Queen of the Deuce tells the story of New York’s 42nd Street during a more seedy period from the 1960s to the 1980s when it was commonly referred to as The Deuce, the porn core of Times Square. Presiding over several of its busiest theatres was a formidable Jewish Greek-born woman named Chelly Wilson, who lived above one of her cinemas. She was a savvy businesswoman who seldom smiled and made no apologies. She was also a generous surrogate mother to many of the outsiders – straight and gay – who worked in her business, both in front of and behind the projection booth.

Chelly’s remarkable story is told by filmmaker Valerie Kontakos who depicts Chelly’s life amid that notorious era of New York history that included shopping bags full of cash in her apartment, and Friday night poker games with notorious characters. It also connects the dots between the traumatic loss of Chelly’s family to the Nazis and her creation of a new “family” among the people she knew and liked within the city’s sex industry. As well, we see her “respectable” last act, as the owner of a high-end Greek restaurant that attracted a movie star clientele.

Queen of the Deuce tells this story in full, with archival material, often hilarious clips of vintage adult films, animation and recollections from her surviving friends and family – including daughters Paulette Pomeranz and Bondi Wilson Walters (the latter of whom joined Chelly in the business with her husband Don Walters), and her filmmaker grandson David Bourla.

Queen of the Deuce is ultimately a portrait of an indomitable spirit, determined to live the American Dream on her own terms, moralists be damned. Bucking her conservative Jewish upbringing in Thessaloniki at the outbreak of WWII, Chelly Wilson left her family in Greece and sailed to New York where she created a new life.

Screening as part of the Toronto Jewish Film Festival – Saturday June 3 at 9:15pm. Also, streams on the Documentary Channel on June 24, 2023 at 9pm. 

Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema – 506 Bloor St. West, Toronto – TICKETSDavid Bourla (Chelly Wilson grandson) will be in attendance at this screening

Produced by Storyline Entertainment with the participation of Canada Media Fund, Rogers Documentary Fund, Ontario Creates, in co-production with ERT, with the support of the Greek Film Center, MEDIA of the European Union, Jewish Story Partners, with the participation of RTS, in association with Channel 8, and documentary Channel.  International distribution by Cinephil.

Other LGBTQ+ themed films screening as part of the Toronto Jewish Festival include:

    About the Author

    Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.