring" ☆ "life-affirming" ☆ "pure magic"
MEET BRADY PAPPAS
A trans artist who uses the camera to explore queer identity, visibility, and chosen family within small-town and rural communities across South Central Pennsylvania.
“I create images that celebrate the people building vibrant queer lives in the places they're often expected to leave behind.” - Brady Pappas
Amish Country Queer (short film) is available for bookings!
Bringing this story to life at a moment when trans voices need space, care, and visibility more than ever has reaffirmed why this project matters.
Queer and trans people are being pushed further into the margins, especially in rural America. Stories like Amish Country Queer can be lifelines for the kids growing up in Lancaster and small towns everywhere.
They need to know they’re not alone.
Lancaster, PA
☆
York, PA
☆
Carlisle, PA
☆
Harrisburg, PA
☆
Highland Park, NJ
☆
Houston, TX
☆
Pittsburgh, PA
☆
Ashley, PA
☆
Woods Hole, MA
☆
Boston, MA
☆
Shepardstown, WV
☆
Missoula, MT
☆
Winston-Salem, NC
☆
Bethlehem, PA
☆
Wilmington, NC
☆
Bridgeport, CT
☆
Jim Thorpe, PA
☆
Chicago, IL
☆
Rehoboth, DE
☆
Fire Island, NY
☆
Tacoma, WA
☆
Strousburg, PA
☆
St. Petersburg, FL
☆
Lancaster, PA ☆ York, PA ☆ Carlisle, PA ☆ Harrisburg, PA ☆ Highland Park, NJ ☆ Houston, TX ☆ Pittsburgh, PA ☆ Ashley, PA ☆ Woods Hole, MA ☆ Boston, MA ☆ Shepardstown, WV ☆ Missoula, MT ☆ Winston-Salem, NC ☆ Bethlehem, PA ☆ Wilmington, NC ☆ Bridgeport, CT ☆ Jim Thorpe, PA ☆ Chicago, IL ☆ Rehoboth, DE ☆ Fire Island, NY ☆ Tacoma, WA ☆ Strousburg, PA ☆ St. Petersburg, FL ☆
While production has wrapped, costs are still coming in as we move through post-production on the feature film and community events.
Donations and new Community Sponsors are still very welcome, and every contribution helps us sustain this project and everything that follows!
Merch
Support the art.
Wear the vibe.
Shop merch and keep independent film alive.
On the News
York County Photographer’s Story Featured in Award-Winning Documentary
Portraits - Colleen Brady: Capturing Queer Joy
'Amish Country Queer' finds LGBTQ+ community in unexpected places
'Amish Country Queer' documentary tells stories of LGBTQ+ joy, being queer in Lancaster
