Shaz Bennett’s directorial debut is based on her acclaimed short film of the same title, which screened at nearly 150 film festivals around the world. It isn’t hard to figure out where the action takes place—which is a crucial aspect of this production. The unique Alaskan microcosm can be considered a character in the film, harsh and remote, in sharp contrast with the other characters in the film whom Bennett treats with great empathy. Leo and his twin sister Tristen are the foreground characters; their intimate relationship is based on love and mutual acceptance mixed with a sense of responsibility. The thought of a happy family is only a vague memory for them. Leo’s everyday life is knee-deep in fish guts (he works in a fish cannery, as Bennett once did) and getting into fistfights because of his otherness. As a young gay man, especially one who dreams of a career as a drag queen, he isn’t welcome in this ultraconservative community. He’s so good at defending himself that eventually his boss offers to train him as a boxer. A bittersweet film, not unlike Lee Daniels’ Precious in its form, Alaska Is a Drag draws the viewer’s attention to issues of tolerance and empathy.