The MelbourneQueer Film Festival is an annual LGBT film festival held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was founded in 1991. Held in March, the festival is regarded as the largest queer film event in the Southern Hemisphere. The festival attracts around 23,000 attendees at key locations around Melbourne. Melbourne Queer Film Festival showcases the finest, contemporary queer cinema from Australia and beyond. The 2020 festival presents over 100 sessions at The Capitol, Cinema Nova and Village Cinemas, encompassing Australian and International features, documentaries and shorts, including world premieres, Australian premieres, and Melbourne premieres.
History
The Melbourne International Lesbian & Gay Film and Video Festival began in February 1991 opening with Longtime Companion at the Dendy Brighton Cinemas. Other screenings over the weekend took place at the National Theatre in St Kilda. It was originally as part of the Midsumma Festival. In response to the New Wave of Queer Cinema emerging at the time, the Midsumma board asked film maker Lawrence Johnston and lesbian identity Pat Longmore to be the first Festival Directors. It drew good audiences and was a marked success. The 1992 Festival screened at the State Film Theatre. In September 1992, Madeline Swain and Suzie Goodman came on board. The festival became an incorporated association and it was moved to March under the name Melbourne Queer Film and Video Festival. Tamara Jungwirth recruited as Festival Director and eventually the festival established itself. In 1995, the festival started Movies Under the Stars, screening classics in a picnic atmosphere at Fairfield amphitheatre. In 1996, a touring program went to five interstate capitals including Hobart where homosexual activity was still a crime. The festival played a part in the establishment of queer film festivals in Brisbane, Bendigo, Far North Queensland and in NSW. In 1997, Claire Jackson became President. In 1998 City of Melbourne came on as supporter through their arts grants. Lisa Daniel joined as Festival Director for the 1999 festival and a period of rapid growth began. In 2003 the name was changed to Melbourne Queer Film Festival and in 2004 the screenings moved to the new ACMI with opening nights at the Astor Theatre. In 2010, screenings expanded to Greater Union on Russell Street. In 2011, MQFF headed to the Art DecoSun Theatre in inner west Footscray with a satellite festival over a weekend in late August. Opening nights moved to ACMI in 2012. MQFF now screens at The Capitol, Cinema Nova in inner north Carlton and Village Jam Factory in South Yarra.
