Following the lead of other film festivals, Sydney’s Queer Screen is delivering its 8th edition lineup of over 40 narrative features, documentaries and shorts, including 29 Australian premieres, digitally – making 90% of the programme accessible nationally online from Thursday September 17th to September 27th.
“This festival, we get to queer up screens and devices around the nation. Join us from the comfort and safety of your own home and escape to
another queer time, another queer place. A whole world of queer stories awaits, ” says Festival Director Lisa Rose. “Queer Screen acknowledges that these are difficult times and although we can’t come together in our usual festival setting we are excited to be bringing the festival to our communities across the nation and fulfilling our remit to showcase diversity, support queer filmmakers and celebrate LGBTIQ+ stories.”
Queer Screen 2020 highlights include The Queer Review favourites such as Cicada (★★★★), Gossamer Folds (★★★★), Tremors (Temblores) (★★★★) and Breaking Fast (★★★★). The doc lineup features Steelers: The World’s First Gay Rugby Club by Eamon Ashton-Atkinson who moved from Australia to the UK and discovered the accepting embrace of rugby. In the film the Steelers meet Sydney’s own gay rugby club, the Sydney Convicts, in this exploration of how the players and their lesbian coach tackle more than just the opposition. While Ahead of the Curve documents the birth of the iconic lesbian magazine, Curve, through the personal story of the magazine’s founder, Franco Stevens.
Although the majority of screenings will be virtual, on Saturday September 26th socially-distanced Sydneysiders will be treated to a drag movie double-bill at the Skyline Drive-In of Stage Mother starring Jacki Weaver and Australian queer classic Priscilla: Queen of the Desert.
On Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th there will be cinema screenings of the essential human rights doc Welcome to Chechnya (★★★★) in Sydney’s heritage listed Palace’s Chauvel Cinema, in partnership with Antenna Documentary Film Festival.
Read our exclusive interviews with Stage Mother stars Allister MacDonald, drag legend Jackie Beat and actress Mya Taylor, as well as our chat with trailblazing Gossamer Folds star Alexandra Grey.
Check out the full festival lineup and purchase passes and tickets at QueerScreen.org.au or download the Queer Screen app, or call (02) 9280 1533 to book. Become a Queer Screen member for discounted tickets.
Leave a Reply