Pride Month 2025: Hairspray (1988)
Director: John Waters Run Time: 92 min. Rating: PG Release Year: 1988
Starring: Debbie Harry, Divine, Ricki Lake, Sonny Bono, Vitamin C
Country: United States
Language: English
About the film:
Co-curated by Columbus icon Nina West and Gateway Film Foundation CEO Chris Hamel, the Film Center is proud to present our 2025 Pride Month Program!
‘Pleasantly plump’ teenager Tracy Turnblad achieves her dream of becoming a regular on the Corny Collins Dance Show. Now a teen hero, she starts using her fame to speak out for the causes she believes in, most of all integration. In doing so, she earns the wrath of the show’s former star, Amber Von Tussle, as well as Amber’s manipulative, pro-segregation parents. The rivalry comes to a head as Amber and Tracy vie for the title of Miss Auto Show 1963.
About the filmmaker:
John Samuel Waters Jr. is an American filmmaker, actor, writer, artist, and visual artist. Born in 1946, he became famous in the 1970s for his transgressive and audacious cult films, including Pink Flamingos (1972) and Desperate Living (1977). His films are known for their shock value, repulsive imagery, and rebellious revulsion. Waters has also directed Hairspray (1988), Cry-Baby (1990), and Serial Mom (1994).
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