Following the world premiere of Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor's poignant and romantic debut feature Dreamers at the 75th Berlinale, the Berlin International Film Festival, where it was in competition for the prestigious queer film Teddy Award, its lead actors Ronkę Adékoluęjo and Ann Akinjirin speak exclusively with The Queer Review's editor James Kleinmann. Loosely based on Gharoro-Akpojotor's... Continue Reading →
Exclusive Interview: Georgia Oakley & Rosy McEwen on 1980s-set lesbian drama Blue Jean “what happens in the film is still so relevant”
Writer-director Georgia Oakley’s impressive directorial debut Blue Jean is a compelling character study set in northern England in 1988, as Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government is about to pass the notorious Section 28 of the local Government Act which stigmatized the nation's gay and lesbian population, stoking homophobia—both societal and internal—at the height of the HIV/AIDS... Continue Reading →
Theatre Review: Es & Flo (Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff) ★★★★
2022 Nancy Dean Lesbian Playwriting Award-winner, Es & Flo, is a tender and moving portrayal of the powerful bond between two women across the decades. As the play opens, we meet Es on her birthday and discover that her memory isn’t what it used to be. Peppered with details of the couple's life together, revelations... Continue Reading →
Mardi Gras Film Festival 2023 Review: The Origin of Evil (L’origine du mal) ★★★★
Situations spiral out of control and the classes clash in the juicy lesbian drama, The Origin of Evil (L'origine du mal). Money, murder, and the design choices of the nouveau riche fill the screen in this darkly comic-thriller. Stéphane (a wonderful performance by Call My Agent’s Laure Calamy) works in a factory, packaging anchovies all... Continue Reading →
Theatre Review: CAMP (Seymour Centre, Sydney) ★★★1/2
CAMP, a new play by Elias Jamieson Brown, chronicles the rise of the Australian Pride movement through the women who fought through their pain and losses to win us the freedoms we enjoy today. It’s a decades spanning tale, elevating Australia’s own Gay Liberation story, just in time for Sydney WorldPride 2023. Sydney, in the... Continue Reading →
Theatre Review: Blessed Union (Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney) ★★★★★
There’s a simple pleasure to be had in sitting back and watching everything on stage being done well. Belvoir’s new queer family dramedy, Blessed Union, is seamlessly terrific. Funny, emotive, and probing. Flawless. No notes. I could end the review here, but obviously I won't... Ruth (Danielle Cormack) and Judith (Maude Davey) have always upheld... Continue Reading →
The Queer Review 2022 – LGBTQ+ highlights of the year
As 2022 draws to a close, we ask some friends of The Queer Review, including prominent creators, performers, artists, and activists to share the LGBTQ+ culture or events that have sustained, stimulated, moved, inspired or brought them joy this year. We hope that you enjoy reading this eclectic selection of theatre, film, TV series, books,... Continue Reading →
Exclusive Interview: Javicia Leslie on holiday rom-com Something From Tiffany’s “to represent a queer character in that space is really dope”
Actress Javicia Leslie hit the headlines when she was cast as the first Black live-action Batwoman in 2020, going on to become a superhero fan favourite in the title role for two seasons on the GLAAD Award-nominated series (streaming now on HBO Max). Next year, she will be seen donning the bat-cape and cowl once... Continue Reading →
Tribeca Festival 2022 Review: You Can Live Forever ★★★★
UPDATE: You Can Live Forever screens at Queer Screen’s 30th Mardi Gras Film Festival running in cinemas in Sydney and on demand Australia-wide from February 15th to March 2nd, 2023. Click here for tickets and more information. Sarah Watts and Mark Slutsky’s debut feature, You Can Live Forever, opens up the world of a Jehovah’s... Continue Reading →
TV Review: Heartstopper ★★★★
At first glance, Alice Oseman's beautifully heartwarming Heartstopper which launches today on Netflix, based on her hit graphic novels, feels like a throwback to much-loved 90s British films about gay teens like Beautiful Thing and Get Real. Although this series does share much of the feel-good quality of those movies and a similar focus on... Continue Reading →
