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.