MQFF OPENING NIGHT EXTRAVAGANZA Presented in partnership with Palace Cinemas and Collins Place. Dress Code: Your Queer Utopia Join us for the MQFF’s Opening Night Extravaganza – a fully catered evening with open bar thanks to our friends at Melbourne Gin Company, Mountain Goat and Squealing Pig Wines. Enjoy complimentary popcorn and ice cream when you head into the cinema, followed by a sizzling post-screening party with food under the Louvre-inspired Collins Place atrium. Arrive for MQFF’s red-carpet followed by the opening ceremony, where Queens of the Dead star Dominique Jackson will be honoured (in-person!) with the inaugural MQFF Tribute. Following the screening, you’ll dance the evening away with guests of the festival till late. FILM SYNOPSIS “A Zombie Farce That Wears Its Bedazzled Heart on Its Sleeve” – Variety. When zombies crash a Brooklyn warehouse party, a fierce crew of gays, lesbians, trans folks, drag queens, club kids, and messy frenemies drop the drama, grab their sequin-encrusted heels, and slay—literally. Step into the eerie stillness of an empty mall as MQFF 2025 opens with Queens of the Dead—a dazzling queer apocalyptic zombie survival tale directed by visionary debut filmmaker Tina Romero, the rightful heir to horror legend George A. Romero. Party with the brightest starts living and fabulously undead, as we herald in a bold, innovative chapter in queer cinema. This stunning cult phenomenon expertly marries biting horror with sharp wit, delivering the kind of queer representation we have been longing for and features a stacked iconic cast including Margaret Cho, Katy O’Brian (Love Lies Bleeding), Dominque Jackson (Pose), Cheyenne Jackson, Jack Haven (I Saw The TV Glow), and Nina West. Screens with Pitch, Pleez! winning short Flight Risk directed by Mohammad Awad. HOMMAGE MQFF Opening Night pays homage to the queens who braved the streets in drag when cross-dressing was illegal, but for one day on Halloween—when drag balls occurred despite oppression, and for a single evening, queer utopias were realised. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

For our Centerpiece this year, MQFF acknowledges the privilege of being able to gather freely and the utopias we create on the dancefloor. In solidarity and with love, we turn to our queer filmmakers, whose very act of shooting film is nothing short of miraculous. This year, we celebrate The Crowd, directed by Sahand Kabiri. Throwing a farewell party shouldn’t be dangerous – but in Tehran, it can be. When Hamed and his friends try to celebrate Raman’s departure, they risk more than disapproval: they risk their freedom. As they clean out an abandoned warehouse and plan the night, tensions rise – especially when Hamed’s conservative brother intervenes. Based on Kabiri’s own experiences, The Crowd is a vibrant, defiant portrait of queer youth resisting patriarchal norms. Shot independently over 12 days, it’s a heartfelt tribute to chosen family, everyday rebellion, and the power of gathering against the odds. This is a vital film for collective witness and resistance in Naarm. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Presented in partnership with Melbourne Town Hall and Showtime Events Group. Dress Code: Queer Romance MQFF 2025 closes with a romantic takeover of Melbourne’s grandiose Town Hall – join us for a sophisticated evening of queer excellence in film, food and live music – including DJ Jonny Seymour of Sterogomous, who’ll catapult us back to the 1990s for the post-screening afterparty till late. The evening is fully catered with an open bar thanks to Melbourne Gin Company, Mountain Goat, Squealing Pig Wines and Showtime Events Group. FILM SYNOPSIS Winner of the Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast at Sundance — our closing feature is the romantic thriller Plainclothes, the landmark debut from director Carmen Emmi, depicting exquisite vulnerability, and the shadow side of joy: desire and longing. Set in the 1990s and opening with OMC’s How Bizarre, Plainclothes follows closeted undercover cop Lucas (Tom Blyth), who must suppress his anxiety from working in entrapment — arresting gay men in public toilets. When Lucas meets Andrey (Russell Tovey), their mutual attraction changes everything. Blending digital and lo-fi aesthetics, this raw, poetic vision of queer desire is a standout of 2025 and a future classic in queer cinema. To hold us together in one final embrace for 2025, the evening will also feature a special live performance as well as the world premiere of Welcome to the Cyber Rodeo by Jim Muntisov — a meditative, tender queer fever dream, and the second film to emerge from MQFF’s 2025 Pitch, Pleez! Initiative. *For content warnings, please see content advice. *Contains flashing images/strobe lighting.

MQFF is thrilled to announce a special event: An Audience with Dominique Jackson. Join us at the beautiful Capitol Cinema for an unforgettable evening with iconic film and TV star Dominique Jackson. She will be joined on stage by author/entrepreneur Lillian Ahenkan (aka Flex Mami) for an inspiring conversation about advocacy, creativity, and her groundbreaking career that has reshaped LGBTQIA+ representation on screen. Model, actress, author, advocate, and activist — from her unforgettable role as Elektra Abundance on FX’s Pose, to American Gods, and the powerful documentary I’m Your Venus — Dominique Jackson’s work has illuminated the resilience, strength, and brilliance of the trans community around the world.

Presented in partnership with Thorne Harbour Health. Celebrating a Landmark Film by One of Australia’s Leading Directors. On 15 November MQFF proudly presents an exclusive festival keynote by filmmaker Sophie Hyde and Aud Mason-Hyde, followed by the Victorian premiere of Jimpa. Director Sophie Hyde (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande) and Aud Mason-Hyde will open with a keynote exploring Jimpa‘s origins, its community connections, and how this year’s festival theme resonates through the stories we tell. A repeat screening on 23 November Inspired by Sophie’s father, Professor Jim Hyde, Jimpa is rooted in the communities of Naarm and Adelaide. Set across Amsterdam and Australia, this fictional work explores intergenerational experiences—bridging the struggles of gay liberation with the young people breaking through to exist beyond the binary. Jimpa features powerful performances by Academy Award winner Olivia Colman and Golden Globe winner John Lithgow, who bring to life a modern queer Australian family story—tender, affirming, and resonant for the entire LGBTQIA+ community. In Jimpa, Hannah (Colman) travels to Amsterdam with her teen, Frances (Aud Mason-Hyde), to reconnect with her politically active father, Jimpa (Lithgow). Frances quickly bonds with Jimpa and asks to stay for a year—unsettling Hannah (Kate Vox). When Jimpa’s declining health becomes apparent and Hannah’s sister arrives from the UK, the family is forced to face hard decisions and buried truths. With an abundance of heart, Jimpa reflects our messy selves in nuanced ways — allowing us to see our lived experiences truly echoed on screen. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

“Indigiqueer voices” is a movement rooted in First Nations communities, emerging from Turtle Island (now called Canada), and carried by Indigenous people whose identities live at the intersections of queerness and Indigeneity. It honours the stories, experiences, and creative expressions of Two-Spirit, Takatāpui, Pasifika, and other Indigenous queer identities whose ways of being disrupt colonial binaries and reclaim cultural sovereignty. We celebrate Indigiqueer excellence through the work of filmmakers who speak from their whenua, their ancestors, and their bodies—offering visions that challenge-imposed narratives and reimagine cinema through Indigenous lenses of connection, resistance, and queerness. *For content warnings, please see content advice. *Contains flashing images/strobe lighting.

Presented in partnership with The Women’s. Ramon Te Wake’s trailblazing documentary and narrative filmmaking has shaped the queer voice in Aotearoa New Zealand, bringing authentic, Māori-focused, queer-led excellence to the screen. Director, producer, actor, singer, and mentor — Ramon is an icon whose work has transformed the screen industry through authentic indigenous representation and culturally safe frameworks. She has redefined queer storytelling and continues to amplify the voices of the trans community on our screens. We celebrate Ramon’s most recent work, including her powerful new documentary Trans and Pregnant, her international festival-favourite short film Wait, Wait, Now, and the groundbreaking TV series The Boy, the Queen and Everything In-between – Episode 5. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Celebrate the brilliance of Australia’s most exceptional queer filmmakers. The MQFF Australian Shorts & Awards showcase boundary-pushing storytelling and the remarkable vision of both emerging and established filmmakers who are redefining Australia’s cinematic landscape. MQFF and the City of Melbourne are proud to present this selection of Australian shorts, lauded by festivals around the world, along with two world premieres. After the screening, we will announce the winners of our jury awards. The winner of the City of Melbourne Award for Best Australian Short will also qualify as MQFF’s official selection for the Iris Prize— the world’s largest prize for LGBTIQ+ short films. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

In this playful romantic comedy from Argentina, CrossFit-jock Jero (Cristian Mariani) comes home on their one-year anniversary to discover their performance-artist boyfriend, Tom (Gastón Frías), has ghosted. Left with a break-up and 299 more letters, Jero is blindsided, with only Tom’s brutally honest reflections to navigate the breakup. Jero is left questioning the reality of their relationship: Was it love, sexually clouded judgment, or perhaps a twisted mind-game for Tom’s ethically questionable performance art? Directed by Lucas Santa Ana (Memories of a Teenager), this is an alluring tale of modern dating and relationships in Buenos Aires, supported by a charismatic and talented cast. “300 Letters is one of the more significant queer-themed films on the recent festival circuit and should be required viewing for anyone so immersed in their bubble world they find themselves feeling superior to others.” – The Contending. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Yin Jia and Tong Tong are two teenage girls living together in a colour-drenched, all-consuming vision of Changsha, China. They shoplift, pelt oranges, and share a bed. But when Tong Tong falls for a drug dealer, Yin Jia’s love for her drives her to risk everything to keep her close. Based on director Lilly Hu’s own lived experience, this vivid portrait of girlhood — and the toxic desires born from trying to enforce love — is a remarkable debut. Dreamy, undeniably girly, and at the same time painfully real, 1 Girl Infinite reveals a side of China rarely seen in mainstream Chinese media. *For content warnings, please see content advice

This tender and delicate depiction of a queer person growing closer to their mother with dementia is one of the MQFF program selection team’s favourite films of the year. Beautiful and charming, with stunning performances by Richie Koh and Hong Huifang, this Singaporean gem follows a drag performer who convinces his mother that he is her long-lost daughter. They become closer than ever before, discovering the power of healing through ageing. Adapted from the real-life story of Christopher Lim, more commonly known as Sammi Zhen, A Good Child demonstrates that blood is indeed thicker than water. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

On a cold December evening in London, Oliver, a brash entrepreneur with the gift of the gab, meets Lukas, a quiet German actor struggling to get by. What starts as an awkward encounter at the pub turns into an unexpected night of roaming the city together. It takes 200 hours to truly know someone, yet in one night Oliver and Lukas risk revealing truths they have never spoken aloud. With a slow build of chemistry and tender, heartfelt performances, two-hander film A Night Like This shows how one chance meeting can change the way we see ourselves and each other. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Love. Love. Love. Lesbian monogynous and polyamorous relationships come easy when living in Paris, yes? Amantes explores the tangled contemporary queer experience of a group of close friends and lovers. Musician Nour falls fast and hard for Camille, who’s more of a “let’s take it slow” type. Laura throws a curveball into her throuple with Rebecca and Ophélie by suggesting they start a family, while therapist Gabrielle feels left behind as her always-busy partner Ruby drifts further into work mode. Love, chaos, and chosen family collide in this charming snapshot of life and connection by director Caroline Fournier. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Hopeless romantics can be erotic too. When a kiss means everything and a boner feels like a one-way ticket to horny hell—maybe you’re ready for a boyfriend. Or maybe you’re just craving an Alan Cumming cameo. Either way we have the shorts for you. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Direct from the Venice Film Festival, Bearcave offers a gorgeously realized, unseen and intimate perspective into the lives of young queer women in rural Greece. This cinematic sapphic odyssey, based on directors Dinopoulos and Papadakis’ 2023 short film — winner of the Golden Dionysus — follows Argyro, a strong-willed farmer, and her childhood friend Anneta, the village manicurist and “it” girl. When Anneta reveals she’s pregnant and leaving with her insipid cop boyfriend, Argyro proposes one final mythical adventure: to find the legendary bear cave. Their separation sparks a journey of metamorphosis. A hauntingly poetic meditation on desire, mythology, and sacred landscapes that shape us. This feature will be preceded by the World Premiere of Australian short, Ode (DIR: Angie Kilsby). *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Set in post-WWII Communist Yugoslavia, this drama spanning decades follows two filmmakers whose rising fame puts them under the control of the dystopic Soviet regime, forcing them to create propaganda while living under suspicion and fear. As they try to hold on to their art and to each other, they risk losing everything. Selected as Croatia’s entry for the 2025 Academy Awards, Beautiful Evening, Beautiful Day is an epic story about love and loyalty. Raw, honest and politically charged, the film is a poignant tale of resistance — against oppression, against silence, and for the freedom to live and love without fear. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

A collection of queer cinematic excellence from around the globe—subtle and poignant, embedded in experimentation with story, culture, and performances that will take your breath away. These shorts showcase visionary queer directors poised to lead the future of cinema. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

LGBTQIA+ communities around the world come together to connect through sports, dance, and pride events. These heartwarming documentaries follow the leaders and voices who are changing lives by building community. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Winner of the World Cinema Dramatic Jury Prize at Sundance, and Best Feature Film Award at SXSW London, Cactus Pears is the very definition of masterful cinematography and nuanced storytelling. 30-year-old Mumbai call centre worker Anand returns to his family’s Maharashtra village upon learning of his father’s death and reincarnation as a bird. Subjected to being the centrepiece of the family’s requisite 10-day mourning customs, Anand’s grief and escapist goat herding slowly lead him back into the orbit of his childhood friend Balya, now a farmhand. What unfolds is so simple yet so gorgeous: a rustic, real portrait of family, love, and memory. Cactus Pears is meditative without being heavy, showing both the pressure of “when will you marry?” and the quiet surprise of parental acceptance. Rohan Parashuram Kanawade’s semi-autobiographical debut feature is a masterpiece of queer cinema, capturing the warmth of (rural) life alongside its complications, and the beauty of a childhood self rediscovered. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Here’s a rousing empowerment-anthem of a movie that’s not afraid to paint its romance plotline in big, bold brushstrokes” – Andrew Pulver, Guardian Chuck Chuck Baby is a feel-good ‘right person, wrong time’ story set in industrial North Wales. Helen (Sherlock’s Louise Brealey) spends her nights packing chickens and her days caring for her dying mother-figure Gwen. After her teenage love, Joanne (an ever-charming Annabel Scholey), makes a surprising return, old sparks ignite and both women are offered a rare second chance at love. Heartwarming, funny, and full of working-class charm, Chuck Chuck Baby is a celebration of the musicals we imagine in our minds, lesbian joy, and the possibility of finding love later in life. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Channelling the spirit of Guy Ritchie, this self-funded debut from a collective of working-class LGBTQIA+ filmmakers packs a distinctly Manchester punch. Following his recent breakup, Benji (Eyre-Morgan) has fallen into a self-sabotage well of endless “no strings attached” encounters and boozing himself into oblivion. His sort-of-ex, Jake (David Tag), whom he met at the airport, is the quintessential muscle-bound meathead of gay toxic-closeted dreams – and of course, all flight departures come with baggage. Will Benji accept the price of being with such a hunk? Fast-paced, intense and hilariously witty, Departures is a bold new voice in British queer cinema, and one that refuses to play by the rules. “Grass-roots cinema at its best. Stark, moving, edgy and drole, this is a genuinely exceptional feature debut.” – The Pink Lens This feature will be preceded by the short Australian documentary, Bears on Film (DIR: Albert Koomen). *For content warnings, please see content advice. *Contains flashing images/strobe lighting.

When Nigerian-born Isio (Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo), who has lived undocumented in the UK for two years, is caught and sent to the Hatchworth Removal Centre, she hopes that by strictly following the rules, she will receive a fair asylum hearing and secure her release—despite her charismatic roommate Farah warning her that this hope is naive. Trapped inside, Isio and Farah fall into a tender and poetic love that beautifully reflects the Black queer experience, inspired by 2020 Screen International Star of Tomorrow, director Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor’s own journey through the UK asylum process. *Contains flashing images/strobe lighting

A cinematic deep cut into Black, queer, artistic joy. Shatara Michelle Ford’s sophomore film Dreams in Nightmares is a powerfully political yet humanist narrative, that is a modern take on the American road movie. Ford announces herself as an auteur, bringing you into the complex interior lives of her characters, like Wim Wenders’ Paris, Texas. After losing her job, Z sets off on a journey across the American Midwest with her two closest friends, searching for a missing member of their chosen family who has seemingly vanished without a trace. As they pass through cities both familiar and foreign, the three queer Black femmes encounter mounting tensions and subtle dangers—testing their bonds, beliefs, and sense of safety. Portrayed by a cast of majority queer and trans Black actors, this powerful and unapologetic portrait of friendship is an ode to the radical act of dreaming. This feature will be preceded by the stunning Out of Focus (DIR: India Martin, USA)

Emilie has just arrived in Paris to study architecture. At night, to make ends meet, she secretly works as a cam girl when, one evening, a mysterious drone appears at her apartment window. Intrigued, Emilie wonders who is hiding behind this machine with which she is starting to form an unconventional relationship. When Emilie eventually tries to escape the drone’s grip, the trap closes in on her. With dizzying cinematography and the pulse of a crime drama, Drone is a chilling study of voyeurism in the digital age, showing how technology seduces, intrudes, and ultimately strips us of control. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

In Edhi Alice, director and queer activist Ilrhan Kim crafts an elegant portrait of two South Korean women in transition—unfolding their stories through light, song, and quiet moments of victory. Edhi, a modest and cheerful woman, hopes to feel at home in her body after surgery. Alice, a lighting technician on the film crew, is redefining herself in public spaces. Both women draw us into their world—so intimately, so sensitively, and so respectfully—that we feel changed by spending time with them. This important, authentic, art-driven documentary highlights members of the trans community who continue to build connection and belonging, even against the backdrop of societal disapproval. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

A stylish, big-hearted queer magic-realist punch, this film transforms queer awakening into a 21st-century urban fairy tale. In Slovenia, three best friends resist the rigid norms of their conservative surroundings. Their world is small, their bond unshakable—until they meet Fantasy, a trans woman whose presence unsettles their tomboy dynamic and sparks a personal revolution within each of them. As Fantasy draws them in, their friendship shifts, desires emerge, and identities blur. Set in the charged space of early adulthood, this distinctive coming-of-age story by Kukla explores the magnetic pull of first infatuation—with tenderness, intensity, and a hearty kick of magic. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

“For viewers tired of the metallic beige-ness of streaming series, this movie will hit like dopamine” — RobertEbert.com Part-time sex worker, full-time chaos magnet, AP is convinced she’s cursed… and she’s right! Surrounded by psychics who — for a cool $1,000 — will sacrifice a baby lamb to free her, AP searches for redemption in a queer-coded landscape dreamt into reality by the unstoppable force that is Annapurna Sriram. Fucktoys is an absurd, campy, unhinged, and sexy-as-fuck love child of John Waters and David Lynch. It’s a wild homage to the grindhouse greats that firmly establishes Annapurna Sriram — winner of the Special Jury Award for a Multi-Hyphenate at the SXSW Film Festival — as an icon in the making. Fucktoys features a spunky and beloved cast that includes Sadie Scott, the legendary Big Freedia, 13 Reasons Why’s Brandon Flynn, The Comeback’s Damian Young, and a knockout performance by The Borgias’ François Arnaud (who also co-stars in In Transit this year). Sriram’s Fucktoys does not disappoint. This feature will be screened alongside Dolls, the sexy sci-fi thriller by icon Geena Rocero. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Animation’s a bit of a queer beast. It messes with the rules, bends bodies into wild shapes, and lets us see ourselves in all sorts of ways. This special collection of the best animated shorts from around the world takes world-building to a new level—where foxes love their dresses and carrots can be oh-so alluring! *For content warnings, please see content advice.

We celebrate films that disrupt boundaries, shape new icons, and reimagine storytelling. Remixing trans and gender-diverse music, ethics, and form into cinema, these shorts move us beyond the binary. Bringing together First Nations and local voices, dreamscapes, and Kung Fu karaoke anthems singing, “My body is mine, not yours.” *For content warnings, please see content advice.

A collection of our favorite sapphic short films—she meets her, she kisses her… but will she leave with her? Beautiful, sweet, and funny stories from our favorite filmmakers. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

It’s the era of girl rage. Are you ready to hold space? Because these girls are ready to get messy, mad—and yes, they’re bringing the malicious intent. From truck stops to nightclubs to locker rooms, they’re not holding back. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

“Action-packed film where the death drive and the sex drive merge into one, pulsating whole.” — Cineuropa Greece. In a remote, impoverished city-state dominated by a massive refinery—the town’s sole source of petrol—armed men hold absolute power. Their leader, Nikos, is gravely ill and must choose a successor. Shock spreads when he names his protégée, Maria, among the contenders. This young woman, who has long ignored the most dramatic parts of her family’s history, sees her fate begin to shift with the arrival of Eleni, a singer at the town’s bar. In competition for this year’s Queer Lion, Gorgonà is a Mad Max-style dystopia where sex, power, and petrol are endlessly fetishized. This feature debut by director Evi Kalogiropoulou fits into a new wave of queer cinema that blends mythology and literary texts to create immersive world-building rich in aesthetic excess. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

At the heart of queer cinema is the documentation of human rights – not as abstract ideals, but as lived, felt, breathed truths. From acclaimed director Sam Feder and the team behind Disclosure comes a compelling examination of the current fight for transgender rights and justice in the United States. Featuring ACLU attorney Chase Strangio, this vital documentary follows his efforts to navigate not only the Supreme Court but also the court of public opinion, as media narratives continue to influence the national discourse on one of today’s most urgent civil rights issues. “We will build beautiful spaces; we will claim collective love; we will unrelentingly stand up for each other. Take away our rights but you won’t take away my fight.” – Chase Strangio This feature will be preceded by the powerful short Sistahood: A Story of Strength (DIR: Jessica R. Chaney) *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Hot Milk, adapted from Deborah Levy’s novel, beautifully subverts expectations with powerful performances by Emma Mackey (Sex Education) and Fiona Shaw (Harry Potter). Set against a scorching Spanish summer, director Rebecca Lenkiewicz delivers a sharp, emotional sting, weaving complex female characters into intimate moments that reveal hidden truths. Sofia (Mackey) and her mother Rose (Shaw) travel to Almería seeking healing for Rose’s mysterious illness. Bound by shared trauma, Sofia’s journey takes an unexpected turn when she meets Ingrid (Vicky Krieps), a free-spirited traveller whose magnetic presence opens new possibilities and challenges Sofia’s understanding of herself. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

A special presentation in collaboration with The Other Film Festival. We are bringing you If You Are Afraid You Put Your Heart Into Your Mouth and Smile. Winner of the Teddy Jury Award at the 2025 Berlinale. Intertwining Deaf and trans identities in a coming-of-age story that explores class and the parent-child bond. This film is anchored in authenticity. Written and directed by Marie Luise Lehner. This poignant debut feature centers on Anna (newcomer Siena Popović). A 12-year-old living in Vienna with her deaf, single mother, Isolde (Mariya Menner). As Anna’s relationships deepen and her struggles grow more complex, she begins to find—and use—her own voice. The film offers a refreshing, contemporary lens through which queer experiences are normalized. Blending solidarity, feminism, and infectious melodies—flipping shame into pride. This feature will screen with the charming Australian short With Love, Lottie (DIR: Lily Drummond).

Presented in Partnership with Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer. When Christian’s first love — and first heartbreak — resurfaces on Grindr, his fragile sense of belonging begins to unravel, and the naïve romanticism of his Heartstopper youth descends into the dark desperation of Saltburn. Director Ludvig C. Poulsen’s striking debut feature is a resonant portrait of the journey out of heartbreak and the epidemic of gay male loneliness in the age of emotionless dating apps. In Ashes is “an unflinching, deeply personal exploration of heartbreak, desire, and the messy search for selfunderstanding.” — Frooty

BAFTA award winner Jennifer Ehle (Zero Dark Thirty, Pride and Prejudice) stars as Ilse, an enigmatic painter on retreat in a small town in Maine. There she invites Lucy, a local bartender to pose for her, which develops into a relationship that will change everything for both women. Delicate and restrained, this exploration of desire and the artist’s muse is directed by Jaclyn Bethany and written by Alex Sarrigeorgiou, who also stars as Lucy. Direct from its World Premiere at Edinburgh International Film Festival, In Transit speaks to those brief, bewildering queer encounters that fade too quickly, yet leave behind a slow, aching glow of becoming. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Supported by RMIT University. LOCATION Storey Hall Conference Room 1 Building 16 336/348 Swanston St Melbourne VIC 3000 DATE & TIME Sunday 16 Nov, 10.00am — 3.30pm   We are teaming up with Jimpa and The Other Film Festival for a special Industry Day open to the public. Join us for this relaxed, proudly queer event. Enjoy inspiring conversations that shape the stories we tell on screen. 10:00am–12:00pm — Emerging Filmmakers Pitch & Networking We invite emerging filmmakers to present a 30-second introduction and film pitch. This is your chance to share your practice and projects with the Jimpa creative team and special guests. This informal session is a great opportunity to connect with other queer filmmakers. This session is suitable for all emerging filmmakers. 1:00pm–2:00pm — Director’s Masterclass with Sophie Hyde Learn from one of Australia’s most influential directors in this exclusive masterclass. This sessions is for directors and anyone who would like to become a director. 2:30pm–3:30pm — Jimpa Panel Sophie Hyde and Aud Mason-Hyde join key community members from Naarm to reflect on Jimpa. Panel members will be sharing what inspired the film’s queer spirit. This panel is a heartfelt celebration of the stories that matter and now to be missed. This session is open to all community. Booking is essential. Please book for each session you would like to attend. If you are a First Nations filmmaker and/or filmmaker with disability please reach out to us. We are reserving spaces for you.

Why has Dorothy — from Judy Garland’s ruby slippers to Diana Ross’s soulful turn — remained such an enduring queer icon? This dazzling documentary takes a heartfelt deep dive into our community’s lifelong love affair with one of cinema’s most beloved characters. Featuring contributions from Ashanti, Fairuza Balk, Danielle Hope, Nichelle Lewis, Shanice Shantay, Rufus Wainwright, Lena Waithe, John Waters, Margaret Cho, and Amber Ruffin, It’s Dorothy is more than a history lesson. It is a love letter to Dorothy herself, a beacon for generations who felt overlooked yet saw themselves reflected in her journey. Lush, insightful, and joyous, this essay film celebrates how queer people around the world continue to find strength, beauty, and belonging in Dorothy’s story.

Sergio de León’s debut blends surreal images and sharp humour into one of the most original queer coming-of-age stories in years. After his mother dies, eighteen-year-old Emilio must care for the family’s pigeons. With help from his mother’s boyfriend, he trains the birds for racing to carry on the family legacy. Emilio is restless with lust and grief. He moves through gay orgies and dreamlike visions that blur reality with fantasy. Keep Coming Back is sexy, strange, and unforgettable. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Cristina works onshore, and La Bonita aboard Amazon cargo boats in Peru. Both are trans, have lived as gay, and navigate the roles society assigns: often as cooks, sometimes as sex workers, always as caregivers. Cristina sees her life as a blessing, supporting her family and hoping to become a godfather. La Bonita longs for acceptance in the evangelical church. Their stories unfold amid the river’s churn, where the true cargo is people like them. In his debut feature, Fermin de la Serna captures Indigenous and queer lives with stunning cinematography, empathy, and realism—reflecting gender as an evolving, reclaiming process shaped by colonial history. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

At a small cemetery in Zeeland, two contrasting worlds gather for Bart’s funeral: his traditional, religious family and his loving friends from Amsterdam’s 1980s gay community. Through childhood memories, interviews, and Bart’s drawings, toys, and paintings, director Koert Davidse reconstructs the life of a brother he once knew intimately, then lost to distance—and eventually to AIDS at just 28. Filmed as a personal gesture to bridge the gap between two lives and two cultures, this tribute to one individual becomes a broader poignant reminder of queer resilience, family reconciliation, and the lasting imprint of a life lived authentically, however briefly. This feature will be preceded by heartfelt Dutch short, Where We Stay (DIR: Florence Bouvy).

Peabody Award-winning director and investigative journalist Deborah S. Esquenazi tells the powerful story of James Reyos, a gay Apache man wrongfully convicted of murdering a Catholic priest in 1981 in Odessa, Texas. With no leads, police rushed to convict Reyos after he called to confess — then quickly recanted. Despite a complete lack of physical evidence, he was sentenced to 38 years in prison. Decades later, long-buried evidence surfaces, sparking a renewed fight for justice. With the support of the Innocence Project of Texas, Reyos sets out to clear his name. Harrowing and heartfelt, this moving film follows one man’s struggle for freedom and the community that refuses to give up. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Supported by Minus 18 Niñxs is a heartfelt documentary for young people—and anyone who values youth with agency. It reimagines the coming-of-age and transition story through queer teen Karla Bañuelos. Directed by Kani Lapuerta, the film unfolds as a cinematic diary, co-created with Karla, whose playful presence challenges traditional documentary form. Developed over eight years, their collaboration defies the typical subject-filmmaker dynamic. In a conservative small town, Karla begins her legal transition, supported by friends and punk-spirited parents. Asked what she wants audiences to feel, Karla says: laughter. Niñxs delivers. Preceded by the Australian short Fourteen and Nine Months (DIR: Yvette Turnbull). *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Having trouble summoning your demon? Let us help—with this hand-picked selection of terrifying jump scares, tortured performances, and hilarious supernatural storylines from around the world and right here at home—where the call is definitely coming from inside the house. *For content warnings, please see content advice. *Contains flashing images/strobe lighting.

After premiering at SXSW and touring major queer festivals across the northern hemisphere, Elena Oxman’s debut feature—a stark portrait of San Francisco’s rapid gentrification—comes to Melbourne. Nonbinary newcomer Cass (Asia Kate Dillon in a breakout role) struggles to get by nannying wealthy kids, waiting tables, and using party drugs just to cover rent. A one-night stand with coworker Kalli (Louisa Krause) sparks something real, but when Kalli disappears, leaving her 11-year-old daughter Ari (Ridley Asha Bateman) in Cass’s care, Cass’s fragile life begins to unravel. “Asia Kate Dillon delivers a remarkable performance.” — Variety. This feature will be preceded by the warmhearted Australian short, Found (DIR: Luka Otis Gracie). *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Some men are literal dogs. In Marco Berger’s (The Astronaut Lovers, MQFF 2024) surreal black-and-white allegory, all dogs are (naked) men, all women are cats, and humans are boyfriends and girlfriends. On holiday, Juan discovers a stray and takes him in, feeding, bathing and giving him affection, despite his girlfriend’s warnings not to grow too attached. Perro Perro is a tender, absurdist film about empathy, connection, and the way our most basic instincts reveal our humanity. Endearing and beautiful rather than transgressive, this one is for the (good) boys. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

This Sundance breakout follows an intersex sex worker whose Valentine’s Day in New Jersey turns into a neon-lit journey of survival. Stylish, daring, and unmissable, Ponyboi is the queer crime thriller everyone has been talking about. Dylan O’Brien (Maze Runner), Murray Bartlett (White Lotus), and Victoria Pedretti (You) star alongside writer/actor River Gallo in an edgy, intense ride. O’Brien masterfully transforms into a sleazy gangster and the “devastatingly handsome Murray Bartlett makes for the perfect mysterious older man like some angel sent straight from gay cowboy heaven.” – (Mey Rude, OUT) *For content warnings, please see content advice.

“A thriller of byzantine complexity headlined by a queer police detective” —Cineuropa Set in the restive Nepali border town of Rajagunj, this 2024 Venice Film Festival highlight follows Detective Inspector Pooja—an unconventional Kathmandu-based officer investigating the abduction of two boys amid protests by the long-marginalised Madhesi community. Played by co-writer Asha Magrati, Pooja, a lesbian who prefers “Sir,” defies societal norms and institutional expectations to navigate a community torn by injustice and patriarchal authority. Director Deepak Rauniyar and Magrati craft a tense, socially realistic character portrait that has drawn global festival attention. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Shh…Diam! (Malay for “shut up!”) is a queer punk band that refuses to stay silent. Director Yihwen Chen follows members Faris, Yon, and Yoyo as they navigate Malaysia’s shifting political landscape with courage, humour, and charisma. Against a backdrop where queer rights are denied and democracy is stifled by state control over religion, identity, and desire, the band carves out space for joy, protest, and community. While many face “pink migration” in search of safer lives, Shh…Diam! chooses to stay—turning music into resistance and using their gigs to vent, flirt, and share joy.

For five days, 65 young people gather in the countryside for a summer camp made especially for queer youth. Many are away from home for the first time. Some are anxious, while others are bursting with energy, but all are seeking connection. Through workshops and late-night conversations, we follow four queer youths at a crucial moment in their development: a step toward forming friendships, often for the first time in their lives. Queer Camp is an empathetic, intimate, and powerful documentary that offers a rare glimpse of the world through the eyes of young queer individuals. Played with the visually stunning Australian animation If/When (DIR: Courtney Westbrook). *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Winner of Best Canadian Feature at the 2025 Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival, Really Happy Someday follows Z, a rising musical theatre star whose world revolves around singing. When a pivotal audition goes wrong, Z is forced to question his career, relationship, and identity as a newly trans masc performer. Just as he’s ready to give up, he meets a warm, down-to-earth vocal coach who helps him rediscover his voice. Z’s journey with his sound opens him up to a whole new world of possibilities. Directed by J. Stevens and filmed over a year to capture the physical and vocal changes of co-writer and star Breton Lalama, this heartwarming drama reveals the power of centering trans voices, both on and behind the camera. This feature will be preceded by the World Premiere of Australian short, Billie and Jesse (DIR: AP Pobjoy) *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Presented in Partnership with United Airlines. In the thesaurus next to the word ‘resilience’, we would do well to find a portrait of Angela, who found her utopia drifting alone in the middle of the ocean. Row of Life documents the journey of ocean rower Angela Madsen, a Marine Corps veteran, three-time Paralympian, and 14-time Guinness World Record holder. In 2020, she undertook a solo row across the Pacific Ocean, from Los Angeles to Hawaii. A powerful portrait of determination and courage in the face of the unknown — and of the love and unyielding support of her wife Deb, who, separated by an ocean, champions Angela’s dream at every turn. This feature will be preceded by the tender Australian Short, Bathers (DIR: Theresa Roberts)

Surreal, sexy, and unapologetically weird, Salomé is everything your queer mind has craved but never dared to ask for. André Antônio blurs reality, fantasy, and the supernatural in this fashion-soaked fever dream, reinventing Hollywood melodramas with queer and trans bodies at the centre. Cecília, a successful model, returns to Recife for Christmas and meets João, a long-lost neighbour, who pulls her into a hypnotic world of hallucinogenic green goo and a secret cult worshipping Salomé, the extravagant biblical princess. Starring Brazil’s leading trans actresses Aura do Nascimento and Renata Carvalho, Salomé is a decadent ritual of awakening, rebellion, and queer ecstasy. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Marko lives with his parents and younger brother Fićo in a small Croatian village. A talented athlete, he is expected to set aside his ambitions and follow his father’s plan to become a car mechanic after school. But when rising floodwaters threaten the village and his forbidden first love, Slaven, returns for his father’s funeral, Marko’s carefully ordered world begins to unravel. Torn between his girlfriend Petra, an upcoming sports tournament, and the emotions he tries desperately to contain, Marko finds himself under mounting pressure. As the community builds walls of sandbags against the river, Marko struggles to build his own wall against desire and longing—only to discover that, like water, feelings cannot be held back forever. The Monday 17 November session of Sandbag Dam will be a sensory screening. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

“The chemistry between the two leads feels grounded in something real, whether they’re tentatively exploring each other’s worlds or blowing up their joint world through outbursts, and even worse, indifference.” – IndieWire Johan works at Copenhagen’s only gay sauna, finding casual hookups through the apps until an unexpected online connection with William, a trans man, pulls him into an entirely new world. As the two men begin to share their lives and communities, their bond deepens but also collides with prejudice, social norms, and unspoken tensions around identity and class. Premiering In Competition at Sundance, Mathias Boe’s debut is groundbreaking in its depiction of intimacy between a gay man and a trans man. Dark, complex, and unflinchingly raw, Sauna goes beyond representation to capture the knotty realities of queer relationships today. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Writer-director Siobhan McCarthy brings us the queer teen comedy we’ve all been waiting for. A trans-led team of directors and creatives brings us a hilarious coming-of-age film that reimagines our favourite 90s movies. Just before graduation, Alex and Ethan pretend to be trans women to get into the girl’s lockers. It’s all a joke until Ethan realises: she really is trans. The two must reckon with their changing friendship and the process of coming out. Drawing inspiration from She’s the Man and in the vein of Bottoms, She’s the He transforms the locker-room-hysteria-sparking-headlines into comedy that the community needs to see (even our straight cis-ters too!) *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Local Melbourne series Single, Out returns to MQFF in what is now a tradition, for the premiere of its fourth and final season. Adam (played by the charismatic Will Hutchins) struggles to find his footing after the closure of Single Out magazine, but when he gets an exciting new opportunity, he must assemble a team of familiar faces and finally get his life on track. Blending the warmth of Heartstopper with the boldness of Queer as Folk, this season invites both longtime fans and newcomers to experience its uniquely Melbourne and wonderfully queer storytelling. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Racing through Manila’s alleyways and neon-lit night markets, a young group of hustlers work together to survive. When Zion, a runaway rich kid, joins the group’s charismatic leader, Uno, their night takes a tragic turn. After Uno’s childhood friend overdoses, they embark on a road trip to honour his final wish. With a hazy, cinematic glow, Petersen Vargas’s film captures the chaos of the city through the lives of Filipino sex workers—outsiders united by a strong brotherhood. Some Nights I Feel Like Walking is a beautiful, raw, and imaginative portrayal of queer communities and our need for belonging. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

In this dreamy and beautifully shot coming-of-age drama, a teenage girl experiences her first crush while uncovering secrets about her recently deceased father. Summer treasures the camera she inherited from him, but when she develops the film, she finds photographs of a man she never knew—her dad’s secret partner. As she sets out to learn more, she also begins to understand herself and processes her grief. Summer’s Camera is a gentle, and deeply intimate film that beautifully captures grief and first love. It’s a rare discovery from South Korea that made its world premiere at this year’s BFI Flare Film Festival in London. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Inspired by director Odu Adamu’s The Divine Femme — a tribute to Black, Brown, and Latinx femme Ballroom — this curated selection of short films celebrates the bold spectrum of queer femme expression. Showcasing legendary femmes in Ballroom, waacking, cabaret, drag, and a touch of surreal punk femme from Aussie icon Kim Miles. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

“Herzi confidently takes what could have been a traditional coming-out tale and turns it into something altogether more defiant.” – Deadline. Premiering at Cannes to a 12-minute standing ovation, The Little Sister is a bold and sophisticated story of queer awakening from French-Algerian director Hafsia Herzi. Fatima, 17, the youngest of three daughters, is strikingly confident in her desires and unafraid to pursue them across a series of encounters with women, even while living in a conservative Muslim household. As she starts university in Paris, she dates freely, makes friends, and falls for a complicated woman, all while her close-knit family continues to demand loyalty. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

This debut feature had its world premiere at the 2025 Berlinale and has been a standout on the queer festival circuit, already being awarded Outstanding First Narrative Feature by the San Francisco Film Critics Circle, who praised it as “among the best of international cinema this year.” Two ten-year-old girls resentfully spend their summer holiday at a hospital. One, because her mum is a busy nurse, and the other, a trans girl, because her grandma is a patient. With remarkable performances from two young actresses, this poetic film captures Brazil through a matriarchal lens. The Nature of Invisible Things is one of our must-see films this year.

At only 21 and with six features already to her name, Adelaide filmmaker Alice Maio Mackay (Carnage for Christmas, MQFF 2024) has quickly become one of the boldest voices in independent trans cinema, and this might be her best one yet. Witchy, goth, and gloriously badass, it channels the spirit of The Craft while showcasing Mackay’s signature edge and imagination. After leaving her transphobic hometown behind, Anna begins dating goth tattoo artist Gen. They discover they share supernatural powers, but their newfound connection takes a dark turn when they accidentally summon a demon through a sick neck tattoo given to sensitive guitarist Danny. As Danny begins feeding off their friends, Anna and Gen must save everyone before it’s too late. This feature will be preceded by the fiendishly brilliant Australia short, The Dysphoria (DIR: Kylie Aoibheann). *For content warnings, please see content advice.

A successful trans actress (Camila Sosa Villada) and her new gay husband (Alfonso Herrera) decide to adopt a child, defying conservative Argentine norms. Their pursuit of domestic happiness is challenged when they return to the actress’s hometown, raising the question: What does it truly mean to care for another? Produced by Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal and directed by Javier van de Couter, Thesis on a Domestication is a lush melodrama adapted from Sosa Villada’s novel. Far from a feel-good “positive trans representation,” it is a raw, unflinching exploration of a cruel paradox—trans women are desired yet denied sexual agency, revealing complex relationships with cis men. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

“Marques’ treat is a mighty reckoning with who gets to tell what story and how, and I was all the way in” – Stephen A Russell Prolific multi-hyphenate director Paula Tomás Marques dives into the ethical labyrinth of who has the right to tell which stories, challenging us to reconsider how we reclaim historical trans identities—with sharp, sardonic humor. Set in contemporary Lisbon, trans actress João eagerly accepts a role in a 16mm arthouse biopic about João Liberada, an 18th-century gender-nonconforming nun who sought sexual freedom but was ultimately betrayed by her lover. What seems like a dream job quickly turns surreal when João’s proposal to shift the film’s focus from its tragic ending to the remarkable life of her namesake is rejected by the domineering cis male director. This gem of a film shines brightly. *For content warnings, please see content advice. *Contains flashing images/strobe lighting.

Low-budget ingenuity has long been the cornerstone of queer filmmaking. Vermillion is a quiet, quietly compelling road trip of a film by non-binary filmmaker Amy Trefry, who has crafted a powerful example of queer storytellers finding new ways to bring their stories to the big screen. Shot over just eight days, with a crew of eight (including cast), and spanning more than 1,600 kilometers of road-tripping, this unscripted and unexpected sapphic love story feels as organic as real life itself. Romantic and quietly aching, it captures the fleeting beauty of a summer spent chasing freedom through van life—freedom we know can’t last forever.

“40-year-old gays also deserve their romcoms” – @aranza_rgzz Letterboxd User. After 15 years in a relationship, David feels the time is right to marry his partner. When he pops the question in the most romantic city on earth (Vegas) he’s rejected in front of everybody! Determined to commit to the bit, he gives himself 10 days to find somebody else to marry. Filled with tons of hilarious gay quips and references, Who Wants to Marry an Astronaut? is the charming fun feature you’ve been waiting for. *For content warnings, please see content advice.

Being young and gay comes with an overwhelming sensation—let’s call it desire. This collection of short films captures the horny, heartfelt, and frustrating encounters that reflect the complex emotions of growing up and coming into oneself. *For content warnings, please see content advice.