News
2011 Film Submissions Now Open
4th Aug 2010
CALL FOR ENTRIES – NO ENTRY FEES
2011 MELBOURNE QUEER FILM FESTIVAL
March 17 - 27, Melbourne, Australia
The Melbourne Queer Film Festival invites submissions to its 21st Film Festival in 2011. Each year the Festival screens over 150 features, shorts, documentaries and experimental films from Australia and all around the world over 11 days. The Festival is Australia's largest, oldest and most successful queer film festival and screens at 3 premier Melbourne venues including the state of the art Australian Centre for the Moving Image to audiences of over 25,000. The MQFF also tours highlights of its program to various parts of Australia.
Titles can be of any length and should be of interest to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered communities.
There is over $10,000 in the cash prize pool including the jury voted City of Melbourne Award for Best Australian Short Film ($2000), and the Audience Awards for Best Feature ($3000) Documentary ($2000) etc.
Submissions should be provided on DVD in either PAL or NTSC format. Please include supporting material, such as a brief synopsis, stills (can be emailed), and reviews, wherever possible. THERE IS NO ENTRY FEE.
Entries should be submitted on the official Entry Form. Click here or by contact the Festival office. Deadline for entries is December 3, 2010.
Baby, you're a star!
18th Apr 2010
Another fantastic Festival, another fantastic Closing Night party! Huge thanks to all involved in making it such a huge success and we'll see you net year for our big 21st birthday bash!
Check out Ross Brownsdon's photos of the Closing Night shenanigans here.
Tell Us What You Think!
30th Mar 2010
The 20th Melbourne Queer Film Festival was over and a success... we think. But while we're confident we did the best we could to bring you an amazing festival we really need to know what you really, really think about it. And we really need to know everything, so that we keep getting the right stuff right and can concentrate on making the wrong stuff better.
It'll just take a few minutes of your time. Head to HERE and jump into our online survey.
City of Melbourne Emerging Filmmaker Award 2010
29th Mar 2010
Congratulations to Kim Farrant, director of Bombshell, 2010 winner of the City of Melbourne Emerging Filmmaker Award.
Kim receives a $2000 cheque from the City of Melbourne, a return premium economy airfare to LA courtesy of V Australia, and the inaugural Oz Shorts award, desgined by Melbourne sculptor, Fred White.
Special Commendation went to Elka Kerkhoffs for her short animated film, Lash.
MQFF congratulates all the entrants in this year's Oz Shorts.
Fast selling sessions
24th Mar 2010
These sessions are selling fast (as at Wed 24 March). Don't miss out!
Session 63: Fig Trees (Thu 25th,
Session 69: Bamboo House of Dolls (Fri 26th,
Session 70: The Big Gay Musical (Fri 26th,
Session 73: College Boys Live (Fri 26th,
Session 75: Femme Fatalities (Sat 27th,
Session 81: Pedro (Sat 27th,
Session 94: Beautiful Darling (Sun 28th,
Session 101: From Beginning to End (Mon 29th,
Complete Back By Popular Demand List Announced
23rd Mar 2010
Need even more MQFF? Monday 29th sees some of our sold out sessions back for another screening:
6pm: Drool
6:15pm: From Beginning to End
8pm: And Then Came Lola
8:15pm: Eyes Wide Open
All sessions are at ACMI. Tickets are currently available, and From Beginning to End is selling fast!
Festival Program Calendar to download
21st Mar 2010
Need help getting organised with so many films to see in the Festival? We feel your pain, so this year we've plonked all the session times onto a file that you can download directly to your electronic calendar of choice.
If you have an iPhone or Mac iCal, this file can be saved to your computer and then imported into your calendar program, and then sync’d.
If you use Outlook, save the ics to your Desktop and, when in Calendar mode, choose FILE > IMPORT > (choose .ics)
Eyes Wide Open - Screening Again!
19th Mar 2010
Eyes Wide Open is Back by Popular Demand on Monday 29 March at 8.15pm. Tickets on sale now!
Aaron, a respectable butcher in Jerusalem's ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, is married to Rivka and is a dedicated father of four children. When his father dies, it’s his responsibility to run the family butcher shop and in need of assistance he advertises for some help. Enter Ezri, a handsome 22-year-old student, who catches Aaron’s eye and is hired. Ezri has travelled to Jerusalem to see an ex-boyfriend, but his former lover wants nothing to do with him.
This debut feature from Haim Tabakman is a powerful and emotionally charged film, led by two stunning performances: famous Israeli singer and actor Ran Danker plays Ezri, whose seductive looks shakes up the formerly sedate life of Aaron; and Zohar Strauss, who won the Best Actor award at the Jerusalem Film Festival, plays Aaron, whose deep, soulful eyes express all the pain and longing, relief and anxiety, that he feels. (PT)
Official Selection, Cannes Film Festival 2009
Official Selection, Toronto Film Festival 2009
Opening Night Pics are up!
19th Mar 2010
It was a night that had it all - murder, mystery, mass dancing and magical adventures.
Go to our flickr site for some of the gorgeous images by Ross Brownsdon.
Back by Popular Demand Session Announced
12th Mar 2010
Due to overwhelming popularity, the Bazillian film From Beginning to End (Dir: Aluizio Abranches) will screen again as part of the Festival's Back by Popular Demand sessions on Monday 29 March at 6:15pm. Tickets on sale now. This will also be another chance to meet the Director, Aluizio Abranches, who will introduce the session.
Important Program Change
9th Mar 2010
The director of the film Oy Vey! My Son is Gay! has elected to remove his film from the 2010 Melbourne Queer Film Festival program. The session will be replaced by a second screening of the wonderful Italian film, David's Birthday (Il Compleanno).
Golden Toffee Passes will be informed as a courtesy via email, and members who have purchased tickets to that session will be informed and offered an alternative session if they wish. Ticket purchasers who have purchased tickets to Oy Vey! My Son is Gay! may use that ticket for entry to the replacement film David's Birthday (Il Compleanno).
Ticket exchanges can be made at either of the ticket outlets - ACMI Box Office and Hares and Hyenas - or at the MQFF Box office from 5.30pm Thursday 18 March up until Wednesday 24 March at 5.30pm.
Golden Toffee A Favourite
6th Mar 2010
Almost a hundred people already have sticky fingers as those keen to see as much of the festival as is humanly possible have snatched up the limited number Golden Toffee Passes released for this festival. There are less than ten left and those are expected to go within the next couple of days.
The passes automatically reserve a seat for each holder in every session of the festival as well as getting them into the opening and closing nights.
The festival is delighted with the result and is gearing up for an amazing opening at the Astor on the 17th.
Program Launch Party
26th Feb 2010
With a red carpet entry, cameras flashing and everybody talking the launch of the festival program began with a bumper crowd of film makers, guests and members. The buzz was then hushed by the premiere of the new trailer followed by speeches from our co-convenors, Claire Jackson and Tony Harding. The Honourable Lord Mayor Robert Doyle followed with a rather entertaining speech about the Festival’s contribution to the City of Melbourne’s cultural diversity. The crowd was then treated with the new very fun ad from our presenting partner, Volkswagen: the genius of a car ad without a car in it.
Lisa Daniel finished off with a thorough list of thanks and a frolic through the program with some hot tips for best sellers and quirky outsiders with a segue into a brief taste of the City of Melbourne Oz Shorts program.
Much schmoozing and clinking of glasses followed with a lovely set of tunes from the DJ Ambie Dextrus. Towards the end of the night the police arrived including an Assistant Commissioner and one of our lovely community liaison officers – as it happens they were attending another function in the city, saw what was going on and decided to pop in.
Thanks to our amazing volunteers for the help on the night, our wonderful hosts, ACMI and all our members and guests for making it a fun event.
Photos by Ross Brownsdon are up at our Flickr page.
Pride March 2010
16th Feb 2010
Something was in the air at this year's Pride March, and it was more than just the scent of sizzling sunshine and sweaty skin.
MQFF supporters came out in droves, enthusiastically claiming the streets of St Kilda, declaring pride and promoting the upcoming queer film festival, cheerily spreading the love with highlights guides and stickers galore!
And in spite of the sweltering conditions, everyone who marched couldn't help but notice a wonderful sense of unity and celebration, which went down a treat with the strong crowd and uplifting parade dynamics all round.
The whole event from the march through to the after party in Catani Gardens was nothing short of superb. Our sincerest thanks to all the brilliant vollies who supported MQFF at this year's Pride - your efforts and input are very much valued and appreciated, without whom, such an event would not be the same!
Check out this link for some hot pics by Steve Edwards.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mqff/sets/72157623385267602
It was a Beautiful Thing...
23rd Jan 2010
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MQFF 2010 kicked off last night with a bumper turn-out for our Movies Under the Stars screening of Hettie MacDonald's 1996 classic, Beautiful Thing. Great crowd, great film and a great atmosphere, albeit in slightly steamy weather conditions. Check out our happy snaps of the event here. Feel like you missed out? See what's screening over the next couple of weeks right here. |
Festival Highlights Guide out now!
16th Jan 2010
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Take a sneak peak at some of the highlights from the upcoming 2010 festival in our hot-off-the-press Highlights Guide. See something that floats your boat? You can checkout the trailers on mqfftube, our very own YouTube channel! The full festival program will be released on Feb 24, but in the meantime enjoy this little taster... Click here |
Prizes up for grabs!
10th Jan 2010
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Are you an MQFF member, or starting thinking about it?, We're tickled pink to announce an MQFF Members competition that gives you got a shot at winning our major festival prize worth over $2000, or one of 60 double passes to any session at the 2010 Festival! (excludes Opening and Closing Nights). Like a wise man said, if you wanna win it, you've gotta buy a ticket. |
Movies Under the Stars
30th Dec 2009
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Join us in the great outdoors for our fabulous program of pre-Festival fundraiser screenings. Held in Fairfield Amphitheatre, gates open from 7pm for those keen to get a good possie, and opening credits roll at sunset. Tickets available at the door: $13/$11 conc+members. Bevvies and sweets will be on sale at our homestyle tuckshop, but we also encourage you to pack a picnic and make a night of it, coz we'll be offering prizes for the most impressive hamper! And yes, our sweet-toothed judges can be bribed. BYO cushions! Venue: Fairfield Amphitheatre, Fairfield Park Dve, Fairfield (Melway Map 30, J12) See Map FRIDAY JAN 22: BEAUTIFUL THING SATURDAY JAN 23: I CAN'T THINK STRAIGHT FRIDAY JAN 29: CHUTNEY POPCORN SATURDAY JAN 30: PATRIK 1.5 For more information phone (03) 9662 4147 |
The Kit and the Kaboodle
16th Jul 2009
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Take an indepth look at one of the oldest queer film festivals in the world! MQFF is very happy to announce that the Program Guides spanning the entire history of the festival (1991 - 2009) are now available online in a snappy e-book format. Over the past 19 years it is estimated that over 160,000 people have attended the Festival, and many of the films we've screened have gone on to become gay and lesbian cinema classics. See what all the fuss is about here. |
The Award goes to....
1st Apr 2009
Audience Choice Award for Foreign Language Feature presented by Volkswagen ($5000):
PATRIK 1,5 (Dir: Ella Lemhagen)
Audience Choice Award for Best Feature presented by FQ Films ($5000):
I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT (Dir: Shamin Sarif)
Audience Choice Award for Best Documentary – co-presented by MQFF and Life Member David McCarthy ($2000):
JERUSALEM IS PROUD TO PRESENT (Dir: Nitzan Gilady)
Audience Choice Award for Best Australian Short Film – co-presented by MQFF and Karen Russell from Step Right Up ($1000):
THE UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE (Dir: Jacqui Schulz)
Audience Choice Award for Best Short Film ($500):
DONKEYGIRL (Dir: Ties Schenk)
City of Melbourne Emerging Filmmaker Award for Best Short Australian Queer Film ($2000):
THE UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE (Dir: Jacqui Schulz)
Selector’s Choice Award for Best Australian Short Queer Film in Celluloid Casserole ($500):
GALACTIC SEX WARS (Dir: Robbie McEwan)
