Pitch, Pleez!
2025 Finalists Announced!
We are excited to announce our 2025 Pitch Pleez! finalists.
Thank you to all the filmmakers who made submissions, and a huge congratulations to our five finalists. These young talented LGBTQIA+ filmmakers and their projects were selected from over 30 submissions and explore the breadth of queer experience across Australia.
2025 PITCH PLEEZ! FINALISTS:
Promise Me You’ll Tell Her
Celeste Diep (Director/Writer)
Bryan Huang (Producer)
Flight Risk
Mohammad Awad (Director/Writer/Actor)
Patrick Abboud (Ex Producer)
Kate Cornish (DOP)
Kate Box (Actor)
Eagle
Max Pollard (Director/Writer)
Tavis Pinnington (DOP)
The 6 Guys an Immigrant Trans Person of Colour Will Date in Melbourne
Dax Carnay-Hanrahan (Writer/Actor)
Matthew Bostock (Writer)
Tinaye Nyathi (Director)
Willem Whitfield (Producer)
Welcome To The Cyber Rodeo
Jim Muntisov (Director/Writer)
Mark Day (Producer)
Lawrence Phelan (Ex Producer)
Live Pitch Off Event!
Join us for this FREE event where filmmakers pitch their films, presenting in front of a panel of industry professionals and a live audience. All in a battle to win:
* $10,000 cash prize to help fund the project
* All-In-Pass to the 2025 Melbourne Queer Film Festival
* The opportunity to screen their film at the MQFF Festival Opening night
* The GLORY of being MQFF 2025 Pitch Pleez! winners
Bookings essential… don’t miss out.
BOOK NOW
Winners of Pitch, Pleez!
YEAR |
WINNER |
| 2019 | Hook Up
by Laura Nagy & Sarah Christie |
| 2020 |
A Big Life by Ana Brownfield & How to be Queer by Clare Cavanagh & Alexandra Morgan |
| 2021 |
We’re Doing Well by Andrew Mills |
| 2022 |
Graveyard Shift by Morgan Flint & Jamie Tram |
| 2023 |
Pineapple by Sophie Saville |
| 2024 |
While We Still Have Time by Ava Grimshaw-Hall & Jasper Caverly |
Prize
The winning team or individual will be awarded the following:
- • $10,000 cash prize to help fund the project
- • Premiere status at the Opening Night of the 2025 Melbourne Queer Film Festival
- • All-In-Pass to the 2025 Melbourne Queer Film Festival (Nov 13–23)
Application Criteria
Your completed application form must address the following requirements:
- Types of projects being considered: short fiction film, documentary or web series pilot
- Project length 15 mins maximum
- The project must have relevant LGBTQIA+ themes and subject matter
- Must identify LGBTQIA+ people working on the project
- The applicant or applicants must be over 18 and Australian residents to apply
- A current draft of the script formatted to industry standards
- A synopsis (200 words or fewer)
- Applicants must own the rights to the story they are pitching
- A detailed budget breakdown (if the project exceeds $10,000, evidence of where the additional funds or in kind support will come from)
- Screener links to any of the director’s or key team member’s previous projects
- Relevant CVs for all the applicants
- Agreement to MQFFs terms and conditions
Applications for 2025 are now closed.
MQFF strongly encourages diversity in front of and behind the camera, so please keep this in mind when creating your pitch.
View the terms and conditions for Pitch, Pleez! competition here
