Darling, let me tell you about the fabulous Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF) - it's not just any film festival, it's THE moment in Melbourne's queer cultural calendar! Born in 1991 with a cheeky screening of 'Longtime Companion' at the Dendy Brighton Cinemas, this fierce festival has grown from its humble beginnings in the back room of Hares and Hyenas into a global powerhouse of LGBTIQ+ cinema.
From outdoor screenings under the stars to breaking box office records, MQFF has been serving the community the best in queer cinema for over three decades. We're talking about a festival that had the audacity to tour queer films in Hobart when homosexuality was still criminalized - now that's what we call activism with style! The festival has spread its fabulous wings across multiple iconic Melbourne venues, from the art deco splendor of the Sun Theatre to the contemporary vibes of ACMI.
Even when Miss Rona (COVID-19) tried to rain on our parade in 2020, MQFF said 'Not today, Satan!' and became Melbourne's first film festival to strut into the digital realm with a fully online program. Now that's what we call resilience, honey!