EXCLUSIVE: The Orchard has picked up the US distribution rights to Susanna Bartsch: On Top, an eponymous documentary about the Swiss-born party promoter and well-known figure of New York City’s gay and downtown nightlife.  RuPaul is on board as an exec producer along with Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato of World of Wonder, the production company behind RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Anthony Caronna and Alexander Smith, the filmmaking duo who go by Anthony&Alex,  wrote and directed the documentary, which was produced by Michael Beach Nichols and Christopher K. Walker. It world premiered at Toronto’s Hot Docs.

Bartsch is recognized for contribution in 1989, at the height of the AIDS epidemic, where she organized the first Love Ball, which raised over a million dollars for AIDS research while also putting the Harlem vogue balls on the radar of both high fashion and Madonna.

“We’ve known Susanne personally for many years, so we’re thrilled to champion the release of this incredible documentary,” said World of Wonder co-founders Barbato and Bailey. “We believe ‘The Queen of the Night’ will resonate with our tribe and is a perfect fit within World of Wonder’s catalog of programming.”

RuPaul is also featured in the film along with Amanda Lepore, Michael Musto, and her husband David Barton.

Susanne Bartsch: On Top will hit theaters on September 7 followed by a digital release on September 11.