Photo credit to @melbqueerfilmfest on Instagram
Our film industry is integral to how identities are shaped and embraced. For the queer community the celebration of their identity is increasingly being represented in mainstream media but only just scratching the surface of what it’s like to grow up and live as LGBTIQ+.
Last week the Melbourne Queer Film Festival brought a range of LGBTIQ+ stories and films to the silver screen covering forgotten histories, diverse recounts of queer individuals and entertaining all people from all backgrounds.
The Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF) began in February 1991 opening with “Longtime Companion” at the Dendy Brighton Cinemas. Now it’s become so popular there are multiple showings of popular titles, the festival has moved to bigger cinemas and is spreading the festival right across Australia.
The MQFF says that they “see the festival as a vector for social inclusion and a safe entry point to the LGBTIQ+ communities… We seek to change lives through the experience of shared stories – bringing the best of world queer culture to Melbourne and nurturing the development of new Australian voices”.
One film which was incredibly touching was the French film ‘Sauvage’. After the end of the film audience members sat in almost silence letting the film sink in our just feeling the unadulterated feelings linger.
The film follows the story of 22-year-old Leo, the audiences watches the raw truth of what some male sex workers and gay men deal with on a day to day basis. It delves into themes of self-acceptance, homelessness, drug use and the yearning for love, you are left understanding how the French word for “Wild” entitles the film.
The film was so popular it was shown three times at “The Jam Factory” in Prahran.
The Queer Film Festival is an annual event that occurs in March every year.