5 Fabulous Festival Films To Catch
FEATURED: Queer Screen’s Mardi Gras Film Festival | Website
Queer Screen’s Film Festival has been a popular feature of the Sydney Mardi Gras Festival since 1993. Each year, they platform diverse sexualities and gender identities on screen with impactful stories that speak to the multifaceted nature of the LGBTQIA+ community. This year, Queer Screen’s 31st Mardi Gras Film Festival has over 127 screenings and we’ve identified five that we think you should try and catch if you’re in Sydney. Or check out these titles at a film festival near you or on a streaming platform…
Femme
Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Benjamin, QSFF19) and George MacKay (Pride, QSFF14) are phenomenal in this acclaimed neo-noir thriller about internalised homophobia and the limits of queer resilience.
After enduring a violent gay bashing while in drag, Jules finds his life in shambles. Months later, he encounters his attacker, Preston, at a gay sauna. Seeing that Preston doesn’t recognize him out of drag, Jules decides to pursue revenge, sparking a tense cat-and-mouse game. As he delves into Preston’s world of power dynamics, drug trade, and false masculinity, Jules faces a critical question: How much is he willing to sacrifice for vengeance?
Tickets and info here.
The Lost Boys
Julien De Saint Jean as William and Khalil Ben Gharbia headline a gripping and emotional drama set against the backdrop of a juvenile detention facility.
The Lost Boys (Le Paradis) is a French romance-drama centred around the unlikely relationship that forms between 17 year old Joe (Gharbia) and a new inmate William (De Saint Jean). Touching on the failings of the judicial system, and framed by the intense and passionate performances by lead actors, The Lost Boys is a film about connection and tenacity in unyielding environments.
Tickets and info here.
Down Low
Zachary Quinto, Lukas Gage and a game supporting cast are hysterical in this raunchy, pitch-black farce about finally embracing who you are.
Gary, a repressed middle-aged man, hires Cameron, a young and liberated sex worker, for a simple rub-and-tug. However, when Cameron discovers it’s Gary’s first encounter with a man, he is determined to introduce him to the full gay experience. Cameron guides Gary into a world of hook-up apps, poppers, and gay slang. But their night takes an unexpected turn when a freak accident results in their prospective third falling out a window. Now, with a stranger’s body in the garden and a nosy neighbour watching closely, their evening swiftly transforms from Weekend to Weekend At Bernie’s in this surprisingly heartfelt comedy of errors.
Tickets and info here.
Merchant Ivory
Merchant Ivory immerses us into the cinematic and personal worlds of the prolific filmmaking (and life) partners Ismail Merchant and James Ivory.
Renowned for their contributions to acclaimed period film classics such as A Room With A View and Remains Of The Day, this insightful documentary chronicles the entire career and romance of the filmmaking duo. It delves into their works, including the queer favourite Maurice (MGFF19), and culminates with Ivory’s recent screenwriting involvement in Call Me By Your Name. Drawing from their extensive production archives and exclusive insider interviews, this illuminating documentary offers a treat for cinephiles.
Tickets and info here.
Another Country (40th Anniversary)
Celebrating its 40th anniversary, this groundbreaking gay classic features star-making (and swoon-worthy) performances from Rupert Everett, Colin Firth and Cary Elwes.
Adapted from Julian Mitchell’s celebrated play and drawing inspiration from real-life incidents, Another Country delves into the repercussions of 1930s British boarding school life on Guy Bennett (played by Everett) and his eventual choice to become a Soviet spy. Engulfed in a passionate romance with a fellow student (Elwes), Guy faces the dilemma of embracing his sexual identity or succumbing to the school’s stifling student hierarchy. Through its insightful screenplay and remarkable performances, the film poignantly portrays the idealism of youth and the complexities of first love.
