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 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.

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 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

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.