News & Reviews

Melbourne Queer Film Festival has announced plans for its 2021 season, with an in person festival returning in March 2021 and a larger festival planned for the final quarter of 2021. MQFF Together will screen from Thursday 11 March to Sunday 21 March 2021 at Village Cinemas Jam Factory and Cinema Nova. Opening and closing nights will be held at Village Cinemas Coburg Drive-In. Screening the latest in international and Australian queer film, the festival will be a chance for festival-goers to return to the screen after MQFF had to cut short it’s 30th festival in March 2020.

MQFF Chief Executive Officer Maxwell Gratton says that MQFF Together, whilst smaller than its usual March offering will still bring a range of features, shorts and documentaries to the screen. “MQFF Together will be an opportunity for our community to come together and watch content on the big screen, after the challenges of 2020. We are working closely with our cinema partners to ensure that we provide a safe experience for our supporters – who we know are eager to get back together. Maxwell says that screenings will comply with government regulations and advice, including cinema capacities and other restrictions which may be in place at the time. The screenings of films will provide a number of opportunities for festival-goers to see a range of content from all parts of our community.

Main festival dates are currently being finalised but will be held in October/November 2021.

MQFF Co-President Molly Whelan says the festival offerings in Melbourne will be complemented by a range of special, member and online screenings throughout 2021 as well as a regional festival. “One of the things that 2020 has highlighted is that our community has a range of needs and preferences when it comes to engaging with MQFF and this needs to be reflected in our festival offerings,” said Molly.

“Our online screenings in 2020 received strong support from people who would usually come to the cinema to enjoy queer film, and were also accessible for those in our community who live with disability or illness, aren’t safely out in their community, or live in regional and remote areas”

MQFF Co-President David Micallef says that in 2021, the festival will take the opportunity to move its main festival to October/November to capitalise on new film releases and ensure it continues to fulfil its mission of bringing the latest LGBTIQ content to the screen. “An end year festival will allow us to offer a range of new releases coming straight out of the norther hemisphere queer film festival season – giving MQFF access to a range of content before it is released elsewhere,” says David “For our community in Victoria, this means that we can kick off the LGBTIQ summer festival season in style with our main festival later each year and then provide the opportunity to wind down with a glass of wine and some great content during our March festival.”

Tickets for MQFF Together will go on sale in February 2021 at www.mqff.com.au following the program announcement.

Media Enquiries:

David Micallef, Co-President MQFF

david@saysdavid.com.au

0430 090 224