Queer Aussie films from the Mardi Gras Film Festival

For the past 30 years, Queer Screen has been running the Mardi Gras Film Festival. It’s been a tumultuous few recent years, and we thought we’d go back through our festivals and highlight some of the recent queer Aussie films that have featured.

And better yet, help you stream, rent and watch them now, in the comfort of your own home.

Check out this list of queer Aussie films. Let us know which ones you’ve seen and what you’re planning to watch.

Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt)

This heartfelt lesbian rom-com, shot entirely in Sydney by writer-director Monica Zanetti (Skin Deep MGFF15) and based on her beloved play, was the first Australian feature to open Queer Screen’s Mardi Gras Film Festival in its 27 year history back in 2020. Rent it on Apple TV here.

Hating Peter Tatchell

In this Elton John-produced doco, discover the ongoing legacy of Peter Tatchell, from the suburbs of Melbourne to the global media stage with protests around the world. A captivating and well put together portrait of a man and a movement. Watch it now on Netflix.

My First Summer

A gorgeous, Australian lesbian coming-of-age film to tug at your heartstrings and fill you with memories of your first love. My First Summer is a sometimes dark, always stunning film about first love, womanhood and discovering your sexuality. Check it out now on Stan.

The Greenhouse

What would you do, if you could go back in time? On the eve of her widowed mother’s sixtieth birthday, Beth discovers a way to do just that, and relishes the idyllic memories of her first lost love. But when her mother and siblings discover her secret, she stands to lose everything. Watch it on Netflix now.

Teenage Kicks

When 17-year-old Miklós’s brother dies, he is wracked with guilt, and torn between getting away with his best mate, Dan, and remaining with his grieving family. Miklós’s turmoil is made more complex by his unfolding desires and a growing attraction to Dan. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Craig Boreham, Teenage Kicks is provocative and darkly poetic. Watch it now on Prime Video.

Unsound

A unique, Australian movie that follows two young men at a crossroads in their lives. When guitarist Noah flees the UK for Sydney, he meets the deaf and trans Finn and finds himself embarking on a new relationship. Rent it now on Apple TV.