FESTIVAL LOUNGE
25TH MELBOURNE QUEER FILM FESTIVAL
VENUES
ST ING SPR
ST S LN DER FLIN
1
PL ERS MEY
Flinders St
ST INS OLL LE C LITT
2
3
Federation Square
BAT MAN AVE
What makes Melbourne a creative city?
Aphids
25TH MELBOURNE QUEER FILM FESTIVAL
19 – 30 MARCH 2015
Arts Access Victoria Australian Centre for Contemporary Art Blindside Artist Run Space Chamber Made Opera Circus Oz Craft Emerging Writers’ Festival Ilbijerri Theatre Koorie Heritage Trust
RD ILDA ST K
S ST DER FLIN
ION IBIT EXH
7/59 19/5
ST LINS COL
Parliament
4
5/96 86/9
/72 4/67 16/6 6/8/ a/5/ 1/3/3
ST RKE BOU
L ST SEL RUS
ST
ST LIAM WIL
T LE S SDA LON
ST TH ABE ELIZ
E ST ROB LA T
ON NST SWA
ST EN QUE
T IN S NKL FRA Melbourne Central
19 – 30 MARCH 2015
The City of Melbourne is proud to support major and emerging arts organisations through their 2015–17 Triennial Arts Grants Program.
La Mama Little Big Shots Lucy Guerin Inc. Melbourne Festival
MQFF isn’t just about fantastic films; it’s also a great time to catch up with friends and fellow cinephiles in the Festival Lounge. Drop in for a quick hello and a bite to eat, talk film for hours or find a comfy couch to soak up the Festival atmosphere in Optic Kitchen + Bar at ACMI. We’ll be serving delicious meals, quick snacks and great coffee. You can also enjoy a beer or cider from Mountain Goat Brewery. Plus fill your bellies with foodie delights from Optic Bar + Kitchen.
YOUR VOTE COUNTS Don’t miss your chance to decide the best of the Fest. We have over $8,500 in cash prizes for deserving filmmakers. There are four audience choice awards up for grabs that need your vote. Let us know your favourite features, shorts and docos by voting online at mqff.com.au or at the Festival information Desk.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION Melbourne Queer Film Festival melbqueerfilmfest @mqff #mqff25 Search for mqff tube Subscribe to MQFF eNews for Festival updates, giveaways and special offers at mqff.com.au
1
ACMI Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Federation Square, Melbourne acmi.net.au
2
Kino Cinemas 45 Collins Street, Melbourne palacecinemas.com.au
3
Ian Potter Centre NGV Australia, Cnr Russell & Flinders Streets, Melbourne ngv.vic.gov.au
4
Loop 23 Meyers Place, Melbourne looponline.com.au
“MQFF are proud to be one of the 8,000 events held in Melbourne. It truly is Australia’s capital of creativity.”
The best and greenest way to the Festival is by tram. ACMI and The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia are serviced by 14 routes, with a tram every minute in peak times and every 3–5 minutes in the evening. Kino Cinemas is serviced by 12 routes with a tram every minute in peak times and every 3–5 minutes in the evening.
Melbourne Fringe Melbourne International Comedy Festival Melbourne International Film Festival Melbourne International Jazz Festival Melbourne Queer Film Festival Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Melbourne WebFest Melbourne Writers Festival Multicultural Arts Victoria Next Wave Festival Polyglot Theatre Poppy Seed
THREE WAYS TO BUY YOUR TICKETS
POCKET GUIDE
ONLINE AT MQFF.COM.AU
Festival Planner & Venues Map plus information on Festival Lounge, Voting and Buying Tickets
then print your tickets at home
Lisa Daniel Festival Director Melbourne Queer Film Festival
IN PERSON at ACMI or Kino Cinemas during the Festival
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF FINE FESTIVALS
Speak Percussion The Wheeler Centre West Space Wild@heART Community Arts
ON YOUR SMARTPHONE with the official Festival iPhone or Android app
Songlines Aboriginal Music
Principal Partner
melbourne.vic.gov.au/triennialarts
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF FINE FESTIVALS
Principal Partner
ACMI SPECIAL OFFER MQFF DISCOUNT Purchase tickets to Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me screening at ACMI from 2–26 April for the special price of $10. Chiemi Karasawa’s documentary paints a sassy portrait of the award-winning showbiz legend and 30 Rock star. Stritch’s bold, brassy demeanour provides a very candid view of life in her late ‘80s. Offer valid online only. Enter promo code QUEER when booking tickets.
ON SALE NOW
FESTIVAL PLANNER Thursday, 19 March
Monday, 23 March
BOOKING
SESSION TYPE
SESSION NAME/FILM TITLE
VENUE
TIME
BOOKING
SESSION TYPE
SESSION NAME/FILM TITLE
VENUE
TIME
BOOKING
SESSION TYPE
SESSION NAME/FILM TITLE
VENUE
7.30pm
8000
Opening Night
The Way He Looks
ACMI
6.00PM
2165
Documentary
An Honest Liar
ACMI
10.30PM
2176
Shorts Package
Short & Burly
ACMI
6.00PM
3165
Feature
Nordland
ACMI
8.00PM
2166
Feature
Sand Dollars
ACMI
Peter De Rome: Grandfather of Gay Porn
ACMI
8.30PM
3166
Feature
Four Moons
ACMI
Friday, 20 March TIME
BOOKING
SESSION TYPE
SESSION NAME/FILM TITLE
VENUE
6.00pm
2151
Feature
Dune
ACMI
6.15pm
3151
Feature
Anatomy of a Love Seen
ACMI
8.15pm
2152
Feature
In Hiding
ACMI
TIME
BOOKING
SESSION TYPE
acmi.net.au #bowieACMI
Album cover shoot for Aladdin Sane, 1973 Photograph by Brian Duffy. Photo Duffy © Duffy Archive & The David Bowie Archive.
Top: Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me, Bottom Left: Listen Up Philip, Bottom Right: Crystals and the Postman are a Girl’s Best Friend
VENUE
3152
Feature
The 10 Year Plan
ACMI
6.00PM
2167
Documentary
The Dog
ACMI
3153
Feature
Boys
ACMI
6.00PM
3167
Feature
The Dream Children
ACMI
10.30pm
2153
Feature
Lilting
ACMI
6.00PM
5167
Feature
In Hiding
KINO
8.30PM
2168
Feature
Blessed Love
ACMI
8.30PM
5168
Feature
Holiday
KINO
9.00PM
3168
Feature
Xenia
ACMI
TIME
BOOKING
SESSION TYPE
10.00AM
7100
Special Presentation
From Script to Screen
SESSION NAME/FILM TITLE
VENUE
ACMI Studio
Wednesday, 25 March
11.00AM
3154
Feature
Happy End?!
ACMI
TIME
BOOKING
SESSION TYPE
SESSION NAME/FILM TITLE
VENUE
11.00AM
6154
Shorts Package
Queeries 1
Ian Potter
6.00PM
3169
Centrepiece
Anita's Last Cha-Cha
ACMI
1.00PM
3155
Shorts Package
Femme Fatalities
ACMI
5169
6155
Gaming in Color
Ian Potter
Special Presentation
Lyle + Lesbian Horror Presentation
KINO
1.00PM
Special Presentation
6.00PM
Special Presentation
Cinematheque Copresentation: Anger Rising
ACMI
2.00PM
2155
Feature
Night Out
ACMI
3.00PM
3156
Feature
Drown
ACMI
3.30PM
6156
Special Presentation
Love in Full Colour
Ian Potter
4.00PM
2156
Documentary
Born To Fly
ACMI
6.00PM
2157
Feature
The Foxy Merkins
ACMI
6.15PM
3157
Feature
Helicopter Mom
ACMI
8.00PM
2158
Feature
Girltrash: All Night Long
ACMI
8.15PM
3158
Feature
Jamie Marks Is Dead
ACMI
10.15PM
2159
Feature
BFFs
ACMI
10.30PM
3159
Shorts Package
Cocktales
ACMI
TIME
Enjoy a broad spectrum of films all year round at ACMI. From retrospectives showcasing the work of prolific actors and directors to exclusive screenings of the latest art house and foreign language films, there is always something to pop in your cinematic calendar. Become an ACMI Film Member for just $20 and enjoy cheap tickets, special screenings, and discounts at the ACMI Shop and Optic Kitchen + Bar. Everyone loves a friend with benefits.
SESSION NAME/FILM TITLE
8.15pm
Sunday, 22 March
ACMI CINEMAS
Tuesday, 24 March
10.15pm
Saturday, 21 March
EXHIBITION — Experience the spectacular multi-sensory exhibition — 16 July – 1 November 2015 ACMI Federation Square
Friday, 27 March
TIME
BOOKING
SESSION TYPE
SESSION NAME/FILM TITLE
VENUE
1.30PM
3161
Feature
Frangipani
ACMI
2.00PM
2161
Documentary
States of Grace
ACMI
4.00PM
4162
Shorts Package
Queeries 2
ACMI Studio
2162
Special Presentation
Geoffrey Robertson's Hypotheticals: Does Dracula Have AIDS?
ACMI
4.00PM 4.00PM
3162
Feature
Skin Deep
ACMI
6.00PM
2163
Feature
The Chambermaid Lynn
ACMI
6.30PM
3163
Feature
Stand
ACMI
8.30PM
2164
Feature
I Am Happiness on Earth
ACMI
8.30PM
3164
Feature
Violette
ACMI
7.00PM
2169
7.30PM
Gold Coin Entry
Shorts Package
Celluloid Casserole
LOOP
8.30PM
3170
Feature
Drunktown's Finest
ACMI
8.30PM
5170
Feature
You & I
KINO
2170
Special Presentation
Cinematheque Co-presentation: Poison
ACMI
8.40PM
Thursday, 26 March
10.30PM
3176
Documentary
TIME
BOOKING
SESSION TYPE
SESSION NAME/FILM TITLE
12.00PM
3177
Documentary
Limited Partnership
ACMI
12.00PM
6177
Shorts Package
Identities
Ian Potter ACMI
Saturday, 28 March VENUE
2.00PM
2178
Shorts Package
OZ Docs
2.00PM
3178
Documentary
Out in the Night
ACMI
2.00PM
6178
Shorts Package
Personal Stories
Ian Potter
2.30PM
7000
Special Presentation
Queer, Camera, Action! Film Industry Day
ACMI Studio ACMI
4.00PM
2179
Shorts Package
Transformations
4.00PM
3179
Shorts Package
Boob Tube
ACMI
4.00PM
6179
Shorts Package
Queeries 3
Ian Potter
6.00PM
2180
Shorts Package
OZ Shorts
ACMI
6.15PM
3180
Feature
Foxy Merkins
ACMI
8.15PM
2181
Feature
The Chambermaid Lynn
ACMI
8.30PM
3181
Feature
Lilting
ACMI
10.15PM
2182
Feature
Lyle
10.30PM
3182
TIME
BOOKING
SESSION TYPE
SESSION NAME/FILM TITLE
VENUE
1.00PM
3183
Shorts Package
Short & Girly
ACMI
2.00PM
2184
Documentary
Alex & Ali
ACMI
3.00PM
3184
Feature
All About E
ACMI
4.00PM
2185
Documentary
Derby Crazy Love
ACMI
Queeries 4
ACMI Studio
Shorts Package Sex, Drives and Video Tape
ACMI ACMI
Sunday, 29 March
SESSION NAME/FILM TITLE
VENUE
4.00PM
4185
Shorts Package
Feature
Tru Love
ACMI
6.00PM
2186
Shorts Package
Mix Tape
ACMI
Centrepiece
The Circle
ACMI
6.00PM
3186
Feature
Appropriate Behavior
ACMI
Feature
Futuro Beach
KINO
8.30PM
9000
Closing Night
I Feel Like Disco
ACMI
3172
Feature
Blackbird
ACMI
5172
Feature
Boys
KINO TIME
BOOKING
SESSION TYPE
SESSION NAME/FILM TITLE
VENUE
6.00PM
2187
Back by Popular Demand
Go to mqff.com.au for details
ACMI
6.15PM
3187
Back by Popular Demand
Go to mqff.com.au for details
ACMI
8.30PM
2188
Back by Popular Demand
Go to mqff.com.au for details
ACMI
3188
Back by Popular Demand
Go to mqff.com.au for details
ACMI
TIME
BOOKING
6.00PM
2171
6.00PM
3171
6.00PM
5171
8.30PM 8.30PM
SESSION TYPE
Friday, 27 March TIME
BOOKING
SESSION TYPE
SESSION NAME/FILM TITLE
VENUE
6.00PM
2174
Feature
Anatomy of a Love Seen
ACMI
6.00PM
3174
Feature
Queen of Amsterdam
ACMI
6.00PM
5174
Feature
BFFs
KINO
8.00PM
2175
Documentary
To Be Takei
ACMI
8.30PM
3175
Feature
Eat With Me
ACMI
8.30PM
5175
Feature
Life Partners
KINO
Monday, 30 March
8.30PM
For more information, go to mqff.com.au
PROUD SPONSOR OF THE 2015 MELBOURNE QUEER FILM FESTIVAL
8 WHITEMAN STREET SOUTHBANK VICTORIA 3006 AUSTRALIA TELEPHONE +61 3 9292 6211 | RESERVATIONS@CROWNMETROPOLMELBOURNE.COM.AU CROWNMETROPOLMELBOURNE.COM.AU
2
3
CONTENTS FESTIVAL INFORMATION
FILM PROGRAMS
Lord Mayor’s Welcome ........................................ 2
Opening Night Film & Party .............................. 12
Accessibility ............................................................ 4
Centrepiece Presentations ................................ 14
Sponsors ................................................................. 5
Closing Night Film & Party ................................ 16
Welcome .................................................................. 6
Feature Films ........................................................ 21
Awards ..................................................................... 7
Documentaries ................................................... 52
Ticketing .................................................................. 8
Special Presentations ....................................... 58
Festival Lounge .................................................. 48
MESSAGE FROM THE LORD MAYOR OF MELBOURNE
Credits ................................................................... 94
SHORTS PROGRAMS
Sweethearts ......................................................... 95
Personal Stories ................................................... 57
On behalf of the City of Melbourne, I congratulate the Melbourne Queer Film Festival on 25 years of superb entertainment and fun.
Message From The Board ............................... 95
Transformations .................................................. 64
Film Index ............................................................. 96
Oz Docs ................................................................ 65
Pocket Guide – Venue Map & Festival Planner ..................................... Pull out
Oz Shorts .............................................................. 66
Australia’s largest and oldest queer film festival, it has been a major Melbourne success story and a huge part of our cultural fabric over the past quarter of a century.
Short & Girly ......................................................... 68 Short & Burly ......................................................... 70 Boobtube ............................................................... 72
During this time, more than 245,000 people have attended the festival and other Melbourne Queer Film Festival events. That some 25,000 more are expected this year is testament to the regard in which the community holds the festival and its filmmakers.
Cocktales ............................................................... 74
Departing Festival Director Lisa Daniel has been a big part of this success. I acknowledge her efforts over the past 17 years and wish her well for the future.
Queeries ................................................................ 84
Femme Fatalities ................................................. 76 Sex Drives & Videotape .................................... 78 Identities ............................................................... 80 Mixtape ................................................................. 82 Celluloid Casserole ............................................. 87
JOIN THE CONVERSATION Melbourne Queer Film Festival melbqueerfilmfest @mqff #mqff25 Search for mqff tube Subscribe to MQFF eNews for Festival updates, giveaways and special offers at mqff.com.au
Visit mqff.com.au to browse the 25th Melbourne Queer Film Festival program and buy tickets online. Download the free iPhone or Android app to view the program and buy tickets on your smartphone.
CONTENTS
MESSAGE FORM THE LORD MAYOR
Robert Doyle Lord Mayor
4
5
ACCESSIBILITY
PROUD FESTIVAL PARTNERS
ACCESS
GUIDE DOGS
Melbourne Queer Film Festival is committed to improving access for all festival-goers. We are proud to be an inclusive event that welcomes everyone to enjoy queer film.
Guide dogs are welcome in all Festival venues.
COMPANION CARD MQFF supports the Companion Card. To book these tickets please contact us via the details below. These tickets cannot be booked online.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS All MQFF venues are accessible for people who require wheelchair access and accessible toilets. This includes ACMI, The Ian Potter Centre, Kino Cinemas, Loop and the Festival Lounge at Optic Kitchen + Bar.
ASSISTIVE LISTENING All cinemas at ACMI, The Ian Potter Centre and Kino Cinemas have assistive listening via an audio loop that can be used to amplify or enhance sound quality. This can be accessed from all seats through the t-switch on a hearing aid.
Principal Partner
CITY OF MELBOURNE Information about accessible parking, amenities, public transport and other facilities in the City of Melbourne is available online at Melbourne.vic. gov.au/CommunityServices/DisabilityServices
Cultural Partner
Major Partner
TEXT TOO SMALL? If you would like a large text version of the film descriptions please contact us and we will email or post them to you. CONTACT US
Media Partners
Phone: 03 9662 4147 Email: info@mqff.com.au Website: mqff.com.au MQFF makes every effort to ensure that our accessibility information is correct. If you find an error, please contact us so we can update our details.
Sponsors prahran market clinic
TEAM MELBOURNE HOODY - Front Chest Artwork
Pantone 539 C Pantone 232 C
Supporters
magnifymedia C 100 M0 Y 100 K 35
PROUD FESTIVAL PARTNERS
ACCESSIBILITY
**NOTE** Artwork is NOT to scale
6
7
WELCOME
AWARDS
Welcome to the 25th anniversary of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival. Still one of the world’s oldest, largest and most respected queer film festivals. An awful lot has happened in the world of queer cinema and queer film festivals over the past 25 years. Technology has changed the way we view films, and the sorts of issues covered by queer cinema has changed as well. We’ve seen countless incredible narratives about the HIV/AIDS crisis, coming out, dating, breaking up, stories of transition, equal marriage, homophobia, religious bigotry, violence against queers the world over, as well as many stories about the triumph over inequality and adversity, to name but a few of the stories we’ve put on the MQFF screens over the years. And like our social reality, queer film festivals have ebbed and flowed in popularity over the journey. Many festivals have dropped off the radar due to tough financial times, an inability to obtain great content, and the increasing availability of queer cinema via download sites. All through this, the MQFF has soldiered on courtesy of its loyal audience, and with its main focus of bringing our community together via the magic of cinema front and centre.
WELCOME
There’s some incredible film to be seen at this year’s MQFF. I’m so proud of what we’ve been able to put together with a very limited budget and few resources. From our outstanding opening night film, Brazil’s entry into the Academy Award foreign language category, The Way He Looks, to our wacky but heartfelt closing night film, I Feel Like Disco, this year’s program highlights the best in contemporary queer cinema from around the globe. The 10 days in between will have you visiting the queer worlds of Greece, Senegal, Iran, The Philippines, Mexico, Portugal, El Salvador and Sri Lanka to name a few; and with four new Australian features, as well as a 25th anniversary screening of seminal Australian film Night Out.
We have an amazing selection of Special Presentations, including a panel discussion about gay gamers with the documentary Gaming in Color; a much anticipated session on lesbians in horror films which will accompany a screening of contemporary lesbian horror film Lyle starring Gaby Hoffman; and a dual session co-presentation with Melbourne’s own Cinemateque. And budding filmmakers won’t want to miss our two free film industry sessions which will help move your fabulous idea from page to screen.
This year Melbourne Queer Film Festival will present $8,500 in cash prizes to films across a range of genres. Through these awards we support the exceptional work of talented filmmakers from Australia and around the world.
Other worldwide Festival hits not to be missed include the Centrepiece titles The Circle and Anita’s Last Cha Cha, as well as The Foxy Merkins, Four Moons, Queen of Amsterdam, Jamie Marks is Dead and Drunktown’s Finest.
Best Feature Film $2,000 Cash Presented by MQFF Life Member Claire Jackson and Lisa Daniel
If documentary is more your thing, check out the Melbourne Premieres of Alex and Ali, Derby Crazy Love, Peter De Rome: Grandfather of Gay Porn and Out in the Night, just to name a few. And if you have a short attention span, then take look at one of the 17 shorts packages that cover as much of the GLBTIQ alphabet as the filmmakers can muster. There’s also a grab bag of social events to pop in your diaries. The desperate and dateless will enjoy Speed Dating, while the gals have their own new event this year It’s a Girl Thing. Go to our events page for more info on all of our fun get togethers. After 17 years, this will be my last at the helm of the MQFF. There are way too many people to thank from all around the world who have helped along the way, but suffice to say, it’s been an absolute honour and a privilege to have been able to serve the queer community all these years. I know I leave the Fest in great hands, and I look forward to seeing you all about 5 rows down from the back, far left in 2016. See you in the cinema! Lisa Daniel Festival Director
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS
JURY AWARDS
Don’t miss your chance to decide the best of the Fest. You can vote for your favourite films online at mqff.com.au or at the MQFF Information Desk, located on the entry level of ACMI.
Our Jury Awards recognise home grown filmmakers from the diverse selection of Australian short films screening this year in the Oz Shorts and Celluloid Casserole packages.
Best Documentary $2,000 Cash Presented by MQFF Life Member & Sweetheart David McCarthy
The City of Melbourne Emerging Filmmaker Award for Best Australian Short Queer Film $3,000 Cash All films in the Oz Shorts are eligible and the winner will be announced at the screening on Saturday 28 March. Judges and films are listed on page 66 and 67. Presented by
Best Australian Short Film $500 Cash Presented by Step Right Up Selectors’ Choice Award for Best Australian Short Queer Film in Celluloid Casserole $500 Cash Best International Short Film $500 Cash Presented by Twenty21
All films in Celluloid Casserole are eligible and the winner will be announced at the screening on Wednesday 25 March. Films are listed on page 87. Presented by
The winner of the City of Melbourne Award also qualifies for automatic inclusion in the international queer shorts competition, the Iris Prize, which is the world’s largest prize for a GLBTQ short film. The winner of the Iris Prize receives £30,000 to make their next short film in the UK.
AWARDS
MQFF 2015 – WELCOME MESSAGE
In 2014, the City of Melbourne Award was won by Nicholas Verso for his film The Last Time I Saw Richard
8
9
TICKETING
TICKETING
TICKET OPTIONS
EXPERIENCE THE BEST OF THE FEST
ONLINE AT MQFF.COM.AU
SINGLE TICKETS
THREE FILM PASS
Browse the program online, select your films, purchase tickets or passes with a credit card then print your tickets at home. It’s quick and easy, totally secure and available 24 hours.
Valid for any session excluding special events. $19.50 Full / $16.50 Concession / $15.50 MQFF Member
Valid for one session per programmed time slot excluding special events.
SPECIAL EVENTS
FIVE FILM PASS
Opening Night Film & Party $77 Full / $66 Concession / $62 MQFF Member
Valid for one session per programmed time slot excluding special events.
ON YOUR SMARTPHONE Download the free application for iPhone or Android to view the program and purchase tickets on your smartphone. Bring your phone to be scanned at the door. No paper ticket is needed. Presented by
AT THE BOX OFFICE You can purchase tickets at ACMI Cinemas, Tickets and Information Desk, Australian Centre for the Moving Image, Federation Square only during the Festival from 19 – 30 March, open from 10am – late. You can also purchase tickets for Kino Cinemas sessions at the venue 1 hour prior to the first session start time. Tickets purchased for the Ian Potter Cinema at NGV must be purchased at the ACMI box office or pre-purchased at mqff.com.au.
TICKETING
VENUES All film sessions are held at ACMI, Australian Centre for the Moving Image, and NGV Australia Theatre at The Ian Potter Centre at Federation Square, or Kino Cinemas, 45 Collins Street. MQFF Festival Lounge is Optic Kitchen + Bar at ACMI. Celluloid Casserole is held at Loop, 23 Meyers Place. For venue map see the MQFF Pocket Guide at the back of the program.
Closing Night Film & Party $32 Full / $27 Concession / $26 MQFF Member Queeries $10 Full / $8.50 Concession / $8 MQFF Member Celluloid Casserole Gold coin donation at the door Social Events Visit our website for other ticket prices for special events like Speed Dating and It’s a Girl Thing.
#10BUCKTIX MQFF is committed to making the Festival accessible to all, so we offer discounted tickets via our #10BUCKTIX. $10 tickets are available for selected sessions (excluding special events) from the ACMI Box Office between 4.30pm – 6pm on the day of the session. Tickets are limited and it’s first in best dressed! Here are the #10BUCKTIX rules: Tickets must be purchased in person on the day of the session. There is a limit of two tickets per person per session. There is no concession or MQFF member’s price – all tickets are $10. The number of tickets available at this price may vary. All other standard ticketing terms and conditions apply – for full details visit mqff.com.au/tickets.
$56 Full / $48 Concession / $45 MQFF Member
$91 Full / $78 Concession / $73 MQFF Member
SEVEN FILM PASS Valid for one session per programmed time slot excluding special events. $126 Full / $107 Concession / $101 MQFF Member
ALL-IN PASS It’s the full Festival extravaganza! The All-In Film Pass is valid for every session including Opening and Closing Night Films & Parties, Centrepiece films, plus all of the special events and special presentations with priority entry into the cinemas. The All-In Pass is available to MQFF members only, and is limited to 100 passes. $339 MQFF Member
PREMIUM ALL-IN PASS We offer a very limited number of Premium All-In Passes which provide all the benefits of the All-In Pass PLUS a reserved seat under your name, in a location of your choice at ACMI Cinemas 1 & 2, NGV Australia Theatre at the Ian Potter Centre and Kino Cinemas for every session you book. $700 MQFF Member
All-In Passes All-In Pass holders are required to book their sessions online or via the smartphone apps to secure seats at their preferred sessions. Please choose sessions carefully as you may not be able to see all films in the Festival. The All-In Pass must be produced for entry to all sessions. The All-In Pass is strictly non-transferable. All-In Pass holders may be able to enter sessions that they haven’t previously booked, but only if seats are available. To avoid disappointment please book your preferred sessions before the start of the Festival. Premium All-In Pass holders will have a choice of their preferred seat location prior to the start of the Festival and this will be your seat for every session booked. Sessions must be booked by 9am daily to have seat reserved for that day’s films. Print-at-home Tickets Please bring your print-at-home tickets with you and proceed directly to the cinemas to gain entry. To avoid the box office queue, MQFF strongly recommends printing your tickets at home. General Admission All seats are unreserved general admission (excluding Premium All-In Pass holders). For popular and/or sold out sessions there will be a queue for entry into the cinema. Only All-In Pass Holders and Sweethearts receive priority entry to cinemas. Standby Queues MQFF will operate standby queues for all sold-out sessions 30 minutes prior to the start time. Locate the designated standby queue at the MQFF information desk and ask staff for a reservation number. We accept cash sales only to enable quick processing. Admission is not guaranteed. Those who are able to purchase a ticket in the standby queue may miss the first 5–10 minutes of the session. Classification The Classification Board grants MQFF special censorship clearances that mean all audience members must be 18 years or over with the exception of the Queeries program which will admit people 15 years or over. Concessions Holders of valid concession cards are eligible for concession price tickets including full-time students, pensioners, unwaged, seniors, MIFF members, ACMI members, Palace Cinema members and Classic Cinema members. You will be asked to show your valid concession card when purchasing tickets or upon entry. MQFF Members Members are eligible for a 20% discount on all tickets (excluding the All-In Pass which can only be purchased by members). You will be asked to show your valid membership card when purchasing tickets or upon entry. Membership benefits are non-transferrable. Group Bookings To make a group booking of 10 or more, please phone the MQFF office on 03 9662 4147. Refunds/Exchange Please check your booking carefully at the time of purchase as all tickets and passes are non-refundable unless a session is changed or cancelled. Lost or stolen tickets will not be replaced or refunded. You may exchange tickets online for a $1.50 fee per ticket exchanged or at the box office for a $3 fee per ticket exchanged. Ticket exchanges are free for All-In Pass holders. GST/ Booking Fees All ticket prices include GST. There is a $3 fee per transaction for all online purchases. Terms & Conditions For full details of the terms and conditions and frequently asked questions please visit mqff.com.au/tickets
TICKETING
HOW TO BUY YOUR TICKETS
C E L E B R AT I N G
YEARS OF MQFF F O R I N T E RV I E W S A N D B E H I N D - T H E - S C E N E S S TO R I E S F R O M M E L B O U R N E Q U E E R F I L M F E S T I VA L V I S I T T H E S TA R O B S E RV E R W E B S I T E
W W W. S TA R O B S E RV E R . C O M . A U www.facebook.com/starobserver
www.twitter.com/star_observer
www.instagram.com/starobserver
www.starobserver.com.au
12
THE WAY HE LOOKS
(HOJE EU QUERO VOLTAR SOZINHO)
Dir: Daniel Ribeiro, Brazil, 2014, DCP, 100 min Portuguese with English subtitles
The Way He Looks has been a standout on the queer film festival circuit, winning numerous audience awards across the globe. This charming film is Daniel Ribeiro’s first feature length work and is based on his previous short I Don’t Want To Go Back Alone (MQFF 2011). The film is undeniably sweet. While blind from birth, young Leo is independent and well adjusted in his school. With the help of his admirer and close friend Giovanna, Leo can face the trials that accompany being the only visually impaired student at the school. This all changes when the charismatic Gabriel moves into their class and befriends the pair. As the two become closer, Giovanna increasingly becomes jaded and shut out, which causes adolescent angst to arise. Selected as Brazil’s official entry to the Academy Awards Foreign Language Category, Ribeiro’s film is an outstanding original take on the popular coming out narrative, and not to be missed. (SR) Winner Teddy Award for Best Feature Film, Berlin International Film Festival 2014 Audience Award for Best Feature Film, Athens International Film Festival 2014
OPENING NIGHT
Outstanding Narrative Feature, Los Angeles Outfest 2014 Audience Award for Best Feature, Frameline Film Festival 2014 Followed by our Opening Night Party downstairs in the ACMI Lightwell.
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
8000
Thu 19 March
7.30pm
ACMI
14
THE CIRCLE
15
ANITA’S LAST CHA-CHA
(DER KREIS)
(ANG HULING CHA-CHA NI ANITA)
Dir: Stefan Haupt, Switzerland, 2014, DCP, 102 min Swiss, German and French with English subtitles
Dir: Sigrid Bernado, The Philippines, 2014, DCP, 112 min Filipino and Tagalog with English subtitles
This remarkable chapter in GLBT history chronicles the rise and fall of seminal Swiss gay magazine The Circle. Considered the pioneer of the gay liberation movement, the magazine offered a forum for men to meet and provided an outlet for the publication of gay erotica, poetry and fiction. At its centre were its infamous balls, which were attended by gay men and women from all over the world.
Anita’s Last Cha Cha is Sigrid Andrea Bernardo’s feature-length directorial debut. Set in a small town in Bulacan, the Philippines, Anita rebels against her mother’s wishes by sporting short hair, wearing t-shirts and playing war games. With the beautiful Pilar’s arrival, the town is sent into a panic and Anita develops her first all-consuming crush. The narrative sees the modernity and sexual freedom represented by Pilar pitted against the town’s old-world religious views. This tension is balanced with the innocence of Anita and her friends, who are the standouts in this charming film. Bernado perfectly captures the sultry heat of the landscape and the innocence of childhood in this coming-of-age tale that is sure to be a standout of the Festival. (SR)
At the film’s heart however is a moving love story spanning decades, between Ernst; a closeted teacher at an elite girl’s school and Robi, the flamboyant drag star of the balls. Seamlessly blending documentary and dramatisations the men’s fates intertwine with the changing fortunes of the magazine and the long march towards liberation. (SE)
Melbourne Premiere
Winner: Panorama Audience Award Best Documentary Film, Berlin International Film Festival 2014 Teddy Award for Best Documentary Essay Film, Berlin International Film Festival 2014 Best Feature Film, Turin International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival 2014 Melbourne Premiere Presented by
Presented by
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
3171
Thu 26 March
6.00pm
ACMI
3169
Wed 25 March
6.00pm
ACMI
CENTREPIECE PRESENTATIONS
CENTREPIECE PRESENTATIONS
Best Documentary Feature, Los Angeles Outfest 2014
16
I FEEL LIKE DISCO
(ICH FÜHL MICH DISCO)
Dir: Axel Ranisch, Germany, 2013, DCP, 98 min German with English subtitles
Only child Florian is an awkward, pudgy teen with unkempt hair, braces, zero interest in sport, an obsession with disco music, and a decent amount of confusion about his sexuality. He’s a bit of a mummy’s boy who is happiest when his judgemental diving coach father Hanno isn’t home. When his dad isn’t around Florian gets to don his favourite white leisure suit disco outfits and dance under the mirror ball with his mum. When the structure of their family suddenly changes, Florian and his father seek to find some common ground so that they can muddle on together amidst Florian’s crush on one of his father’s teen diving proteges. Music turns out to be the real savior in this heartwarming and goofy coming-of-age comedy drama: sometimes sad, sometimes absurd, often funny, and always fabulous. (LD) Melbourne Premiere
CLOSING NIGHT
Disco dance the night away at our after-party at Optic Bar + Kitchen.
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
9000
Sun 29 March
8.30pm
ACMI
MQFF membership is your passport to the very best Festival experience! It’s a show of support for your queer film community and a fantastic way to receive year-round discounts and exclusive offers. Plus you get the warm and fuzzy (some would say smug) satisfaction that comes with supporting a not-for-profit organisation while having a hand in helping to deliver entertaining and educational films that document our LGBTIQ lives. MQFF MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS INCLUDE:
MQFF MEMBERSHIP NOT A MEMBER? BECOME ONE AT MQFF.COM.AU/MEMBERSHIP
• 20% off MQFF tickets • Invitation to Program Launch • Priority access to online ticketing • Exclusive opportunity to purchase an All-In Pass • Printed program guide posted upon request • Members only eNews giveaways
MEMBERSHIP PARTNER DISCOUNTS INCLUDE: • Hares & Hyenas – 10% off books and DVDs • Kino – industry concession discount price on film tickets • Melbourne International Film Festival – industry concession discount price on film tickets • Cinema Nova – industry concession discount price on film tickets • Classic Cinema – Classic Card discount price on film tickets • Little Birdy Tix – $15 off membership to a year of free arts events tickets • Bauer Trader Media – 20% off select magazine subscriptions www.magshop.com.au/mqff • Meatmaiden (CBD) and Meatmother (Richmond) – 15% off meals at both restaurants • Australian Yoga Academy – one-off 2-for-1 to any class or 2 week trial for $5 to AYA yoga studios • Samara Clifford Weddings – 10% off wedding/commitment ceremony photography package • Morganna Magee Photography – $700 off 8-hour wedding photography package
21
THE 10 YEAR PLAN
ALL ABOUT E
Dir: J.C. Calciano, USA, 2014, DCP, 90 min
Dir: Louise Wadley, Australia, 2015, DCP, 97 min
Ten years. That’s how long best friends Brody and Myles have before they throw in the towel and settle down together. And while they’ve never even reached first base, Brody’s habit of skyping Miles in during his hook-ups means the two have shared more than just fluids. But with their tenuous promise ready to collapse like a pile of neatly folded Abercrombie and Fitch polos, Myles is now scared of being rejected by his closest friend. From the director of the genre-defining Mission Impossible comes the multi award-winning suspense-fully hilarious rom-com of two gay best friends navigating relationships, Grindr and sketchy men. (BG)
E is a hot Sydney DJ who seems to be living the good life. When she and her gay BFF Matt accidentally stumble upon a bag full of cash, things quickly get out of hand and the two have to go on the run. Out of options, they head for the country and E’s old flame Trish. While hiding out, E has a chance at rekindling their romance and begins to re-think her priorities in life, including how to resolve her issues with her traditional Lebanese family.
Winner Best Comedy FilmOut San Diego 2014
Melbourne Premiere
raphic Elements
Best Comedy Feature Out on Film Atlanta 2014 Melbourne Premiere
Like a lesbian Romancing the Stone, All About E has adventure, romance, laughs and bad guys with accents. Guaranteed to be an Aussie queer classic. (RB) Cast and crew will be in attendance for a Q&A at the screening.
Presented by
We love the excitement of looking through the program to work out what we’ll see and do. We love the anticipation of buying tickets, and the thrill of booking shows before they sell out! We love those moments where you run into an old friend in the line for a show or the festival lounge. We love the conversations after seeing something that made us think, laugh or cry – and sometimes all three.
We have been working with festivals for ten years, so we know that ticketing is just better if it’s easy, convenient, and ready for you when you need it. Whether you’re booking online or at the box office, keeping track of the next show, or having your tickets and passes at hand when you need them, Ferve is your sidekick the whole way.
FEATURE FILMS
At Ferve, we love festivals.
The Melbourne Queer Film Festival looks amazing this year; we can’t wait to share it with you!
www.ferve.com.au
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
3152
Fri 20 March
8.15pm
ACMI
3184
Sun 29 March
3.00pm
ACMI
22
23
ANATOMY OF A LOVE SEEN
APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR
BFFs
BLACKBIRD
Dir: Marina Rice Bader, USA, DCP, 86 min
Dir: Desiree Akhavan, USA, 2013, HD Cam, 86 min
Dir: Andrew Putschoegl, USA, 2014, DCP, 95 min
Dir: Patrik-Ian Polk, USA, 2014, DCP, 99 min
Actresses Zoe and Mal fell in love while filming a love scene together. Months later their relationship is over and they aren’t on speaking terms. But they’re thrown together once again at the request of their director who needs to re-shoot a scene for the movie. Yes, the love scene. During one day of filming, Zoe and Mal’s story – the attraction, the heartbreak, the secrets – unravels before us.
Gathering the last of her junk into a box, bisexual Shirin (Desiree Akhavan) storms out of her ex-girlfriend Maxine’s apartment in Brooklyn. Attempting to get her life on track, she moves in with artists, starts a job teaching filmmaking to six-year-olds and embarks on a series of sexual escapades while trying to understand what happened with Maxine. And she’s still trying to come out to her conservative Iranian parents. This award-winning, intelligent and engaging debut film from writer/director Desiree Akhavan (from the web series Park Slope) will be a Festival favourite. (KL)
Kat and Sam have been besties forever. So when Kat’s mother gifts her a holiday retreat package for her birthday, Sam convinces Kat to let her tag along. The problem? It’s a healing retreat for couples in trouble. Cue group therapy, team bonding exercises and meditation. By the end of it, Kat and Sam begin to wonder if they’ve tricked themselves into thinking they have feelings for one another, or maybe they are more than BFFs after all…
With an all-star cast including Academy Award winner Mo’Nique (Precious), Isaiah Washington and Julian Walker, Blackbird follows the journey of 17-year-old Randy, a devout choirboy living in a conservative Mississippi town, who is struggling to understand his sexuality while also caring for his mother following his sister’s disappearance. Despite praying regularly and living a holy life, Randy can’t hold back the tide of feelings that point to him being gay. When he finds himself paired with his high school crush in a non-traditional production of Romeo & Juliet, Randy must finally confront his sexuality, Baptist religion, Southern values and African American upbringing.
There are lights, cameras and plenty of action in this sexy but tense relationship study. Sharon Hinnendael and Jill Evyn bring amazing chemistry to their portrayals of Zoe and Mal, and to the gorgeous love scene that is the centerpiece of the film. (RB) Australian Premiere
Winner Grand Jury Prize San Diego Asian Film Festival
Beautifully shot and with fine performances from the stellar cast, Backbird is a Festival highlight. (LD) Australian Premiere
Presented by
Presented by
FEATURE FILMS
“Akhavan’s blend of cultural insights and sweetly relatable, self-deprecating humour provide a charming showcase for a new filmmaker worthy of discovery.” IndieWire 2014
Melbourne Premiere
FEATURE FILMS
“Paints a compelling portrait of love that is at once sexy and sorrowful.” The Advocate
Official Selection Sundance Film Festival 2014
BFFs is a truly joyous film about the ups and downs of all kinds of relationships. It boasts an hilarious ensemble cast of retreat-goers, copious laugh-out-loud scenes, plus Sigrid Thornton as the new-agey retreat leader! (RB)
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
3151
Fri 20 March
6.15pm
ACMI
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2159
Sat 21 March
10.15pm
ACMI
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2174
Fri 27 March
6.00pm
ACMI
3186
Sun 29 March
6.00pm
ACMI
5174
Fri 27 March
6.00pm
KINO
3172
Thu 26 March
8.30pm
ACMI
24
25
BOYS
THE CHAMBERMAID LYNN
Dir: Mischa Kamp, The Netherlands, 2014, DCP, 78 min Dutch with English subtitles
Dir: Ingo Haeb, Germany, 2014, DCP, 90 min German with English subtitles
Quiet and sporty 15-year-old Seiger is training for the national relay championships where he meets fellow team member, the unpredictable and outgoing Marc. Their friendship quickly develops into something deeper and Seiger finds himself grappling with feelings and desires that begin to impact on the looming championship finals.
Lynn, 30, is a timid chambermaid who feels safe if she adheres to familiar routines, places and objects. Her dull life means she finds the lives of the guests in the hotel in which she works fascinating, causing her to spend more time than necessary in the rooms looking through their belongings and trying on their clothes. After nearly being caught in a guest’s room and having to hide under the bed, her penchant for spying grows and she takes particular interest in a dominatrix, Chiara, who is hired on a regular basis by one of the guests. Chiara eventually discovers the spying Lynn and an unlikely friendship and intimacy develops between them. (LD)
(JONGENS)
Dir: Liliana Paolinelli, Argentina, 2013, DCP, 82 min Spanish with English subtitles
PLUS SHORT
A seven-year itch leads to unexpected places in this darkly comic look at modern love in Argentina. When Ofelia asks her girlfriend of seven years, Mecha, to tell her if she ever cheats on her, she doesn’t expect Mecha to own up right away. Yes, Mecha has recently started sleeping with the beautiful Ana Laura. Ofelia decides to get her own back on Mecha by embarking on an affair of her own with the sleazy (and possibly sociopathic) Mario. At Ofelia’s urging, but against Mecha’s best judgment, all four start double dating. Sparks fly between Ofelia and Ana Laura…then things become really, really complicated! (RB) Australian Premiere
(DAS ZIMMERMADCHEN LYNN)
Delicately handled with winning, naturalistic performances from the young leads, Boys tenderly captures the rush and heat of first love and the emotional turmoil of coming out. (SE) Melbourne Premiere
THE OTHER WOMAN
Australian Premiere
(L’AUTRE FEMME) Dir: Marie KA, Senegal, 2013, digital, 13 min French with English subtitles
“Germany’s answer to Fifty Shades Of Grey.” Hollywood Reporter
A housewife in her fifties discovers her true self when she has to accept her husband’s second wife into her home.
“Rarely has fetishism been portrayed with such intense, empathetic attention to detail.” Variety
PLUS SHORT
CLOSET FEATURE FILMS
Dir: Chris Gore, Isle of Man, 2013, digital, 11 min
FEATURE FILMS
BLESSED LOVE
(AMAR ES BENDITO)
A forbidden love story set in a brutal comprehensive school unfurls around a wardrobe that appears on a desolate beach in the early 1980s. BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
3153
Fri 20 March
10.15pm
ACMI
2163
Sun 22 March
6.00pm
ACMI
2168
Tue 24 March
8.30pm
ACMI
5172
Thu 26 March
8.30pm
KINO
2181
Sat 28 March
8.15pm
ACMI
26
27
THE DREAM CHILDREN
DROWN
Dir: Robert Chuter, Australia, 2014, DCP, 98 min
Dir: Dean Francis, Australia, 2015, DCP, 93 min
Steven Evans is a troubled television personality who cares way too much about what people think of him. He treats his insecurities with shallow sex, parties and material possessions. His easy-going and patient partner Alex wants to take their relationship to the next level by becoming parents together. Despite Steven’s initial reluctance, he soon gets caught up in the potential for stability and a change to his superficial world. After unsuccessfully trying what they thought was a straight-forward avenue to becoming parents, their lives are turned upside down when they look to the black market to fulfill their fatherhood dream. (LD)
Based on the acclaimed play, Drown is a hardhitting drama set against the iconic backdrop of Sydney’s Beaches.
World Premiere Cast and crew will be in attendance for a Q&A at the screening
DRUNKTOWN’S FINEST
Len is a Surf Lifesaving champion, a legend in the cloistered surf club just like his father. But when the younger, faster, fitter Phil arrives at the club, Len’s legendary status starts to crumble. Then Len discovers that Phil is gay. Over the summer season, Len starts to form unexpected, confusing feelings for Phil. It’s something Len can’t accept and after the annual awards dinner, Len explodes. He finds Phil in the clubhouse locker room and violently attacks him. But to Len’s surprise, Phil remains loyal to the mateship pack and refuses to rat on Len about the beating. Len stays in the Club and is free to compete in the annual Surf Lifesaving completion; a competition Len has won five times but Phil wins and Len’s defeat is final. Arriving back at the beach where Phil claimed his victory the day before, Len sets upon Phil. And in a series of humiliating acts, Len finally comes face to face with a fundamental question, can he accept the truth about his sexuality and identity or will he succumb to complete oblivion?
Dir: Sydney Freeland, USA, 2014, HD Cam, 92 min
The stories of three young people intersect in this powerfully honest exploration of contemporary life on Native American land. Felixia (transgendered actress Carmen Moore) works as a prostitute but aspires to be a model. Her plans to feature in a “Women of the Navajo” calendar, however, are thwarted when an old acquaintance threatens to out her as ‘Felix’. Sick Boy wants to do right by his family by joining the Army, but trouble always seems to find him. Adopted Nizhoni has lived most of her life away at boarding school. Can she overcome her fears and finally discover her Navajo roots? Drunktown’s Finest bravely explores the clash of culture and identity, but still offers hope amongst the desert dust. (RB) Official selection Sundance Film Festival 2014 Winner Audience Award Outstanding First Feature Los Angeles Outfest 2014
“I was there the opening night and I could see people brought to tears by the power of the film.” Robert Redford
Melbourne Premiere
Warning: contains depictions of violence that may disturb some viewers Melbourne Premiere FEATURE FILMS
FEATURE FILMS
Presented by
Cast and crew will be in attendance for a Q&A at the screening
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
3167
Tue 24 March
6.00pm
ACMI
3156
Sat 21 March
3.00pm
ACMI
3170
Wed 25 March
8.30pm
ACMI
28
29
THE DUNE
(LA DUNE)
Dir: Yossi Aviram, France/Israel, 2013, DCP, 86 min Hebrew and French with English subtitles
Winner: Best Debut Feature Film, Haifa International Film Festival Melbourne Premiere
“A minor masterpiece of minimalist, elliptical movie making.” Sydney Arts Guide
FOUR MOONS
Dir: David Au, USA, 2013, HD Cam, 100 min
Dir: Sergio Tovar Velarde, Mexico, 2014, DCP, 110 min Spanish with English subtitles
(CUATRO LUNAS)
Elliot lives in Los Angeles where he is a chef at a mediocre Chinese restaurant that is facing foreclosure. His mother Emma, tired of her own dull life and marriage appears at Elliot’s downtown loft, determined to spice up her life. PLUS SHORT
A man is found unconscious on a French beach with no identity documents and no family searching for him. He will not speak a word to anyone. On the eve of his retirement, Missing Persons detective Reuven goes to investigate the case, leaving his devoted partner Paolo back home in Paris. What Reuven doesn’t know is that the mysterious man, an Israeli named Hanoch, had been following him for the last few days. What connects these two supposed strangers? The Dune is a stylishly intriguing thriller with a sensitive and nuanced portrayal of an aging gay couple. (RB)
EAT WITH ME
The pair has a strained relationship due to Emma’s inability to come to terms with her son’s sexuality. While his mother works on expanding her horizons, with the help of her crazy new neighbour Maureen, Elliot begins to work on his fear of intimacy. Finding it difficult to communicate, the two use food as a medium through which to find common ground without words.
ABAN + KHORSHID Dir: Marie KA, Senegal, 2013, digital, 13 min Persian with English subtitles
In Iran in 2005, a photo was taken of two men on the day they were executed for being gay. The photo of this atrocious act serves as the inspiration for the film, Aban + Khorshid.
Eat With Me is fun and heart-warming, with a fantastic ensemble cast; a light-hearted look at some serious subjects. Bring your friends and enjoy a great night out. (ERG) Winner Best Comedy Feature Out on Film Atlanta 2014 Best Feature Film Florence Queer Film Festival 2014
Four Moons is an award-winning film revealing stories of Mexican males as they grapple with their sexualities: two former childhood friends reunite and begin an affair that threatens to be torn apart as one fears coming out; an elderly married poet cruises saunas and falls for a male prostitute; an 11-year-old boy falls for his cousin; a gay couple threatens to be torn apart due to infidelity. Entertaining and emotional truthful, Four Moons has been winning the hearts of both audiences and critics at festivals worldwide. (PT) Winner Best Feature Film Montreal Image + Nation Film Festival 2014 Melbourne Premiere
“A spirited and sensitive portrait of gay boys and men in 21st-century Mexico.” New York Times
Australian Premiere
Presented by
FEATURE FILMS
FEATURE FILMS
Warning: Aban + Khorshid contains violent images that may upset some viewers. Presented by
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2151
Fri 20 March
6.00pm
ACMI
3175
Fri 27 March
8.30pm
ACMI
3166
Mon 23 March
8.30pm
ACMI
30
31
Dir: Madeleine Olnek, USA, 2013, HD Cam, 81 min
Are you homeless? Are you a women’s studies major?” Jo (Jackie Monahan) asks Margaret (Lisa Haas) when they first meet in this delightfully odd comedy. Following on from the popular Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same (MQFF 2012), director Madeleine Olnek revels in her absurdist comic tone. After recently arriving in New York, Margaret is broke, struggling to find work and has a distinctly droll sense of humour. Desperate for some money, Margaret decides to become a lesbian sex worker, and the very slightly more experienced Jo takes her under her wing. The two crash on the floor of the women’s restroom at the Port Authority bus terminal, wait out the front of Talbots for closeted lesbian socialites and run into a merkinselling creeper in a trench coat while in a cemetery. In The Foxy Merkins, Olnek turns the male hustler genre on its head and has a great time while doing it. (SR) Official Selection Sundance 2014 Australian Premiere
FEATURE FILMS
Present your session ticket for The Foxy Merkins at the door for free entry to our lesbian social night It’s a Girl Thing. ACMI studio 7pm – midnight. See page 47 for details
PLUS SHORT
LINDY CALLS TRACY Dir: Regan Latimer, Canada, 2014, digital, 4 min
Lindy needs help to make it through this date. As luck would have it, her friend Tracy is always there with the guidance Lindy needs.
FRANGIPANI
FUTURO BEACH
Dir: Visakesa Chandrasekaram, Sri Lanka/ Australia 2014, DCP, 90 min Sinhalese with English subtitles
Dir: Karim Ainouz, Brazil/Germany, 2014, DCP, 97 min Portuguese and German with English subtitles
(PRAIA DO FUTURO)
Frangipani’s narrative centres around the lives of the clientele at The Cup coffee house – a popular local gay mecca in rural Sri Lanka. Front and centre is The Cup’s owner Bea Reasonable and the flamboyant boy-crazy waiter, Jamie. Rounding out the characters are Helen, a straight girl with a penchant for drama, and a slimy creeper on the look out for fun. When Helen meets her bisexual boyfriend for a date, the date goes hilariously awry when a water fight breaks out mid-service. It only gets wackier from there as The Cup becomes the focus for awkward coming out stories, bathroom sex and of course, meetings by local vampires. Frangipani might seem a little slapstick on the surface, but underneath is a beating heart of acceptance and love. (LD) Melbourne Premiere Director will be in attendance for a Q&A at the screening
Lifeguard Donato is most comfortable around water. He’s in his element in the sea. When two men are caught in a dangerous current at Futuro Beach, Donato doesn’t hesitate to rush in, but he’s only able to save one of the men, Konrad, a German tourist. Over the coming days the rescue operation turns into a recovery operation, all the while Donato and Konrad quickly becoming close. Their initial sexual attraction soon turns into a deeper emotional bond and Donato follows Konrad to live in Berlin. Years later, Donato is confronted with his past when his younger brother Ayrton appears at his door furious and wanting to know why Donato left him without saying a word. In the ensuing emotional maelstrom, all three men are left to ponder their places in the world. (LD) Winner Best Latin American Film San Sebastian International Film Festival 2014
“Set in Brazil and Germany, Karim Ainouz’s stunning fifth feature portrays the evolution of a gay relationship with visual and sonic verve.” Variety
FEATURE FILMS
THE FOXY MERKINS
Presented by
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2157
Sat 21 March
6.00pm
ACMI
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
3180
Sat 28 March
6.15pm
ACMI
3161
Sun 22 March
1.30pm
ACMI
5171
Thu 26 March
6.00pm
KINO
32
33
GIRLTRASH: ALL NIGHT LONG
HAPPY END?!
HELICOPTER MOM
HOLIDAY
Dir: Alex Martinez Kondracke, USA, 2014, DCP, 86 min
Dir: Petra Clever, Germany/Netherlands, 2014, DCP, 87 min German with English subtitles
Dir: Salomae Breziner, USA, 2014, DCP, 80 min
Dir: Diego Araujo, Equador/Argentina, 2013, DCP, 82 min Spanish with English subtitles
Daisy is an aspiring rocker, who hasn’t landed a gig since her girlfriend Xan unceremoniously dumped her. But tonight, she’s got a shot at Band Slam – a high profile showcase for local L.A bands. All she has to do is get herself and her equipment to the venue on time. Surely that’s a snap right?! Well not if her little sister Colby has any say. Colby wants Daisy’s help in her attempts to hook up with the girl of her dreams, aspiring actress Misty. Henceforth a cockamamie scheme involving a lie about Angelina Jolie is dreamt up to get Misty interested. That’ll work for sure! What ensues is a night of band brawls, lust, cat fights, a bus-load of stoned sorority girls, maybe some love and a whole lotta rock-n-roll in this wild gal ride about being true to yourself. (LD)
When straight-laced student Lucca is sentenced to community service at the local hospice, she meets musician Val and her small world is turned upside-down. Val’s elderly friend dies at the hospice, and Val vows to do all she can to ensure that her friend’s ashes are properly laid to rest. Lucca gets caught up in Val’s plot to drive to the Netherlands and steal the ashes back from her friend’s greedy son. Once they hit the road, Lucca begins to let her hair down and neither woman can resist the pull of attraction despite many obstacles thrown in their way. Happy End?! is a trip and a half, full of humour but also a good dose of heartache. (RB) Australian Premiere
Australian Premiere Present your session ticket for GirlTrash: All Night Long at the door for free entry to our lesbian social night It’s a Girl Thing. ACMI Studio 7pm – midnight. See page 47 for details.
(FERIADO)
Helicopter Mom (noun): A mother who takes an overprotective or unwarranted interest in the life of their child. Lloyd (Jason Dolley) is a sensitive, poetry-loving, young man who is yet to have a relationship with any of the girls at his school. Thus, his overbearing mother, Maggie (My Big Fat Greek Wedding’s Nia Vardalos), jumps to conclusions, assuming he is gay, and begins to set him up with a variety of male suitors. Maggie takes it upon herself to submit a gay student college scholarship application on his behalf, forcing him to play along. The problem being that Lloyd isn’t really sure of his sexuality, allowing farcical complications to ensue. Vardalos manages to portray the overbearing Maggie as endearing, which is no mean feat. Balancing Maggie’s eccentricities is Mark Boone Junior (Sons of Anarchy) as Lloyd’s father, with a few endearing conversations with his sexually confused son. Topped with a soundtrack featuring Lisa Loeb and filmed in the scenic Venice Beach, California, Helicopter Mom is a fun romp that is sure to please. (SR)
Young sensitive Juampi feels his world turn upside down when he meets biker Juano, an indigenous Quechua, during a visit to the holiday home of Juampi’s wealthy uncle. Caught stealing hubcaps at a Carnival party, Juanco narrowly escapes a beating with Juampi’s help. An unlikely friendship is formed. Juanco introduces Jaumpi to motorbikes and metal music, showing him an escape from his bullying cousins and the corrupt wealth of his upper class family. This is a beautiful and tender coming-of-age film that captures the uncertainty of first love, set amongst the turmoil of a 1999 collapse of Ecuador’s banking system. (KL) Australian Premiere
Australian Premiere
PLUS SHORT
Dir: Remi Bigot, France, 2014, digital, 8 min French with English subtitles
FEATURE FILMS
Presented by
A Sunday like any other among a Russian community in France. Victor, a kind and compliant young man, has to overcome the elusiveness of the one he loves in secret.
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2158
Sat 21 March
8.00pm
ACMI
3154
Sat 21 March
11.00am
ACMI
3157
Sat 21 March
6.15pm
ACMI
5168
Tue 24 March
8.30pm
KINO
FEATURE FILMS
IN THE EYES
34
(YO SOY LA FELICIDAD DE ESTE MUNDO)
(W UKRYCIU)
IN HIDING
JAMIE MARKS IS DEAD
LIFE PARTNERS
Dir: Julián Hernandez, Mexico, 2013, DCP, 124 min Spanish with English subtitles
Dir: Jan Kidawa-Blonski, Poland, 2013, DCP, 103 min Polish with English subtitles
Dir: Carter Smith, USA, 2014, DCP, 100 min
Dir: Susanna Fogel, USA, 2014, DCP, 95 min
As a vanguard of gay arthouse cinema, the films of Julián Hernández, which includes Broken Sky (MQFF 2007) and A Thousand Peace Clouds Encircle the Sky, are characterised by young, handsome men, graphic sexual imagery and a languid, contemplative mood. His latest film revolves around filmmaker Emiliano who’s in the process of making a film with a group of dancers, recording their athletic and energetic bodies. When he begins an affair with one of his subjects, the film splinters into a mix of objective reality with the processes of artistic creation. (PT)
This Hitchcockian style, psychosexual thriller takes place in 1944 Nazi-occupied Poland at the end of WWII. Janka is a young cellist living with her widowed photographer father. She returns from an out-of-town trip to find that her father is housing Ester, the daughter of his Jewish friend, in a makeshift room beneath the parlour floor.
In a wintry upstate New York town, Gracie finds the body of a teenager named Jamie Marks by a river. Adam (Cameron Monaghan from the US series Shameless), the school’s track and field star, becomes engrossed with Jamie, a bullied young boy that no one really knew. When Jamie’s ghost begins to appear to both Adam and Gracie, Adam is caught between two worlds. He has a budding romance with Gracie, but also develops an intense connection to Jamie, who brings him closer to the disquieting world of the undead. The narrative is based on Christopher Barzak’s novel One for Sorrow and captures the purgatorial feel of the original text. Also starring Judy Greer and Liv Tyler, the film is the directorial follow-up to Carter Smith’s gory The Ruins. Jamie Marks is Dead is an unsettling and melancholic exploration of a young man’s inner turmoil. (SR)
The intense friendship between an unmotivated lesbian musician and a straight, focused environmental lawyer in their late 20s is tested when a third person enters the picture in this hilarious and touching debut by Susanna Fogel.
Melbourne Premiere
FEATURE FILMS
Warning: explicit sexual content
“Julián Hernández eroticises nude men like no other filmmaker. His camera practically caresses the actors’ bodies… (the film) boasts magnificent cinematography and highly sensual scenes… it is hard not to feel the emotional power of the various characters expressing and experiencing longing, betrayal, and heartbreak.” Indiewire
Initially resistant, Janka agrees to help hide Ester, and when Janka’s father is taken prisoner in a street roundup, Janka and Ester find themselves with nobody to depend on but each other. As they live in almost complete isolation from the outside world, their growing fear and loneliness push them closer together, and curiosity grows into attraction. But when the war ends, Janka will go to any lengths to keep Ester near as her erotic fascination morphs into violent obsession. In Hiding isn’t your average wartime drama. Instead, it’s an edgy, claustrophobic thriller that will leave you breathless.
Official Selection Sundance 2014 Australian Premiere
Paige (Community‘s Gillian Jacobs) and Sasha (Gossip Girl‘s Leighton Meester) were meant for each other... as platonic soul mates, of course, so it’s a good thing for their friendship that they’ve managed to avoid any long-term romantic relationships. That is, until Paige finds herself a serious, but nerdy boyfriend (Adam Brody, The O.C., New Girl). As her BFF settles down, Sasha’s life is tumbling out of control. Her music career has stalled, lesbian dating politics have her flummoxed and her dull 9–5 job is taking its toll. Featuring cameos from some of TV’s funniest women, Fogel’s film is an honest and witty portrait of the growing pains of lifelong female friendship. (LD) Melbourne Premiere
Australian Premiere
“A charming comedy” Afterellen.com
FEATURE FILMS
I AM HAPPINESS ON EARTH
35
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2152
Fri 20 March
8.15pm
ACMI
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2164
Sun 22 March
8.30pm
ACMI
5167
Tue 24 March
6.00pm
KINO
3158
Sat 21 March
8.15pm
ACMI
5175
Fri 27 March
8.30pm
KINO
36
LILTING
LYLE
NORDLAND
QUEEN OF AMSTERDAM
Dir: Hong Khaou, UK, 2014, DCP, 91 min English and Mandarin with English subtitles
Dir: Stewart Thorndike, USA, 2014, DCP, 65 min
Dir: Ingo J. Biermann, Germany/Norway/ Switzerland, 2014, DCP, 102 min Norwegian, English and German with English subtitles
Dir: Tim Oliehoek, The Netherlands, 2013, DCP, 98 min Dutch with English subtitles
Junn lives in an older person’s care home, speaks very little English and has managed to avoid all knowledge of her dead son’s sexuality or living arrangement. Her initial disdain for Richard is obvious, but he persists and hires a translator to help them communicate. Through their separate memories of their beloved Kai, the unlikely pair slowly forge an understanding, and an honesty that may not have been possible during Kai’s life. Lilting is a beautiful meditation on the path to connection between two human souls and reveals that what separates us can also bind us together. Not to be missed! (LD) Official Selection Sundance 2014
When Leah (Gaby Hoffmann, Girls, Transparent) and music agent June (Ingrid Jungermann, The Slope) move into a spacious apartment with their infant daughter, Lyle, they have a seemingly perfect life; Leah is about to give birth and June’s current music act is about to take off in the charts. But Leah soon suspects the apartment block holds dark secrets; their downstairs neighbour fakes a pregnancy, and with June becoming increasingly distant, Leah finds comfort in talking with the beautiful model upstairs… but can anyone at all be trusted? Lyle is that very rare treasure – a lesbian horror film with a palpable sense of unease and creeping paranoia that builds until the final shocking scene. (PT) Winner Best Actress in a U.S. Feature Film, Gaby Hoffmann, Outfest 2014
(CHEZ NOUS)
Eleni’s girlfriend is gone. The shock of Kaia’s sudden disappearance, in the midst of their whirlwind romance, is too confusing to Eleni to mean that they could have broken up. Why has she been abandoned at Kaia’s parent’s house? Devastated, Eleni hitch-hikes along the Norwegian highways to answer this troubling question. But where has Kaia gone? Eleni is willing to brave the bleakness surrounding her to find the girl she loves. Selected for the 2014 Cannes Marché du Film, this beautifully shot film explores the loneliness, and courage, that comes with the conflict between uncertainty and love. (BG) Australian Premiere
Melbourne Premiere
Equal parts hilarious and touching, this Kinky Boots meets Mission: Impossible comedy caper is not to be missed. (LD) Melbourne Premiere
The session scheduled for Wednesday 25 March will be accompanied by a lecture presentation on lesbians in the horror genre. See page 61 for details.
TEAM MELBOURNE HOODY - Front Chest Artwork
Pantone 539 C Pantone 232 C
Presented by
“Director Stewart Thorndike has re-imagined Rosemary’s Baby for the 21st-Century.” Cinesnatch
Presented by
A much-loved gay club threatened with bankruptcy is destined to become the property of the mean-spirited neighboring nightclub magnate if money can’t be raised urgently after its elderly gay owner Adje collapses. To save the club, a close-knit, ragtag group of regulars plan to commit a Mission Impossible style jewellery heist on the local Royal Museum during Amsterdam’s Gay Pride festivities. The focus of their raid is a pink diamond necklace worth millions that would help save their favorite hangout. Along for the ride are Bertie who performs drag shows at the bar and Bertie’s biological father, a crim with questionable ethics.
PLUS SHORT
**NOTE** Artwork is NOT to scale
METUBE: AUGUST SINGS CARMEN ‘HABANERA’
FEATURE FILMS
The sudden death of a young Londoner named Kai leaves his longtime boyfriend Richard grief stricken. Feeling a strong sense of responsibility to Kai’s mother Junn (legendary actress Pei-Pei Cheng Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), who was Kai’s only family member, Richard reaches out to her, and must navigate the cultural differences and homophobia entrenched in Kai’s Chinese-Cambodian mother.
FEATURE FILMS
37
Dir: Daniel Moshel, Austria, 2014, digital, 4 min
An hilarious homage to You Tubers and bloggers the world over. BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
2153
Fri 20 March
10.30pm
ACMI
5169
Wed 25 March
6.00pm
VENUE
KINO
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
3181
Sat 28 March
8.30pm
ACMI
2182
Sat 28 March
10.15pm
ACMI
3165
Mon 23 March
6.00pm
ACMI
3174
Fri 27 March
6.00pm
ACMI
38
39
SAND DOLLARS
(LES DOLLARS DES SABLES)
SKIN DEEP
STAND
Dir: Jonnie Leahy, Australia, 2014, DCP, 72 min
Dir: Jonathan Taieb, France/Russia, 2014, DCP, 87 min Russian with English subtitles
Leah and Caitlin are the quintessential odd couple. Leah is uptight, conservative, and sheltered. Caitlin is a complicated soul who loves music, books, poetry and booze. Dir: Laura Amelia Guzman & Israel Cardenas, Dominican Republic/Argentina/Mexico, 2014, DCP, 80 min Spanish with English subtitles
Struggling to make ends meet, Noeli seduces tourists on her local Dominican beaches in exchange for money and gifts. One of her conquests is Anne (a beautifully nuanced performance from Geraldine Chaplin), a French expat whose lonely existence is enlivened by the much younger woman. Anne is in love with Noeli and offers to take her to France. Noeli is determined to find a better life for herself and has come to genuinely care for Anne, but can she leave the Dominican Republic – and her boyfriend – behind? Gorgeously shot and full of mesmerising scenery, Sand Dollars paints a fascinating picture of life in ‘paradise’ and all of its contrasts and contradictions. (RB) Official Selection: Toronto International Film Festival Australian Premiere
ROADS
After meeting by chance on the street, the two young women spend the day together and Leah reveals that she has been given two months left to live; a fact she refuses to accept. Shocked and furious that Leah has no “bucket list” Caitlin, hurting desperately after recently losing her girlfriend, insists on a drunken adventure around Sydney. As the night progresses, secrets are revealed and the two young women start to come to terms with the lies they have been telling themselves. Skin Deep is about hope and the strength of female friendship.
(CARRETERAS) Dir: Denisse Quintero, Mexico, 2013, digital, 10 min Spanish with English subtitles
First time feature Director Jonnie Leahy delivers a beautiful Australian film that will stay with you long after you have left the cinema. (ERG)
Carmela leads a quiet life in the countryside with her grandfather until Abril, an adventurous free spirited girl, breaks her routine.
Cast and crew will be in attendance for a Q&A at the screening.
Melbourne Premiere
Winner of numerous awards at festivals worldwide, Stand is a timely and potent drama, given the worldwide outrage over Russia’s law prohibiting homosexual “propaganda”. (PT) Melbourne Premiere
FEATURE FILMS
Warning: contains depictions of violence that may upset some viewers
FEATURE FILMS
“Remarkably sensitive, nonjudgmental portrait of an unequal lesbian relationship.” Variety
PLUS SHORT
Whilst driving home one night, a young Russian gay couple, Anton and Vlad, witness what they suspect is a gay hate crime; Anton wishes to intervene but when the suspects attack their car, they drive off. Upon discovering the victim, Nikolay, has died, Anton becomes obsessed with finding his killers. Vlad initially supports his partner’s quest for justice, but begins to worry when Anton places himself in a potentially life-threatening situation. But Anton is not only battling his guilt for not stepping in to save Nikolay, he’s also fighting for the rights for all gay people in a country whose regressive laws have made them virtually state-sanctioned targets of abuse.
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2166
Mon 23 March
8.00pm
ACMI
3162
Sun 22 March
4.00pm
ACMI
3163
Sun 22 March
6.30pm
ACMI
40
41
TRU LOVE
VIOLETTE
Dir: Kate Johnston & Shauna MacDonald, Canada, 2013, HD Cam, 87 min
Dir: Martin Provost, France/Belgium, 2013, DCP, 139 min French with English subtitles
Life is full of messy accidents. This is something that Tru, Suzanne and Alice learn to accept during a freezing winter in Canada. Alice, who has recently lost her husband, decides to stay with her daughter Suzanne for a few weeks. Corporate lawyer Suzanne is busy working on a case so she asks her friend, commitmentphobe lesbian Tru, to keep Alice company. Despite their age difference, Tru and Alice instantly connect. Suzanne’s icy façade begins to crack when she sees romance sparking between her mother and Tru, and secrets are revealed that put stress on the relationships between all three women. A vibrant and unexpected love story. (RB)
Born in 1907 French writer Violette Leduc is best known for her lesbian classic Therese and Isabelle, but possibly just as well known for her long and complicated friendship with her famous writing mentor, feminist pioneer Simone de Beauvoir (The Second Sex). Feeling ugly and unloved next to the assured and attractive de Beauvoir, Leduc punishes herself, as her love for de Beauvoir is central to her life, and her feelings both sexual and intellectual. De Beauvoir’s contrariness both infuriates and attracts Leduc and highlights the complexity of feelings from both women. This is a breathtaking piece and a sympathetic view of an artist whose sexuality was at the core of her being. (LD)
Winner Audience Choice Award for Best Feature Film, Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film Festival 2014
XENIA
“Emmanuelle Devos triumphs in this sharply observed yet sympathetic biopic of a trailblazing feminist author.” Variety
Best International Film, San Diego Gay & Lesbian Film Festival 2014
Following the death of their mother, two brothers undertake a journey from Athens to Thessaloniki in search of the father they have never met, in the hope that he will officially recognise them in this wry and affecting road movie from Greek director Panos Koutras. The country’s stark economic realities serve as the backdrop to this delightfully twisted tale, which is filled to the brim with irreverent and provocative ideas regarding such subjects as homeland, familial bonds, sexuality and even our notion of what constitutes the self. Xenia – which is Greek for ‘hospitality’ (the title is not without irony), presents us with a sweeping yet precise examination of a country that, like its two young heroes, is in the thick of a difficult transition, searching for a new identity and new dreams for the future. Official selection Cannes Film Festival 2014
FEATURE FILMS
Winner Best Feature Film Chicago International Film Festival 2014
FEATURE FILMS
Melbourne Premiere
Dir: Panos Koutras, Greece/France/Belgium, 2014, DCP, 123 min Greek, Albanian and Italian with English subtitles
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2171
Thu 26 March
6.00pm
ACMI
3164
Sun 22 March
8.30pm
ACMI
3168
Tue 24 March
9.00pm
ACMI
42
YOU & I
Dir: Nils Bökamp, Germany, 2014, DCP, 85 min German, English and Polish with English subtitles
Hit the road with three young good-looking guys, add in beautiful scenery, plenty of alcohol and watch the sex and jealousy flow like wine. It’s summer in Germany, and Jonas has invited his former roommate, Philip, on a journey into the countryside for a photography project. Philip’s gay, although this is not an issue for straight Jonas but when they pick up Polish hitchhiker, Boris, you realise why the term ‘three’s a crowd’ so often rear its head. Director Nils Bökamp captures a moment of youth when anything is possible – getting in a car and driving into the unknown, where expectations are abandoned and everything goes. (PT)
FEATURE FILMS
Australian Premiere
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
5170
Wed 25 March
8.30pm
KINO
Understa
Referral. . t r o p p u nding. S
PHONE &
CHAT
27 5 4 8 1 0 0 18 ORG.AU QLIFE.
optus.com.au/yes
MQFF invites the gals in our community to:
IT’S A GIRL THING
LIVE MORE YES!
SATURDAY 21 MARCH 7 PM ONWARDS.
It’s A Girl Thing is a MQFF initiative to celebrate the women in our community. A night of films and a party dedicated to women.
Screening on the night:
THE FOXY MERKINS
GIRLTRASH: ALL NIGHT LONG
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2157
Sat 21 March
6.00pm
ACMI
2158
Sat 21 March
8.00pm
ACMI
BE QUICK, SPACES ARE LIMITED Ticket holders present your session tickets at the door of the ACMI Studio for free entry into It’s a Girl Thing. It’s A Girl Thing. A party space with female DJ’s and a surprise or 2….
In partnership with
FESTIVAL LOUNGE MQFF isn’t just about fantastic films; it’s also a great time to catch up with friends and fellow cinephiles in the Festival Lounge. Drop in for a quick hello and a bite to eat, talk film for hours or find a comfy couch to soak up the Festival atmosphere in Optic Kitchen + Bar at ACMI. We’ll be serving delicious meals, quick snacks and great coffee. You can also enjoy a beer or cider from Mountain Goat Brewery. Plus fill your bellies with foodie delights from Optic Bar + Kitchen.
MQFF IS MORE THAN JUST FABULOUS FILMS IT’S A GIRL THING It’s A Girl Thing is an MQFF initiative to celebrate the women in our community. A night of films and party space dedicated to women. On Saturday March 21, we’ll be screening two new lesbian feature films: The Foxy Merkins and GirlTrash: All Night Long. Ticket holders present your session tickets at the door of the ACMI Studio for free entry into It’s a Girl Thing. It’s A Girl Thing a party space with female DJ’s and a surprise or 2….
SPEED DATING After a sell-out season in 2014, MQFF speed dating returns to help introduce you to Mr or Ms Right (or at least Right-Now). Dust off your Monday best, get your small talk on and be ready to date. “A success rate greater than Tinder” Past MQFF Speed Dating Punter
FREE EVENTS QUEER, CAMERA, ACTION! FILM INDUSTRY DAY Want to know more about the ‘biz’ in film ‘biz’? Our free Film Industry Day will use a new Australian feature film as a case study for learning more about a film’s journey from page to screen. See page 63 for details.
WHERE Optic Kitchen + Bar ACMI Entry Level OPENING HOURS Monday – Friday 8.30am – late Saturday & Sunday 9.30am – late
VCA FILMMAKER’S WORKSHOP – FROM SCRIPT TO SCREEN Want to learn how a film set operates? This free one-day practical workshop will cover the bread and butter side of filmmaking from preparing to shoot your film to running a film set. Participants will gain hands-on experience through breaking down a scene, directing actors and shooting a scene using cameras on a mock film set. See page 58 for details.
Visit mqff.com.au/ festivallounge for event listing and ticketing information.
E
O
L
L CA
T S U
AK
M
Going somewhere? While you’re away, treat your cat to a stay at the “Paw Seasons” For an extraordinary cattery experience. Proudly part of the GLBTIQ community and supporter of MQFF 2015
Video Production, editing and creative strategy
FESTIVAL SPECIAL! Mention MQFF and receive 20% off your cat’s first stay.
13 Cotham Rd, Kew T: 03 9853 7125 kewvet.com.au
52
53
ALEX AND ALI
AN HONEST LIAR
BORN TO FLY: ELIZABETH STREB VS. GRAVITY
DERBY CRAZY LOVE
Dir: Malachi Leopold, USA/Turkey, 2014, DCP, 85 min
Dir: Justin Weinstein & Tyler Measom, USA, 2013, DCP, 90 min
Dir: Catherine Gund, USA, 2013, HD Cam, 82 min
Dir: Maya Gallus & Justine Pimlott, Canada, 2014, digital, 61 min
Many Australians would remember James Randi as the magician and paranormal skeptic who Don Lane infamously told to ‘piss-off’ live on air on Australian television in the 1980s. What we don’t know about him however, makes up the crux of this engrossing documentary. Randi built a career around debunking faith healers, mystics and charlatans. Most notably he was known as the man who exposed selfproclaimed psychic Uri Geller. But the biggest deception lies at the heart of Randi’s own story and the relationship he kept secret for many years.
Famed lesbian performer and choreographer Elizabeth Streb and the STREB Extreme Action Company form a super troupe of flyers, acrobats and crashers. Propelled by Streb’s ethos that “anything too safe is not action,” this band of super-fit athletes and performers challenge the assumptions of art, aging, injury, gender, sexuality and the limits of the human body. Interspersing archival footage from decades of STREB performances with verité moments between Streb, her partner Laura and their collaborators, the documentary follows Streb over the course of a year as she reflects on her influences, evolution, and inventions, all while preparing for her greatest public performance during the 2012 London Olympics. (LD)
Directors Maya Gallus and Justine Pimlott give us an inside look into the exciting world of women’s roller derby. The players of this grassroots sport are competitive, aggressive and passionate. Derby, in its modern incarnation, is a serious sport that requires real athleticism. At the same time it maintains its queer punk aesthetic. The women who play are quirky, funny and tough. They want to be taken seriously and ensure the ethos of derby is never lost. As Trash N Smash, a player for Montreal derby team New Skids on the Block, comments, “finally we have something that belongs to us”.
Alex first met his lover Ali in 1967 while he was serving in the American Peace Corp in Iran. Keeping their relationship secret for 10 years, the men where eventually separated by the Iranian revolution. They kept their bond alive however via phone calls, letters and emails. In 2010 they decide to meet up again for the first time in 35 years. Documented by Alex’s nephew, the reunion in Turkey becomes a bittersweet affair, as the effects of aging and cultural divides take their toll. This deeply affecting documentary examines the insidious and damaging effects of political oppression and persecution. (SE) A representative from the Australian Multicultural Gay group will introduce the session. Melbourne Premiere
What emerges is an unlikely love story that examines the different ways we deceive ourselves and the damaging consequences of discrimination. (SE)
Melbourne Premiere
Melbourne Premiere Representatives from Melbourne’s own roller derby league will be on hand to introduce the session.
DOCUMENTARIES
“A thrill…quite a spectacle to behold... Streb is a compelling force to observe.” Kevin Langson, Edge of the net
Featuring an awesome girl punk soundtrack that will get you fired up, this film will have you itching to buy some skates and hit the track. (ERG)
DOCUMENTARIES
Winner Best Documentary Newport Beach Film Festival 2014
The film follows New Skids on their quest to succeed at the world championships, and offers a close up view of a tight knit, female dominated community.
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2184
Sun 29 March
2.00pm
ACMI
2165
Mon 23 March
6.00pm
ACMI
2156
Sat 21 March
4.00pm
ACMI
2185
Sun 29 March
4.00pm
ACMI
54
55
THE DOG
LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OUT IN THE NIGHT
PETER DE ROME: GRANDFATHER OF GAY PORN
Dir: Allison Borg & Frank Keraudren, USA, 2013, HD Cam, 100 min
Dir: Thomas G. Miller, USA/Australia, 2014, DCP, 74 min
Dir: Blair Doroshwalther, USA, 2013, HD Cam, 75 min
Dir: Ethan Reid, UK, 2014, DCP, 97 min
John Wojtowicz took great pride in being a pervert. His excessive libido saw him take on multiple wives and lovers, both women and men. For the 1960s his behavior challenged even the most liberal-minded around him.
This documentary delves into the moving story of Australian Tony Sullivan and his husband, Filipino-American Richard Adams, and their ground-breaking fight to be together. Tony’s application for a Green Card, based on the couple’s marriage, is denied by the US Immigration and Naturalisation Service, who question the validity of a marriage between two people of the same sex.
One evening in a gay-friendly suburb of New York City, four young African-American lesbians are violently and sexually threatened by a man in the street. As the women defend themselves, the situation escalates into a fight. Police sweep in and arrest the women. Dubbed by the media as a “gang of killer lesbians”, the women are charged with the serious crime of gang-related assault rather than self-defense. This incredibly powerful documentary interweaves interviews with the women, their families, attorneys and police officers creating a complex portrait that examines how race, class, sexual orientation and gender expression collide with the American justice system. (KL)
Peter de Rome lived an unapologetically open gay life. The Hollywood cinematographer poured his talent and passion for men, especially men of color, into explicit erotic films during the 1950’s through to the 1970’s. When gay sex was illegal or even discussed, de Rome sought out attractive men and created artistic, positive portrayals of them in stark contrast to the depressing, frequently suicidal depictions that were de rigueur for films of the era. Director Ethan Reid brings de Rome’s experiences from prep school dalliances, the Stonewall riots, and filming of his many works, including the final (though unauthorised) appearance of Greta Garbo.
Winner Jury Award Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival 2014
Warning: explicit sexual content
In August, 1972, he made an ill-planned attempt to rob a Brooklyn bank to finance his then lover’s sex-reassignment surgery. The attempt resulted in a fourteen-hour hostage situation that was broadcast live on television across America. Three years later, Al Pacino portrayed his character in the famed film Dog Day Afternoon. Filmed over the course of a decade and interweaving extraordinary archival footage of the robbery, 70’s era interviews and the early gay liberation movement in which Wojtowicz played an active role, The Dog captures the many sides of his larger-than-life persona: lover, husband, soldier, queer activist, mummy’s boy and failed bank robber. (LD)
In order to prevent Tony from being deported, the brave couple file a federal lawsuit against the US Government, the first ever to demand the right to equal treatment for same-sex marriage in American history. At a time when the issue of marriage equality is at the forefront of the Australian political consciousness the story of Tony and Richard’s love for one another and their fight to have their union legally recognised is as poignant as it is relevant. As Tony puts it at the film’s beginning: “love can change the world”. (ERG) Winner Humanitas Award International Documentary Association 2014
Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature New Orleans Film Festival 2014
Melbourne Premiere
Melbourne Premiere This session is proudly sponsored by MQFF life members
Audience Award for Best Documentary Woodstock Film Festival 2014
DOCUMENTARIES
DOCUMENTARIES
Australian Premiere
Presented by
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2167
Tue 24 March
6.00pm
ACMI
3177
Sat 28 March
Midday
ACMI
3178
Sat 28 March
2.00pm
ACMI
3176
Fri 27 March
10.30pm
ACMI
56
STATES OF GRACE
TO BE TAKEI
Dir: Helen S. Cohen & Mark Lipman, USA, 2014, DCP, 74 min
Dr. Grace Dammann, whose heroic service to others was once honored by the Dalai Lama, co-founded the first HIV/AIDS clinic for people in need in San Francisco and signed over 1,000 death certificates. Later, an horrific accident befell her on the Golden Gate Bridge and changed her life forever. This riveting and inspiring documentary follows Grace, her partner Fu, and their daughter, as she struggles to regain her life after a 48-day coma resulted in numerous surgeries and significant ongoing injuries to her shattered body. Facing considerable disability whilst retaining all of her cognitive skills, Grace tries her best to remain positive throughout her recovery, but the physical limitations wear her patience thin, despite her Buddhism. Grace is convinced she will overcome and one day resume her work in the medical field. In this honest and moving film, we witness the challenges to both caregiver and care receiver as they face triumphs and setbacks in a journey of loss, resilience, hope and renewal. (LD)
We hope you enjoy this package of stories about queer lives from across the globe.
ELGIN PARK
FACING FEAR
Dir: Danny Yourd, USA, 2014, digital, 10 min
Dir: Jason Cohen, USA, 2013, digital, 23 min
Michael Paul Smith has spent most of his reclusive life struggling through bullying, prejudices and health issues until he found a way to eliminate it all. His answer was to create a fictional town called Elgin Park.
In this Academy Awardnominated documentary, worlds collide when a former neo-Nazi skinhead and the gay victim of his hate crime attack meet by chance 25 years after the incident that dramatically shaped both of their lives.
I LOVE HOOLIGANS
VETERAN DOCUMENTARY CORPS: ZOE DUNNING
Dir: Jennifer Kroot, USA, 2014, HD Cam, 90 min
This fascinating documentary provides a window into the life of the George Takei, Star Trek star Sulu, unofficial king of Facebook and now a strong LGBTIQ advocate. Takei, 76, and his husband of 25 years Brad Takei, are preparing for Takei’s dream project, Allegiance, a musical based on his harrowing childhood experience inside a JapaneseAmerican internment camp during World War II. This documentary smoothly moves forward and backwards in time allowing Takei’s eccentric personality and wildly different achievements to shine. Oh My! (KL)
Dir: Jan-Dirk Bouw, The Netherlands, 2013, digital, 13 min Dutch with English subtitles
A football hooligan feels unconditional love for his club. However, being gay, he has to hide his identity in order to survive in this world that is so precious to him.
Official Selection Sundance 2014
PEDESTRIAN CROSSING
Melbourne Premiere
“A unique blend of camp and conviction.” Variety 2014
Maria Zoe Dunning is a US Naval Academy graduate, a gay rights activist, and the first and only openly gay person allowed to remain on active duty in the military prior to the end of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
REFUGE Dir: Melanie Aronson, USA, 2014, digital, 13 min
Dir: Colin Murnane, Ireland, 2014, digital, 7 min
Douglas Turnbaugh, a 78-year-old Manhattan intellectual with a hidden passion for whips, bondage, and younger men, relives the evolution of his sexuality and how, from a very young age, he came to discover his love for sadomasochism.
A film inspired by the Nobel Call delivered at The Abbey Theatre Dublin by Irish drag queen and queer rights campaigner Panti Bliss.
Australian Premiere
Dir: Silvia Turchin, USA, 2014, digital, 12 min
FIRST CLUE PERSONAL STORIES
DOCUMENTARIES
Dir: Susan Sullivan, USA, 2013, digital, 7 min
First Clue poses the question “What was the first clue that you were a lesbian?”
Presented by
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2161
Sun 22 March
2.00pm
ACMI
2175
Fri 27 March
8.00pm
ACMI
6178
Sat 28 March
2.00pm
Ian Potter
58
59
This year the MQFF is partnering with The Melbourne Cinemateque to bring you two sessions of queer classics from days gone by.
GAMING IN COLOR
FROM SCRIPT TO SCREEN
ANGER RISING
POISON
Dir: Philip Jones, USA, 2014, digital, 62 min
Want to learn how a film set operates? This oneday workshop will cover the practical side of filmmaking from preparing to shoot your film to running a film set. Participants will gain hands-on experience through breaking down a scene, directing actors and shooting a scene using cameras on a mock film set.
Dir: Kenneth Anger, USA, 1947–1972, 35mm, 85 min
Dir: Todd Haynes, USA, 1991, 35mm, 85 min
A selection of essential films from the “Magick Lantern Cycle” by the foremost magus of the American underground. Anger (1927–) emphatically announced his arrival with his first extant film, Fireworks (1947), a homoerotic work that escaped obscenity charges in California and impressed Jean Cocteau. Shot in France, Rabbit’s Moon (1950/72) introduces Anger’s signature subversion of the pop soundtrack. Occult symbolism, cinema as fetish, biker subculture, visual appropriation and montage as magick combine to reach an apotheosis in Scorpio Rising (1964), the death drive of which is countered by the rebirth themes of Lucifer Rising (1972), which features a soundtrack by Manson Family acolyte and convicted murderer Bobby Beausoleil.
One of the most powerful American debut features of the 1990s, Haynes’ transgressive portmanteau film – part science fiction, part horror movie, part gay prison movie – became a crusade for conservatives outraged at public funding for “gay porn”. Drawing blistering battle lines in the era of queer theory and AIDS activism, this reimagining of Genet is as radical as the texts that inspired it.
VICTORIAN COLLEGE OF THE ARTS FILMMAKER’S WORKSHOP
The screening will be followed by a panel discussion about gender and LGBTQ representation in contemporary games. Panel James Dominguez – James writes about videogames for The Age and Fairfax newspapers.
Proudly funded through the University of Melbourne Student Engagement Grants Program and Melbourne Queer Film Festival. This a free event – go to mqff.com.au to register your seat.
Leena van Deventer – Leena is a writer, feminist, and game developer from Melbourne, and teaches in the game design degree at RMIT. Dan Golding – Dan is a critic and academic, and is the director of the Freeplay Independent Games Festival.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
A SONG OF LOVE (UN CHANT D’AMOUR) Dir: Jean Genet, France, 1950, 35mm, 26 min No dialogue
Genet’s exquisite examination of homoerotic desire was subject to decades of controversy after its release. Genet himself regretted the film, embarrassed by its crudity, yet it remains one of the most influential queer short films in cinema history.
Australian Premiere
Presented by Freeplay
PLUS SHORT
Please note: Melbourne Cinemateque members receive free entry to the Cinemateque presented sessions.
Presented by
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Out of the closet and into the arcade! Gaming In Color is a full-length documentary about the queer gaming community, gaymer culture and events, and the rise of LGBTQ themes in video games.
Presented by INDEPENDENT GAMES FESTIVAL
BOOKING
6155
DATE
TIME
Sat 21 March 1.00pm
VENUE
BOOKING
Ian Potter
7100
DATE
TIME
VENUE
Sat 21 March 10.00am ACMI Studio
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2169
Wed 25 March
7.00pm
ACMI
2170
Wed 25 March
8.40pm
ACMI
60
61
GEOFFREY ROBERTSON’S HYPOTHETICALS:
LOVE IN FULL COLOUR
LYLE
ABC TV production, Australia, 1986, digital, 60 min
Dir: Suzanne Taylor, Australia, 2015, digital, 20 min
Dir: Stewart Thorndike, USA, 2014, DCP, 65 min
This screening of Robertson’s popular ABC topical series takes in the ethical and social dilemmas created by what was, at the time, the most publicised and least understood disease in Australia, are discussed by AIDS specialists and community leaders in a set of hypothetical interactions.
For the many LGBTI teens who experience bullying and isolation at high school, attending the world’s first ever Same Sex Formal in Melbourne proves to be an extraordinary game changer. A moving, timely and important documentary about surviving school and discovering the transformative power of community and love. Australian Premiere The screening will be followed by a Q&A and panel discussion. The session will be introduced by the Hon. Martin Foley. Among other portfolios, the Hon. Martin Foley is the Victorian Minister for Equality – the first time an Australian Government has ever had a dedicated Minister overseeing LGBTIQ issues. Facilitator: Natasha Mitchell is a multi-award winning science & health journalist and presenter of the popular daily program, Life Matters, on ABC Radio National. Panelists: Professor Patrick McGorry AO is a leading international researcher, clinician and advocate for mental health reform. He is Executive Director of Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, a Director of Headspace and was named Australian of the Year in January 2010. Meredith Peace is the president of the Victorian branch of the Australian Education Union and the Victorian representative on the Federal AEU LGBTIQ committee. Micah Scott is CEO of Minus18, Australia’s national youth led organisation for LGBT young people. The panel will be joined by several film participants.
When Leah (Gaby Hoffmann, Girls, Transparent) and music agent June (Ingrid Jungermann, The Slope) move into a spacious apartment with their infant daughter, Lyle, they have a seemingly perfect life; Leah is about to give birth and June’s current music act is about to take off in the charts. But Leah soon suspects the apartment block holds dark secrets; their downstairs neighbour fakes a pregnancy, and with June becoming increasingly distant, Leah finds comfort in talking with the beautiful model upstairs… but can anyone at all be trusted?
DOES DRACULA HAVE AIDS?
Plus panel.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
This session is sponsored by the Victorian AIDS Council and takes a look at HIV and AIDS in the past through a viewing of the above documentary, whilst the corresponding panel discussion will look at the advances we have made over the course of the epidemic and where we are up to today. The panel will consist of health professionals ranging from a variety of HIV related fields.
Presented by
Lyle is that very rare treasure – a lesbian horror film with a palpable sense of unease and creeping paranoia that builds until the final shocking scene. (PT) Winner: Best Actress in a U.S. Feature Film, Gaby Hoffmann, Outfest 2014 Melbourne Premiere
“Director Stewart Thorndike has re-imagined Rosemary’s Baby for the 21st-Century.” Cinesnatch PLUS PRESENTATION
SAPPHIC SUCKERS AND EVIL WITCHES: QUEER WOMEN IN HORROR FILMS! So is there more to Lesbian and Bi girls than just dying horrible deaths in the movies? Are gay ladies just there to whet the appetite of the hetero male viewer for girl-on-girl action? Do Lesbians like horror movies, and why? And what do we think of our sapphic sisters on the silver screen? Is it important that women make them? Movies will be discussed and much fun will be had as we explore and expose the state of women who love women in the gore, in the cult and thriller films we so adore! For film only session see page 39
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2162
Sun 22 March
4.00pm
ACMI
6156
Sat 21 March
3.30pm
ACMI
5169
Wed 25 March
6.00pm
KINO
Presented by: Sonja Hammer has been producing and presenting a live radio show called Sci-Fi and Squeam for 5 years. It is one of the longest running LGBTIQA science fiction, speculative fiction and horror genre shows on air broadcast from JOY 949 in Melbourne. In 2013 Sonja started the first LGBTIQA Geek panels at a mainstream pop-culture expo, calling it Queer Geeks of Oz discussing and representing queer geek folk in pop culture and making it a safe place for queers to meet.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Panelists in the documentary: Prof. Luc Montagnier, Dr Neil Blewett (Federal Health Minister at the time of screening) Rev. Fred Nile (Festival of Light) and more.
62
63
NIGHT OUT
QUEER, CAMERA, ACTION! FILM INDUSTRY DAY
Dir: Lawrence Johnston, Australia, 1990, 16mm, 50 min
All About E is a new Australian feature film. It is a road movie, a comedy, and a love story about a woman who needs to find herself. A beautiful sexy DJ is forced to run when she stumbles on a stash of cash. Can she keep the money, conquer her demons AND get the girl? For screening information for the film see page 22.
On the 25th anniversary of the critically acclaimed Night Out, MQFF will screen the film followed by a Q & A with panelists to discuss the making of the film, the reasons why it was so ground-breaking 25 years ago and wider issues of queer cinema in the lead up to the making of the film and how it has evolved since. Moderator Shaun Miller Principal of Shaun Miller Lawyers which specialises in film and entertainment law Panelists
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Lawrence Johnston Writer, Director and Producer of Night Out Colin Batrouney Actor and author of Omar and Enzo and the Big Talking Book, Creative Writing for Beginners and the one of the writers and directors of the awardwinning Melbourne web series Being Brendo (MQFF 2013) John Brumpton Actor and writer of the feature film Life (directed by Lawrence Johnston), and the short film William Lisa Daniel MQFF Festival Director since 1998, and co-writer (with Claire Jackson) of The Bent Lens – a world guide to gay and lesbian film
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2155
Sat 21 March
2.00pm
ACMI
Presented by
The Q & A will explore in depth the key aspects of making All About E – from writing the script, raising the money, the legal contracting involved, producing and directing the film and distributing and marketing the film. This promises to be a most informative panel discussion for emerging and experienced filmmakers, as well as for those just curious about the process of getting an idea to the screen. The audience will also be welcome to ask questions from the panelists, and excerpts of the film will be screened. Moderator Shaun Miller Executive Producer and lawyer for the film, Shaun is the principal of Shaun Miller Lawyers which specialises in film and entertainment law Panelists Louise Wadley Writer/Director and the main creative force behind the film Jay Rutovitz Producer of the film, Jay brought her experience of managing large budgets and attracting funding in the private and public sectors to the film Alan Crabbe Co-Founder and Director of Pozible (a crowd funding platform) which was successfully used to raise funding for the film An officer from Screen Australia Screen Australia is the federal government’s film funding body, whose Producer Tax Offset scheme was used to raise funding for the film David Doepel Managing Director of film distributor Leap Frog Films (Reaching for the Moon, MQFF closing night 2014), which is launching the TUGG distribution platform in Australia, with All About E one of the first films to qualify for the Producer Offset on the basis of a TUGG distribution This a free event – go to mqff.com.au to register your seat.
BOOKING
7000
DATE
TIME
VENUE
Sat 28 March 2.30pm ACMI Studio
Presented by
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Night Out is a searing and dramatic exploration of two men, a gay marriage and a violent action that changes their lives forever. Night Out was Writer/Director Lawrence Johnston’s impressive debut short feature. Made in 1990, it was an Official Selection at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival (Un Certain Regard), a year when no Australian features were selected. It is also the first queer film ever to be selected from Australia in Cannes as an official invitation. It was named one of the year’s ten best by Elliot Stein in the New York Village Voice and was nominated for an AFI Award for Best Screenplay. Lawrence Johnston followed this with his famous film Eternity, the award-winning feature drama Life, as well as last year’s Fallout about Nevil Shute’s famous novel On The Beach.
64
65
This great selection of short docos highlights the ever-changing nature of self.
This year’s Oz Docs showcases our talented local documentary makers.
BUTTERFLY
FLYING SOLO: A TRANSGENDER WIDOW FIGHTS DISCRIMINATION
Dir: Stuart McLaughlin, UK, 2014, digital, 14 min
Adrianne and Karl, a transgender couple, both diagnosed with Asperger syndrome confront their own gender identity.
SONDR
Dir: Cathy Allen, Australia, 2014, digital, 6 min
Dir: Harrison Packer, Australia, 2014, digital, 18 min
After casting off religious oppression and admitting his sexuality, comedic character performer Matthew was given a second chance through self-acceptance.
Grindr is the first geosocial networking phone application allowing same-sex attracted men to locate and contact one another using GPS technology. Through the stories of four young gay men Sondr reveals the complex and conflicting emotions brought about by this tangled web of technology and human longing.
ZARA’S WORLD
A QUEER AESTHETIC
Dir: Dawn Jackson, Australia, 2014, digital, 8 min
Dir: Luke Cornish, Australia, 2014, digital, 38 min
Zara’s World reveals the delights and challenges of parenting through the world of ‘gayby’ Zara and her high profile mothers Zoe Goss and Claudia Alessi.
A Queer Aesthetic follows Sydney based portrait artist Guy James Whitworth for twelve months before his 2014 exhibition ‘A Queer Aesthetic.
Dir: Leslie Von Pless, USA, 2013, digital, 8 min
At 92, Robina Asti, a WWII veteran and pilot, tells her story of living as a transgender woman since 1976 and her fight to be treated like any other widow.
GENDER GAMES
TRUCKER PATTI
Dir: Meg Smaker & Virginia Lopez, USA, 2013, digital, 9 min
Dir: Beau J. Genot, USA, 2014, digital, 14 min
Trucker Patti, an out transwoman and truck driver, tells her long, complex, and riveting life journey of self-realisation and acceptance as she drives across western USA.
A 51-year-old transwoman contends with the many challenges of returning to college-level basketball after a 30 year absence.
PASSING ELLENVILLE
BROCKINGTON Dir: Mason Sklut & Sergio Ingato, USA, 2014, digital, 8 min
Passing Ellenville follows two transgender youths in a small, economically depressed town in the Catskills mountains of New York and their struggles during the gender transition process.
Blake Brockington is like any other high school student just trying to fit in. Being transgender just adds to the pressure.
DYLAN
TOMGIRL
Dir: Elizabeth Rohrbaugh, USA, 2014, digital, 9 min
Dir: Jeremy Asher Lynch, USA, 2014, digital, 15 min
Dylan is a short film based on a piece of documentary theatre that explores his recent transformation.
Jake, a gender nonconforming 7-year-old invites us into his world to explore the transforming power of love and support on our children.
Cast and crew from the films expected to be in attendance.
OZ DOCS
Dir: Gene Fischer, USA, 2014, digital, 16 min
TRANSFORMATIONS
MATTHEW
Presented by BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2179
Sat 28 March
4.00pm
ACMI
2178
Sat 28 March
2.00pm
ACMI
66
67
CITY OF MELBOURNE AWARD: OZ SHORTS In partnership with the City of Melbourne, the MQFF is proud to present this year’s package of Australian shorts. The City of Melbourne has confirmed their long-standing support of the Festival by generously providing a $3000 cash prize for The City of Melbourne Emerging Filmmaker Award for Best Australian Short Queer Film. Only the films listed in the Oz Shorts package are eligible for this Award, which will be voted by a panel of judges. The films are also eligible for the Audience Award for Best Australian Film, sponsored by longtime Festival partner Step Right Up.
Brothers Asher and Charlie have just lost their father, and their already fragile relationship undergoes a test of almost mythic proportions when one of them commits an act of mindless cruelty against an eel as retribution in this multi-award winning short.
LIKE BREATHING
Cr Rohan Leppert
Dir: Elizabeth Cooper, Australia, 2013, digital, 13 min
Grant Scicluna Writer/Director Grant Scicluna won the City of Melbourne Emerging Filmmaker Award in 2013 for his film The Wilding, mentored the MQFF Gen2Gen Community Film Project in 2013 and 2014, and is currently in post-production on his first feature film Downriver. Fatima Mawas Fatima is a Writer/Director whose last short film Fighting For Air was nominated for the 2013 Iris Prize by MQFF. She is currently in development of her first feature film.
Dir: Tony Radevski, Australia, 2014, digital, 5 min
Dir: Brendon McDonall, Australia, 2013, digital, 19 min
This year’s Oz Shorts judges are:
Cr Rohan Leppert is Chair of the Arts and Culture portfolio and Deputy Chair of the Finance and Governance portfolio at the City of Melbourne. He is a music teacher and composer who is passionate about supporting, promoting and improving access to Melbourne’s vibrant art’s scene.
HOLE
ALL GOD’S CREATURES
Two men share an unlikely encounter in a bathroom cubicle
MYMY Dir: Anna Helme, Australia, 2013, digital, 14 min
Max lives in the country and works for her father as a mechanic in his workshop, and helps her mother take care of her disabled sister. Max feels like she will never be able to find the courage to voice what she really wants – but then she meets Bel.
In a mythic cyberfeminist universe, a frustrated young man yearns for affinity and connection in this experimental hybrid of documentary, fiction and performance art.
PLUNGE
RIGOR MORTIS
Dir: Kate Lefoe, Australia, 2014, digital, 6 min
Dir: Eddie Diamandi, Australia, 2013, digital, 16 min
A relaxing day trip soon turns into something far more mysterious for two young lovers.
Chris’ family unit is threatened with the arrival of an unhinged lover at his workplace.
SHOWBOY After the unexpected death of his mother, a young football player, finds himself struggling to support his depressed, unemployed father while fighting to keep safe the secret he once shared with his mother.
OZ SHORTS
Presented by
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2180
Sat 28 March
6.00pm
ACMI
2180
Sat 28 March
6.00pm
ACMI
OZ SHORTS
Dir: Samuel Leighton-Dore, Australia, 2013, digital, 15 min
68
69
Coming out debacles, lesbians in therapy and an election night revelation – it’s all here in this fabulous collection of lesbian short films.
SHORT & GIRLY
Dir: Hyun-ju LEE, South Korea, 2013, digital, 24 min Korean with English subtitles
Su-young plans to go on a first vacation with her girlfriend, Young-mi, but Su-young receives the news that she must visit her father, with Young-mi in tow.
ALONE WITH PEOPLE
THE LETTER
Dir: Drew Van Steenbergen, USA, 2014, digital, 30 min
Dir: Algeles Cruz, Mexico, 2012, digital, 18 min Spanish with English subtitles
Growing up gay in the South, a high school girl seeks the help of a therapist to come out to her family and friends in this coming-of-age, coming-of-gay comedy drama.
A young woman returns to her rural Mexican village after a few years away to find out if her first love can be revived.
SURPRISE
ELECTION NIGHT
Dir: Leslie Bumgarner, USA, 2014, digital, 9 min
Dir: Tessa Blake, USA, 2014, digital, 12 min
A middle-aged mum’s coming out to her son is complicated because he knows her new girlfriend.
A politician’s family waits for the last 350 votes to be counted – will it be a celebration or a concession? Nerves rattle the family into a comic whirlwind of wild theories, long-held secrets, and a revelation that nobody saw coming.
(LA CARTA)
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
3183
Sun 29 March
1.00pm
ACMI
3183
Sun 29 March
1.00pm
ACMI
SHORT & GIRLY
ORDINARY FAMILY
70
71
From attraction issues, to closeted celebrities, to phallometric testing – it’s all here in this package of the latest and greatest gay shorts from around the globe.
MUM
Dir: Ulises Pérez Mancilla, Mexico, 2013, digital, 14 min Spanish with English subtitles
Dir: Alex Bohs, USA, 2013, digital, 10 min
SHORT & BURLY
When his partner dies, Iván becomes obsessed with the personality of elephants, who, they say, never forget.
A deaf swimmer – a regular at his gym’s pool – tries to attract a guy he has his eyes on, but wonders if his disability may get in the way.
I DO
TOM IN AMERICA
Dir: Felipe Cabral, Brazil, 2014, digital, 20 min Portuguese with English subtitles
Dir: Flavio Alves, Brazil/USA, 2014, digital, 17 min
(ACEITO)
Junior prepares a big surprise to ask his boyfriend to marry him, but not everything goes as planned.
SEBASTIAN
I AM SYD STONE
CRUISING ELECTRIC
Dir: Rickey Bryant, Canada, 2014, digital, 10 min
Dir: Denis Theriault, Canada, 2014, digital, 11 min
Dir: Brumby Boylston, USA, 2013, digital, 2 min
Alex has just met the love of his life and he’s leaving to go back home to Argentina forever. Will he let him go?
A Hollywood heartthrob returns home to rekindle an old closeted relationship.
Boylston imagines the perfect kid’s toy accessory to Al Pacino’s seminal 1980 film Cruising.
For 50 years, Michael and Betty have been united by one guiding principle: no secrets. But when a provocative Tom of Finland doll triggers Michael’s long-buried desires, Betty discovers that secrets have been part of their life all along.
THE PHALLOMETER
(DAS PHALLOMETER)
Dir: Tor Iben, Germany, 2013, digital, 7 min German with English subtitles
In this fact-based short, a refugee is taken into custody at an open border crossing. During the interrogation, he admits to being gay and is subjected to an absurd entry examination, a so-called ‘phallometric test’.
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2176
Fri 27 March
10.30pm
ACMI
2176
Fri 27 March
10.30pm
ACMI
SHORT & BURLY
BEING AN ELEPHANT
(O SER UN ELEFANTE)
72
73
Fabulous lesbian short films from around the world.
PENGUINS AT THE NORTH POLE
FOR HER
SECRETS AND TOYS
WHAT’S YOUR SIGN?
Dir: Kassey C.M. Huang, Taiwan, 2014, digital, 30 min Mandarin with English subtitles
Dir: Samantha Colicchio, USA, 2013, digital, 14 min
Dir: Quentin Lee, USA, 2014, digital, 12 min
Dir: Alex Siow, USA, 2013, digital, 5 min
Grace is terrified by her sudden attraction towards her new female neighbour. Hoping to quell her relationship issues, she turns to David Bowie and raw juice.
A surprise visit causes the shit to hit the fan in this celebrity-packed comedy of errors.
Two friends, a common language and maybe... love.
PRACTICAL THINGS
SAY THAT YOU LOVE ME
Dir: Lindy Boustedt & Kris Boustedt, USA, 2013, digital, 5 min
Dir: Dina Jacobsen, UK, 2008, digital, 8 min
BOOBTUBE
Two girls, first love, super glue, and Robert Frost.
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
3179
Sat 28 March
4.00pm
ACMI
Alison waits nervously for a lunchtime appointment with her girlfriend, Sara. As she lights up another cigarette, a long ago ex-lover enters the restaurant. Sometimes coincidences suck.
Presented by
PLAYING WITH BALLS
(TVILIDALEIKUR)
Dir: Nanna Kristin Magnusdottir, Iceland, 2014, digital, 8 min Icelandic with English subtitles
As tempers rise between a couple on the tennis court, a group of older lesbians become intrigued with the goings-on, and one of them is inspired to take the opportunity to act on her desires.
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
3179
Sat 28 March
4.00pm
ACMI
BOOBTUBE
The biggest wish Helen’s mom has is to see her only daughter getting happily married to a perfect man. She gets more information than she bargained for when she hacks into Helen’s Facebook account.
74
75
DINNER AT 40
SEARCHING
OPEN RELATIONSHIP
PEPPER
Dir: Carl Byrd, USA, 2014, digital, 18 min
Dir: Samuel Faull, Australia, 2014, digital, 10 min
Chuck is turning 40. How bad can it be?
Often it’s only when you stop looking, that you find what you’re looking for.
Dir: Carlos Ocho, Spain, 2014, digital, 14 min Spanish with English subtitles
Dir: Marc Cleary & Craig Robert Young, USA, 2014, digital, 18 min
Oscar and Sergio discuss the possibilities of turning their 5-year-long love affair into an open relationship with amusing results.
A chance meeting with 8-year-old Charlie reminds aging drag queen Pepper of the importance of family and helps give her the courage to right the wrongs of the past.
BARRIO BOY
HOMOPHONIA
THE AGE OF INSECURITY: BED BUDS
IF WE TOOK A HOLIDAY
Dir: Dennis Shinners, USA, 2014, digital, 8 min
Dir: James Jermanok, USA, 2014, digital, 3 min
A man, late for a hearing on gay marriage, tries to get directions from his smart phone and discovers she is part of the opposition.
Dir: Adriano Valentini, Canada/USA, 2014, digital, 6 min
Dir: Glenn Gaylord, USA, 2014, digital, 18 min
A secretly gay Latino barber falls in love with a handsome stranger over the course of a haircut during a hot and sweaty summer afternoon in a macho Brooklyn hood.
(RELACION ABIERTA)
After a night out, two buds talk where they’re most comfortable – in bed.
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
3159
Sat 21 March
10.30pm
ACMI
3159
Sat 21 March
10.30pm
ACMI
A struggling LA actress impersonates Madonna for the day as a birthday gift for her recently dumped gay BFF, musical numbers and all.... but things don’t go as planned.
COCKTALES
COCKTALES
We hope you love our short gay shorts.
76
77
This collection of quirky lesbian shorts is sure to please.
BETWEEN US
HIDE YOUR EYES
TWO MISSING
CODE ACADEMY
Dir: Ping-Wen Wang, USA, 2014, digital, 11 min
Dir: Mads Erichsen, Denmark, 2014, digital, 12 min Danish and Swedish with English subtitles
Dir: Claire Fowler, UK, 2014, digital, 16 min
Dir: Nisha Ganatra, USA, 2014, digital, 16 min
When their car breaks down in isolated woodland close to the scene of a recent murder, two teenage girls are forced to accept the help of a stranger.
In the future, the gender disparity gap is addressed with a radical idea: to keep boys and girls separate until the age of eighteen.
Anabel invites her ex-girlfriend Hanna over to see her new apartment in the hope of getting her back.
MISS MIAO
MOONLIGHT
Dir: Kayla Morrisey, USA, 2014, digital, 10 min
Dir: Janella Lacson, USA, 2014, digital, 14 min
A mild-mannered woman seeks alternative medicine for a bad case of insomnia, but the remedy of Miss Miao can bring nightmares to life.
A woman under house arrest receives an unexpected visitor.
ONCE AGAIN, PATRIDGES
(Y OTRO Aﾃ前, PERDICES)
Dir: Marta Dﾃｭaz de Lope Dﾃｭaz, Spain, 2013, digital, 15 min Spanish with English subtitles
It is the birthday of Grandma, and Rosa, the hostess, foolishly believes she has it all under control.
FEMME FATALITIES
FEMME FATALITIES
In the midst of a passionate affair with a married woman, arts teacher Ariel must choose between sating her sexual desires or living an open life free of broken promises.
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
3155
Sat 21 March
1.00pm
ACMI
3155
Sat 21 March
1.00pm
ACMI
78
79
NOMANSLAND
EDEN
SEAHORSES
WOOF
Dir: Karsten Geisnæs, Denmark, 2013, digital, 36 min Dutch with English subtitles
Dir: Fabio Freitas, Portugal, 2014, digital, 12 min Portuguese with English subtitles
Dir: Julian Curico, Germany, 2014, digital, 11 min German with English subtitles
Dir: Rich Yap, USA, 2014, digital, 4 min
Nomansland is a modern love story about unconditional love and the importance of forgiveness.
Joao and Pedro want to create their very own garden of Eden.
Seahorses is about a person’s reality of dealing with his conflicting emotions regarding intimacy, sex and a relationship, at the same time as being confronted by intrusive memories from a traumatic past.
FURIOUS SAINT JACK & OTTER, ALONE
FAWNS
ERIC
I’M GAP
Dir: Ethan Roberts, USA, 2014, digital, 6 min
Dir: Thanasis Tsimpinis, Greece, 2014, digital, 3 min Greek with English subtitles
Dir: Andrew Lee, Australia, 2013, digital, 15 min
Dir: Matt Pittenger, USA, 2014, digital, 2 min
Tucked away in a forgotten and isolated motel, a ‘lad’ encounters a returning soldier coping with post-traumatic stress disorder. The brief encounter is a soft collision of two characters both lost and trying to find themselves within each other.
When Stevie tries to convince Sam to take a rather messy opportunity to acquire the souvenir of a lifetime, Sam reveals a secret.
A lonely young man rhythmically narrates his leap from isolation to ecstasy when he meets a beautiful stranger at a bar.
Ruminations on sex and deer in a launderette.
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
3182
Sat 28 March
10.30pm
ACMI
3182
Sat 28 March
10.30pm
ACMI
On a late night walk through the woods a young man takes a detour for an illicit rendezvous and finds that there’s something lurking in the dark.
Warning this package contains sexual imagery and depictions of violence that may offend some viewers.
SEX DRIVES & VIDEOTAPE
SEX DRIVES & VIDEOTAPE
This eclectic shorts package explores gay male sexuality in all its glory.
80
81
Here’s an eclectic package of great trans themed shorts from around the world guaranteed to entertain and enlighten.
JELLYFISH
JO
WANNABE
WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?
Dir: Rosie Haber, Indonesia/Malaysia/Singapore, 2014, digital, 11 min Filipino with English subtitles
Dir: April A. Wilson, USA, 2013, digital, 76 min
Dir: Marco Calabrese, UK, 2014, digital, 12 min
Jo Alexander, a young trans man, heads to his doctor’s office for his first pap smear.
On the day of her mother’s death, Sofia must return to her family home and finally face her estranged father: the woman she never knew.
Dir: Marie Loustalot, France, 2013, digital, 9 min French with English subtitles
MA/DDY
UNDER THE LAST ROOF
BLACK IS BLUE
Dir: Devon Kirkpatrick, USA, 2014, digital, 11 min
Dir: Edgar A. Romero, Mexico, 2013, digital, 12 min Spanish with English subtitles
Dir: Cheryl Dunye, USA, 2014, digital, 17 min
(BAJO EL ÚLTIMO TECHO)
IDENTITIES
A genderqueer widow carries a child using their late wife’s embryo, creating a family that will forever link them to the love of their life.
9-year-old Beto is over-protected by his grandparents. When Stephany moves into the building, a friendship takes seed that confronts the child against his general conception of the world.
Directed by award-winning filmmaker Cheryl Dunye, Black is Blue tells the story of Black — an African American trans man, who works as a security guard inside an apartment complex in present day Oakland, California.
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
6177
Sat 28 March
Midday
Ian Potter
6177
Sat 28 March
Midday
Ian Potter
Arnaud is trans. Being recognised by his ex should be possible. Finding a job should be possible. Finding love should be possible too.
IDENTITIES
Danica, a 14-year-old fisherwoman and breadwinner for her family, tastes first love with Riya – an alluring transgender woman who arrives in her tiny Muslim village one day.
(FAIS PAS GENRE)
82
83
Sit back, relax, and enjoy this ‘best of’ package of shorts from this year’s fest.
MUM
TOM IN AMERICA
Dir: Alex Bohs, USA, 2013, digital, 10 min
Dir: Flavio Alves, Brazil/USA, 2014, digital, 17 min
A deaf swimmer – a regular at his gym’s pool – tries to attract a guy he has his eyes on, but wonders if his disability may get in the way.
For 50 years, Michael and Betty have been united by one guiding principle: no secrets. But when a provocative Tom of Finland doll triggers Michael’s long-buried desires, Betty discovers that secrets have been part of their life all along.
BENDIK AND THE MONSTER
PLAYING WITH BALLS
LINDY CALLS TRACY
THE PHALLOMETER
(BENDIK AND MONSTERET) Dir: Frank Mosvold, Norway, 2014, digital, 11 min Norwegian with English subtitles
(TVILIDALEIKUR) Dir: Nanna Kristin Magnusdottir, Iceland, 2014, digital,8 min Icelandic with English subtitles
Dir: Regan Latimer, Canada, 2014, digital, 4 min
(DAS PHALLOMETER) Dir: Tor Iben, Germany, 2013, digital, 7 min German with English subtitles
Bendik & the Monster is the story of a monster, who dreams of being a cabaret singer.
As tempers rise between a couple on the tennis court, a group of older lesbians become intrigued with the goings-on, and one of them is inspired to take the opportunity to act on her desires.
Dir: Leandro Tadashi, USA, 2014, digital, 13 min
A gender queer widow carries a child using their late wife’s embryo, creating a family that will forever link them to the love of their life.
New Year’s Eve 1999 finds college-bound Clark and Trevor concerned about the future of their friendship, and a request for Clark to be Trevor’s wingman ensures things will never be the same again.
CRUISING ELECTRIC
I’M GAP Dir: Matt Pittenger, USA, 2014, digital, 2 min
Dir: Brumby Boylston, USA, 2013, digital, 2 min
When Stevie tries to convince Sam to take a rather messy opportunity to acquire the souvenir of a lifetime, Sam reveals a secret.
Boylston imagines the perfect kid’s toy accessory to Al Pacino’s seminal 1980 film Cruising.
MIXTAPE
TOMORROW
In this fact-based short, a refugee is taken into custody at an open border crossing. During the interrogation, he admits to being gay and is subjected to an absurd entry examination, a so-called ‘phallometric test’.
MIXTAPE
MA/DDY Dir: Devon Kirkpatrick, USA, 2014, digital, 11 min
Lindy needs help to make it through this date. As luck would have it, her friend Tracy is always there with the guidance Lindy needs.
Presented by BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
2186
Sun 29 March
6.00pm
ACMI
2186
Sun 29 March
6.00pm
ACMI
84
85
These entertaining collections of international shorts explores gender and sexuality issues relevant to younger audiences.
YOLO
WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME
(LÆKRE TIL VI DØR) Dir: Marie Grahtø Sørensen, Denmark, 2013, digital, 21 min Danish with English subtitles
It’s going to be one hell of a neon-colored night as three best friends party after hours in their high school and friendship mixes with lust in this stylised Danish treat of a lesbian vampire film!
THE 3651ST DAY Sparks fly when Lin bumps into an old school friend unexpectedly.
16-year-old Emilie has always been a boy inside.
CHRIS A high school girl has 24 hours to ask her dream date to go to the prom. Can she work up the courage to do it?
AGE 17 (17 ANNI) Dir: Filippo Demarchi, Switzerland, 2013, digital, 22 min Italian with English subtitles
FREJA AND SOFIE
PRACTICAL THINGS
Dir: Brandy Silva, USA, 2014, digital, 4 min
Two girls, first love, super glue, and Robert Frost.
Getting bullied is a daily ritual for Sam. On this particular day grabbing a coffee creates a connection with an unexpected hero.
Dir: Søren Lundvall Danielsen, Denmark, 2014, digital, 15 min Dutch with English subtitles
Freja is ice-cold and doesn’t care much for her class-mates. Except for Sofie. Freja is secretly in love with Sofie.
When a high school track athlete discovers that his teammate and best friend is gay he must risk either his friendship or his reputation.
(OJOS QUE NO VEN) Dir: Patricia C. Ovando, El Salvador, 2014, digital, 15 min Spanish with English subtitles
Josephine is a 15-year-old first generation Salvadorean American. Her mother Margarita and her friend Rosmery prepare for Josephine’s quinceañera,
A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY
WASTELANDS
THE DRESS
Dir: Marco van Bergen, The Netherlands, 2013, digital, 14 min Dutch with English subtitles
Dir: April Berryman, USA, 2014, digital, 10 min
Marc is secretly in love with Olaf, the cool boynext-door. He dreams about a relationship with him, and when the two go camping, this dream seems to become reality for Marc, until he discovers a secret that destroys all his hope.
Manda’s mother buys her a dress causing a jump-start within herself to make a change.
AN AFTERNOON (EN EFTERMIDDAG) Dir: Søren Green, Denmark, 2014, digital, 8 min Dutch with English subtitles
Mathias has decided that today is the day he’ll let Frederik know he’s in love with him. But when the time comes, is he ready to make the first move?
(PUERTAS ADENTRO) Dir: Jonatan Olmedo, Argentina, 2014, digital, 12 min Spanish with English subtitles
Nahuel spends days at Franco’s while his parents are out on vacation. Sexual tension is high!
PRINSESA
Dir: Drew Stephens, USA, 2014, digital, 12 min
Dir: Amy Coop, UK, 2013, digital, 7 min
QUEERIES 3
QUEERIES 1 & 2
CAFÉ AU LAIT
When Lucas and Caio discover that Caio’s family is moving to another country, Caio feels numb by the news.
INDOORS
Matteo is a 17-year-old boy who comes to the realisation that he is in love with Don Massimo, a young priest of the village that leads the marching band in which Matteo plays the drum.
A father is unsure how to respond to the gender identity questions of his young son.
Dylan harbours a dark secret. Can he tell his parents...?
TIME
Two teenagers anonymously connect through notes they leave in a tree and the artwork that they create beneath it.
EYES THAT DO NOT SEE
Dir: Zachary Oschin, USA, 2014, digital, 10 min
DATE
A young single mother struggles with raising her gender non-conforming son.
(UITGESPROKEN) Dir: Lazlo Tonk & Dylan Tonk, The Netherlands, 2013, digital, 14 min Dutch with English subtitles
Dir: Lucas Helth Postma, Denmark, 2014, digital, 16 min Dutch with English subtitles
Sat 21 March 11.00am
Dir: Chessa Mehlman & Ian Sumner, USA, 2014, digital, 8 min
(ENQUANTO AINDA É TEMPO) Dir: Leandro Wenceslau, Brazil, 2014, digital, 13 min Portuguese with English subtitles
CAGED
BOY
6154
DELIGHTFULLY YOURS
Dir: Hazuki Aikawa, USA, 2013, digital, 23 min
Dir: Lindy Boustedt & Kris Boustedt, USA, 2013, digital, 5 min
Dir: Xiaoxiao Zhang, Australia, 2014, digital, 10 min
BOOKING
REFLECTION
VENUE
BOOKING
Ian Potter
4162
DATE
TIME
Sun 22 March 4.00pm
VENUE
BOOKING
ACMI Studio
6179
DATE
TIME
Sat 28 March 4.00pm
VENUE
Ian Potter
86
87
This entertaining collection of international shorts explores gender and sexuality issues relevant to younger audiences.
MQFF, LOOP and Shaun Miller Lawyers present a tasty menu of new Australian shorts. For just a gold coin donation you have the chance to see our talented emerging filmmakers in action.
In the burning heat of July, Thomas and Victor, two 14-year-old teenagers, are bored to death and want to escape. One of them will have to confront his fears and desires.
OVERFLOW
BLUE SHIRT GREEN TIE
DISC OF LOVE
Dir: Ruby Drake, USA, 2014, digital, 8 min
Dir: D.P. Swanson, Australia, 2013, digital, 7 min
Dir: Ryan Davey, Australia, 2014, digital, 8 min
Two girls try to work through an unexpected crisis in their friendship.
A case of mistaken identity has far-reaching and hilarious consequences at an anniversary dinner.
Jake’s roommate is acting strangely. Could the mystery be solved by a mix CD?
IF I COULD ONLY DREAM TO BE REBORN
BAD TIMING
Dir: Luisa Pina, Australia, 2012, digital, 14 min
An experimental love story played out to movement and light.
Cut the red wire or the black wire? With mere seconds left before the bomb detonates bomb squad expert CJ makes his decision.
COLOURS OF LIFE
INTERZONE
Dir: Mathieu Reysset, Australia, 2014, digital, 4 min
Dir: John Huntley, Australia, digital, 2014, 12 min
Nick’s dull life is forever altered when he’s kissed by a stranger at a party.
Two young lovers are caught in a battle of drug addiction and co-dependency. Their trust for each other dwindles as the sickness between them grows and spirals further into chaos.
WE ARE FINE
DRAG MAMA
Dir: Simon Savory, Australia, digital, 2014, 5 min
Dir: Benjamin Strum, Australia, digital, 2014, 7 min
A lyrical celebration of the male body in all its summertime glory.
A young boy is banned from wearing a dress to school, so his Very Drag Mother turns him into a queen at midnight.
VIS A VIS
Includes the presentation of the Celluloid Casserole cash Award for Best Short in the package, kindly donated by Shaun Miller Lawyers.
OUT AGAIN
TOMORROW
Dir: Greg Chu/Emma McKittrick/ Tai Payne, USA, 2014, digital, 5 min
Dir: Leandro Tadashi, USA, 2014, digital, 13 min
16-year-old Sam attempts to come out to his crush Jordan. After his failure he discovers an ability to travel through time and fix his mistakes until he can get the perfect coming out.
New Year’s Eve 1999 finds college-bound Clark and Trevor concerned about the future of their friendship, and a request for Clark to be Trevor’s wingman ensures things will never be the same again.
JELLYFISH
CODE ACADEMY
Dir: Rosie Haber, Indonesia/ Malaysia/Singapore, 2014, digital, 11 min Filipino with English subtitles
Dir: Nisha Ganatra, USA, 2014, digital, 16 min
Danica, a 14-year-old fisherwoman and breadwinner for her family, tastes first love with Riya – an alluring transgender woman who arrives in the village one day.
BENDIK AND THE MONSTER (BENDIK AND MONSTERET) Dir: Frank Mosvold, Norway, 2014, digital, 10 min Norwegian with English subtitles
QUEERIES 4
Bendik & the Monster is the story of a monster, who dreams of being a cabaret singer.
BOOKING
4185
DATE
TIME
Sun 29 March 4.00pm
Dir: James Teh, Australia, digital, 2009, 1 min
In the future, the gender disparity gap is addressed with a radical idea: to keep boys and girls separate until the age of eighteen.
Dir: Dan Connolly, Australia/ UK, digital, 2013, 17 min
Vis a Vis is a bittersweet, offbeat comedy that looks at the choices we make and the lengths we go to for the ones we love.
VENUE
BOOKING
DATE
TIME
VENUE
ACMI Studio
7170
Wed 25 March
7.30pm
LOOP
Presented by
CELLULOID CASSEROLE
ELECTRIC JULY
(JUILLET ÉLECTRIQUE) Dir: Remi Bigot, France, 2014, digital, 24 min French with English subtitles
EACH is dedicated to achieving the Rainbow Tick and is proud to be a partner of the 2015 Melbourne Queer Film Festival. EACH – social and community health provides an integrated range of health, aged care, youth & family, disability, counselling and community mental health services that promotes everyone’s wellbeing.
1300 00 EACH (1300 00 3224 ) each.com.au facebook.com/eachsch twitter.com/eachsch vimeo.com/eachsch
DO NOT ADJUST YOUR SET. info@looponline.com.au www.looponline.com.au
GLOBAL. STRONG. DIVERSE. 2014 Australian Workplace Equality Index Awards
Acknowledged as Australia’s best law firm for LGBTI inclusion in the workplace, Herbert Smith Freehills is proud to sponsor the 25th Melbourne Queer Film Festival.
30th in the UK Stonewall Top 100 Employers for LGBTI people
HERBERTSMITHFREEHILLS.COM
creative & design partner for melbourne queer film festival 2015 sweetcreative.com.au
branding ⋅ publications ⋅ digital media ⋅ creative direction
We guarantee 99.9% uptime. Does yours? It's been 22 years, yet our customers remain loyal. Little wonder, since Connexus delivers more than just promises. Our customers want fast, reliable Internet solutions. And we specialise in solutions for Business. That's ADSL2+, Ethernet and VPN's to almost anywhere in Australia. We can host websites with lightning speed and response. And more... We're 100% Australian owned. Our talented staff are based right here in Melbourne. You can reach them 7 days a week.
Try us. Our uptime guarantee is part of our Service Level Agreement, available on request from our sales team. Ask us whether it's available with your service. ABN 83 070 275 722.
www.connexus.net.au 1300 851 700
94
95
CREDITS
PATRONS AND MEMBERS
STAFF
PROGRAM GUIDE
SWEETHEARTS PATRONS PROGRAM
MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD
Festival Director Lisa Daniel
Editor Lisa Daniel
Sponsorship & Marketing Manager Mariella Mejia
Production Management Sweet Creative
MQFF Sweethearts know the power and value of queer cinema and queer film festivals. Queer films remind us of who we are, where we’ve come from and who we can be. They educate and entertain our own community as well as others. Queer films celebrate our lives and queer film festivals are our legacy of equality and justice for all.
No words can adequately describe the contribution Lisa Daniel has made to the Australian queer film industry and the Melbourne queer community as a whole.
Finance Manager Helen Walmsley Festival Assistant Alexandra Lagerwey Marketing & Events Volunteer Thaissa Tanaka Kuczkowski Content Volunteer Matthew Wade
Program Note Writers Lisa Daniel (LD), Paul Tonta (PT), Ben Gielewski (BG), Elizabeth Robinson-Griffith (ERG), Kate Lefoe (KL), Spiro Economopoulos (SE), Stuart Richards (SR), Rachel Brown (RB)
LIFE MEMBERS
Photography Volunteer Gin Masters
Rowland Thomson, Crusader Hillis, Madeleine Swain, Suzie Goodman, Miss Jan Horstman, David McCarthy, Richard Watts, Suzy Green, Rowena Doo, Luke Gallagher, Alex Green, Paul Tonta, Leanne Sumpter, Colin Billing, Claire Jackson
BOARD OF MANAGEMENT
MELBOURNE QUEER FILM FESTIVAL
Office Volunteer Serena Chow Publicity Volunteer Bec Thompson Patrons Volunteer Patrick Fitzgerald
Alice Murray (Co-convenor), Scott Herron (Co-convenor), Antony Jarvis (Treasurer), David Morgan (Secretary/Public Officer), Ayan Dasvarma, Paul Kearney, Ronit Fazekas, Cathy Anderson, Ben Noble, Leora Nevezie, Iain McKinnon
Level 8, 225 Bourke St Melbourne VIC 3000 Australia +61 3 9662 4147 info@mqff.com.au mqff.com.au Melbourne Queer Film Festival
SELECTION PANEL Lisa Daniel, Stuart Richards, Paul Tonta, Elizabeth Robinson-Griffith, Brian Kearney, Andy McNamara, Melissa Pritchard, Kate Lefoe, Matthew Wade, Chrisi Camp, Michael McDermott, Isabelle Basher, Ash Starr, Mark Pace, Ben Gielewski
FESTIVAL PROVIDERS Creative Direction, Graphic Design and Festival Trailer Sweet Creative Ticketing & Smartphone Apps Ferve Tickets Distribution & Promotion Step Right Up CREDITS
Publicity Asha Holmes Publicity
The MQFF receives no film body funding at all. It has never received funding from Screen Australia and very rarely from Film Victoria. The MQFF survives primarily via ticket sales, the crucial support of the City of Melbourne, our valued commercial partners and of course our Sweethearts patrons and members. The Sweethearts annual private giving program is an opportunity for you to direct some of your tax spend to this important cultural event. It allows the MQFF to continue to engage audiences via Australia’s oldest and largest queer film festival. If you’d like to become a Sweetheart, or make a tax deductible donation, please contact Mariella Mejia on 03 9662 4147 or email: manager@mqff.com.au.
melbqueerfilmfest
We applaud the following Sweethearts for their contribution to MQFF 2015.
@mqff #mqff25
Gold: David Owen in memory of David Sloan
The Festival would like to thank all of our members, volunteers, patrons, sponsors and supporters for making this event possible. We heart you!
Silver: Lisa Daniel and Claire Jackson
MQFF makes every effort to ensure that all details are correct at the time of printing. Any unforseen late program changes will be listed on our website and included in our eNews.
Ruby: Jane Weston, Philomena Horsley, Lesley Podesta, Hui-Chang (Lan) Wang, Paul Anthony, Stephen Roberts, Athol Willoughby OAM, Iain McKinnon
Diamond: David McCarthy and Jonathan Yee Emerald: Suzie Goodman, Serena Chow, Daniel Neal, Duncan Hewitt
For the past 16 years Lisa has curated programs that have achieved the difficult balance between commercial viability and cultural awareness, with appeal to all the different segments of our community. As a Festival Board we have benefited from Lisa’s unique blend of artistic and commercial skills and as an audience we have been fortunate to enjoy programming that both challenges and entertains us. So much work that Lisa does behind the scenes goes unnoticed and certainly many hours go unpaid. The Melbourne Queer Film Festival is the second largest queer film festival in the world (after Frameline in San Francisco) and the second largest film festival in Victoria after MIFF. These impressive positions have been driven largely by the efforts of Lisa. Her talent for selection, her negotiation skills with producers and her public campaigning has provided the Festival with the public profile it enjoys today. A passionate and articulate campaigner for the queer voice in film, Lisa has remained committed to developing our queer filmmakers of the future while keeping her finger on the pulse of the cultural issues that affect us all via a range of screen craft and panel discussions; shining a light on our stories and extending our voice when it matters most. But most of all, we will miss Lisa’s sharp wit and comedic delivery, her passion and enthusiasm for film and her beautiful personality. Go well in the future Lisa, we are so much better as a community for having you be part of it. Alice Murray & Scott Herron Co-Convenors on behalf of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival Board & Staff.
Audience Development Partner Little Birdy Tix Website Hosting Connexus Website Design Rhombus Digital Video Production Linchpin Studios
When you see a volunteer at the MQFF, please be sure to smile and say thanks! As a not-for-profit community organisation we rely on over 200 dedicated volunteers who contribute their time, expertise and energy to making the mqff a success every year.
PATRONS AND MEMBERS
Festival Operations Manager Claire Connors
96
INDEX
INDEX 10 Year Plan, The.......................21 3651st Day, The........................ 84 A Little Bit Country.................. 84 Aban + Khorshid....................... 28 Age 17............................................ 84 Age of Insecurity, The: Bed Buds...................................... 74 Alex and Ali................................ 52 All About E....................................21 All God’s Creatures.................67 Alone With People.................. 69 An Afternoon............................. 85 An Honest Liar.......................... 52 Anatomy of a Love Seen...... 22 Anger Rising.............................. 59 Anita’s Last Cha-Cha...............15 Appropriate Behaviour......... 22 Bad Timing...................................87 Barrio Boy.................................... 74 Being an Elephant....................70 Bendik and the Monster........................ 82, 86 Between Us.................................76 BFFs............................................... 23 Black is Blue.................................81 Blackbird...................................... 23 Blessed Love..............................24 Blue Shirt Green Tie................87 Born to Fly: Elizabeth Streb Vs. Gravity...................... 53 Boy................................................. 84 Boys............................................... 25 BrocKINGton.............................. 64 Butterfly........................................ 64 Cafe au Lait................................ 85 Caged........................................... 84 Chambermaid Lynn, The...... 25 Chris............................................... 84 Circle, The.....................................14 Closet............................................ 25 Code Academy................. 77, 86 Colours of Life............................87 Cruising Electric................70, 83 Delightfully Yours.................... 85 Derby Crazy Love................... 53 Dinner at 40................................ 74 Disc of Love................................87 Dog, The...................................... 54 Drag Mama..................................87 Dream Children, The.............. 26 Dress, The................................... 85 Drown............................................ 26 Drunktown’s Finest..................27 Dune, The................................... 28 Dylan............................................. 64 Eat With Me................................ 29 Eden...............................................78 Election Night............................ 69 Electric July................................ 86 Elgin Park.....................................57 Eric...................................................79 Eyes That Do Not See........... 84 Facing Fear.................................57 Fawns.............................................78 Feel Like Disco, I.......................16 First Clue......................................57 Flying Solo: A Transgender Widow Fights Discrimination... 64 For Her..........................................72
Four Moons................................ 29 Foxy Merkins, The.................. 30 Frangipani.....................................31 Freja and Sofie.......................... 85 Furious Saint Jack & Otter, Alone............................78 Futuro Beach...............................31 Gaming in Color....................... 58 Gender Games......................... 64 Geoffrey Robertson’s Hypotheticals: Does DraculaHave AIDS?................ 60 Girltrash: All Night Long....... 32 Happy End?!.............................. 32 Helicopter Mom........................33 Hide Your Eyes..........................76 Hole................................................67 Holiday..........................................33 Homophonia............................... 74 I am Happiness on Earth.......34 I am Syd Stone...........................70 I could only dream to be REBORN............................87 I Do..................................................70 I’m GAP..................................79, 83 If we Took a Holiday................ 74 In Hiding........................................34 In the Eyes...................................33 Indoors......................................... 84 Interzone......................................87 Jamie Marks is Dead............. 35 Jellyfish................................ 80, 86 Jo.................................................... 80 Letter, The................................... 69 Life Partners............................... 35 Like Breathing............................67 Lilting............................................. 36 Limited Partnership................ 54 Lindy Calls Tracy.............. 30, 83 Love Hooligans, I......................57 Love in Full Colour.................. 60 Lyle...........................................36, 61 Ma/ddy.................................. 80, 82 Matthew....................................... 65 MeTube: August Sings Carmen ‘Habanera’.................37 Miss Miao.....................................76 Moonlight.....................................76 Mum........................................70, 82 MyMy..............................................67 Night Out..................................... 62 Nomansland................................78 Nordland.......................................37 Once Again, Patridges...........77 Open Relationship................... 74 Ordinary Family........................ 68 Other Woman, The..................24 Out Again.................................... 86 Out in the Night........................ 55 Overflow...................................... 86 Passing Ellenville..................... 64 Pedestrian Crossing...............57 Penguins at the North Pole....72 Pepper........................................... 74 Peter de Rome: Grandfather of Gay Porn...... 55 Phallometer, The...............70, 83 Playing with Balls..............72, 82 Plunge............................................67
Poison........................................... 59 Practical Things.................72, 84 Prinsesa....................................... 84 Queen of Amsterdam.............37 Queer Aesthetic, A................. 65 Reflection.................................... 85 Refuge...........................................57 Rigor Mortis.................................67 Roads............................................ 38 Sand Dollars.............................. 38 Say That You Love Me...........72 Seahorses....................................79 Searching..................................... 74 Sebastian.....................................70 Secrets and Toys......................72 Showboy.......................................67 Skin Deep................................... 39 Sondr............................................. 65 Song of Love, A........................ 59 Stand............................................. 39 States of Grace......................... 56 Surprise........................................ 69 To Be Takei................................. 56 Tom in America..................70, 83 Tomgirl.......................................... 64 Tomorrow............................ 82, 86 Tru Love....................................... 40 Trucker Patti............................... 64 Two Missing................................77 Under the Last Roof............... 80 Veteran Documentary Corps: Zoe Dunning................57 Violette......................................... 40 Vis a Vis.........................................87 Wannabe.......................................81 Wastelands................................. 85 Way He Looks, The........... 12, 13 We Are Fine................................87 What’s Your Sign?.....................72 While There is Still Time....... 84 Who Do You Think You Are?.....81 Woof...............................................79 Xenia...............................................41 YOLO............................................. 84 You & I............................................42 Zara’s World............................... 65 Countries Argentina.............. 24, 33, 38, 84 Australia... 21, 26, 31, 39, 58, 60, 62, 63, 65, 67, 74, 79, 84, 87 Austria............................................37 Belgium..................................40, 41 Brazil................... 12, 31, 71, 83, 84 Canada.. 30, 40, 53, 70, 75, 83 Denmark............... 76, 78, 84, 85 Dominican Republic............... 38 El Salvador.................................. 84 Equador........................................33 France............ 28, 33, 39, 40, 41, 59, 81, 86 Germany......... 16, 25, 31, 32, 37, 42, 71, 79, 83 Greece................................... 41, 78 Iceland...................................73, 82 Indonesia............................. 80, 86 Iran.................................................. 28 Ireland.....................................57, 73 Isle of Man................................... 25
Israel.............................................. 28 Malaysia............................... 80, 86 Mexico... 29, 34, 38, 69, 70, 80 Norway.......................... 27, 82, 86 Poland............................................34 Portugal.........................................78 Russia............................................ 39 Senegal.................................24, 28 Singapore........................... 80, 86 South Korea............................... 68 Spain....................................... 75, 77 Sri Lanka........................................31 Switzerland.................... 14, 37, 84 The Netherlands...25, 57, 84, 85 The Philippines...........................15 Taiwan............................................72 Turkey........................................... 52 UK.......36, 55, 64, 72, 77, 81, 84 USA..........21, 22, 23, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33, 35, 36, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 61, 64, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86 Special Presentations/Panels Cinemateque co-presentation....................... 59 From Script to Screen............ 58 Gaming in Color....................... 58 Geoffrey Robertson’s Hypotheticals: Does Dracula Have AIDS?.............. 60 Love in Full Colour.................. 60 Night Out..................................... 62 Queer, Camera, Action! Film Industry Day..................... 63 Sapphic Suckers and Evil Witches: Queer Women in Horror Films.............................61 Sponsored Sessions ACMI......................................... 14, 15 AEP................................................. 83 Breastscreen..............................73 City of Melbourne................... 66 C31.................................................. 29 EACH............................................. 65 Freeplay....................................... 58 Glamourhead Sharks & Team Melbourne..................37 Herbert, Smith, Freehills...... 23 JOY 94.9...................................... 30 LOOP..............................................87 Melbourne Cinemateque.... 59 Midsumma................................... 56 MX................................................... 23 Optus............................................. 29 PWC................................................27 Q Life..............................................33 Relationships Australia Victoria...................... 54 Same Same................................ 36 Shaun Miller Lawyers.........................62, 63, 87 Star Observer..............................21 Step Right Up............................ 66 Melbourne University/ Victorian College of the Arts................................... 58 Victorian AIDS Council......... 60