Movies for gay men and those who love them

Featuring epic romances, steamy dalliances, touching dramas and tales of self discovery, these are just some of the many engrossing, unmissable films about gay men at Queer Screen’s 32nd Mardi Gras Film Festival.

Opening Night: Young Hearts

Thu 13 Feb, 7:00pm
Event Cinemas, George St
and
Sun 23 Feb, 3:40pm
Event Cinemas, George St

In rural Belgium, 14-year-old Elias falls in love for the first time when he grows close with new neighbour Alexander. Featuring a loving and supportive family, this crowd-pleasing debut sincerely captures the sort of youthful acceptance so many of us craved – and one that the next generation deserves.

Lilies Not for Me

Sat 15 Feb, 6:30pm
Event Cinemas, George St
and
Wed 26 Feb, 6:30pm
Event Cinemas, George St

Inspired by true events, in 1920s England an institutionalised gay novelist Owen (Fionn O’Shea, Handsome Devil) recalls his affair with doctor Phillip (Robert Aramayo, The Rings of Power). Their forbidden romance spiralled out of control when Phillip became convinced he could “cure” their sexuality.

Duino

Sun 16 Feb, 7:00pm
Event Cinemas, George St
and
Sat 22 Feb, 6:45pm
Event Cinemas, George St

This beautifully told Argentinian drama focuses on a filmmaker whose latest project captures a pivotal time from his student days, when he developed a strong attraction to a classmate. Thought-provoking and moving, Duino examines how the infatuations of youth can linger years later.

Baldiga: Unlocked Heart

Sun 16 Feb, 7:00pm
Event Cinemas, George St

Through Jürgen Baldiga’s salacious, explicit lens, this intimate documentary reveals West Berlin’s revolutionary ‘80s queer scene. From uninhibited, hedonistic joy to AIDS-era grief, it captures the radical power of living authentically – one frame and fearless diary entry at a time.

Love in the Big City

Sat 22 Feb, 9:00pm
Event Cinemas, George St

When outspoken Jae-hee discovers quiet Heung-soo is gay she chooses to protect him, rather than out him, sparking an intimate and life-long friendship. Together, the two friends navigate the highs and lows of life, and society’s prejudices, in this decade-spanning vibrant comedy-drama.

High Tide

Fri 14 Feb, 6:30pm
Event Cinemas, George St
and
Wed 19 Feb, 8:30pm
Event Cinemas, George St

Lourenço (Marco Pigossi) is an undocumented Brazilian immigrant in Provincetown, jilted by his boyfriend and having unsatisfying hook-ups. But when he meets nurse Maurice (James Bland), he is swept up in the heat of their attraction and connection. A sexy, poetic film by playwright Marco Calvani.

Gay Shorts

Fri 14 Feb, 8:50pm
Event Cinemas, George St
and
Fri 28 Feb – Thu 13 Mar
On Demand, Australia-wide

Featuring Ben Whishaw as someone struggling with sex addiction – and the winner of the most prestigious award for LGBTIQ+ short films, the Iris Prize (Palestinian film Blood Like Water) – together these films explore the highs and lows of contemporary gay life around the world.

Drive Back Home

Thu 20 Feb, 6:30pm
Event Cinemas, George St
and
Fri 28 Feb – Thu 13 Mar
On Demand, Australia-wide

When Perley (festival favourite Alan Cumming) is arrested for having sex with a man in 1970s Toronto, his estranged brother must bail him out. Trapped on a cross country road trip with only each other (and a taxidermied pug) for company, this darkly funny film is about reckoning with the past and learning to forgive.

Riley

Fri 21 Feb, 6:30pm
Event Cinemas, George St
and
Fri 28 Feb – Thu 13 Mar
On Demand, Australia-wide

This coming-of-age drama delves into the psyche of Dakota Riley, a repressed closeted high school football star. Capturing hypermasculine sports culture with stirring realism, director Benjamin Howard draws on his own experiences to deliver a fresh, personal take on an age-old theme.

Eat the Night

Sat 22 Feb, 6:30pm
Dendy Cinemas, Newtown
and
Wed 26 Feb, 8:30pm
Event Cinemas, George St

Young drug dealer Pablo must contend with his favourite online video game shutting down as he falls into a secret relationship with sexy stranger Night. But when the pair are drawn into conflict with a dangerous rival gang their world begins to crumble, in this visually distinct, intense thriller.

The Paradise of Thorns

Mon 24 Feb, 6:30pm
Event Cinemas, George St

Thai superstar Jeff Satur stars in this gripping mix of romance, family melodrama and psychological suspense. After his partner’s sudden death, a young Thai man must fight against unjust laws and scheming relatives to reclaim his home and durian orchard, and the life he built with his late partner.

Three Kilometres to the End of the World

Mon 17 Feb, 6:30pm
Event Cinemas, George St

This Cannes Queer Palm winner delves into the aftermath of a homophobic attack in rural Romania, unraveling systemic prejudice and hidden corruption. Through Adi’s quiet courage, this gripping mystery-thriller explores justice and resilience with stunning visuals and sharp storytelling.

Sebastian

Tue 25 Feb, 8:30pm
Event Cinemas, George St

Aspiring author Max begins a double life as a sex worker. Adopting the pseudonym “Sebastian”, he uses his uninhibited sexual encounters with older men to research his debut novel. But as the lines between his two identities blur, Max must make a difficult choice, in Mikko Mäkelä’s (A Moment in the Reeds) provocative drama.

Hot Boys Shorts

Fri 21 Feb, 9:00pm
Event Cinemas, George St
and
Fri 28 Feb – Thu 13 Mar
On Demand, Australia-wide

Things get hot and heavy in this collection of films centring the sex lives of men. A steamy car wash rendezvous makes two soccer players question their secret relationship. A couple’s hike is derailed when they run into an attractive stranger. Oh, and someone discovers he cums gold. Yes, real gold.

Queens of Drama

Tue 18 Feb, 7:00pm
Dendy Cinemas, Newtown

A nostalgic gay vlogger in 2055 recounts the decades-spanning secret romance turned rivalry between a straitlaced ingénue and an out punk rocker in the early 2000s. Inspired by tabloid fodder about the likes of Madonna, Britney and Mariah, this tongue-in-cheek musical satire of pop divas (and their most ardent gay stans) is a camp cult classic in the making.

Demons at Dawn

Tue 18 Feb, 8:30pm
Event Cinemas, George St

A fiery romance is sparked between go-go dancer Orlando and nursing student Marco, in this erotic drama from Julián Hernández (I Am Happiness on Earth). But in a hostile, ever-changing world they’ll need to come together to face their individual demons and embrace their shared destiny.

Heart of the Man

Mon 17 Feb, 8:30pm
Event Cinemas, George St
and
Fri 28 Feb – Thu 13 Mar
On Demand, Australia-wide

Aspiring Aboriginal boxer Chris lives in the shadow of his father (Butchulla filmmaker David Cook), a one-time champ in the ring. But when Chris finally accepts his attraction to the handsome Jamie, and spends some time out of the ring, he realises he may be destined to walk another path entirely.

The Last Taboo

Sat 15 Feb, 4:00pm
Event Cinemas, George St
and
Fri 28 Feb – Thu 13 Mar
On Demand, Australia-wide

A fearless exploration of pervasive homophobia in men’s professional soccer, revealing the courage and heartbreak of gay players navigating its toxic culture. Through heartfelt and powerful interviews, this insightful documentary lays bare the sport’s deep flaws and urgent need for change.

In Ashes

Thu 20 Feb, 9:00pm
Event Cinemas, George St

A recently single twenty-something throws himself into a whirlwind of new sexual experiences as he tries to get over the heartbreak of his first love. Lust, passion and obsession collide on his chaotic quest to find new love – and himself – in this raw, deeply personal Danish drama.

To Live, to Die, to Live Again

Sun 23 Feb, 6:00pm
Event Cinemas, George St

When Cyril meets married couple Sammy and Emma, he can’t resist the undeniable pull between him and Sammy. As they succumb to temptation, Emma simultaneously befriends Cyril and the three form an unconventional makeshift family, in this moving French melodrama set in the shadow of the AIDS epidemic.

Throuple

Sat 15 Feb, 8:45pm
Event Cinemas, George St
and
Fri 28 Feb – Thu 13 Mar
On Demand, Australia-wide

A lonely musician’s romance with a married couple awakens him in unexpected ways, in this playful rom-com that’s anything but traditional. Set within New York’s vibrant underground indie music scene, Throuple is a rom-com explosion of creative and sexual energy.