Queer cinema travels across Tasmania as Pride Film Fest tours the state

Pride Film Fest celebrates LGBTIQ+ cinema, touring six locations across Tasmania in a month of queer celebration and connection as part of TasPride.

It’s one thing to put on a queer film screening or festival; it’s something else to tour it across the state. But that is what Pride Film Fest is doing.

Taking place during TasPride, Tasmania’s LGBTIQ+ festival, the program of LGBTIQ+ short films has been curated by Queer Screen and produced by Side Quest, an unincorporated grassroots production team based in lutruwita/ Tasmania.

Pride Film Fest is touring to six locations across the state, starting in Burnie this weekend.

It screens a 90-minute selection of films, including animation, coming-of-age, comedy, documentaries, and experimental works.

The program features films from Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA. Celebrating and elevating storytelling and content about the LGBTIQ+ experience.

Bringing a powerful cinematic focal point to Pride month, the touring program not only creates a shared understanding of lived experience and culture of our community, but stretches across the state’s capital, connecting all communities.

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What films will you see?

Queer drama One Day This Kid is told through a deftly composed array of small yet pivotal moments.

A first-generation Afghan-Canadian man takes steps toward establishing an identity of his own while always conscious of his father’s shadow.

Is Gay Marriage Next? artfully navigates the ebb and flow of LGBTQ rights in America.

Looking through the lens of a 2003 Newsweek cover that changed the direction of the director’s life.

When a disabled teenager fears she will never find love, she enlists her friends as mentors in the unpredictable world of dating in the Australian dramedy With Love, Lottie.

A film that shares that can come in many unexpected ways and forms.

An Asian-American mum (Keiko Agena, Gilmore Girls) teaches her grown-up child (writer-director-producer, Alex Song-Xia) how to drive in Really Good Driver.

The experience forces both to confront parts of the car, and themselves as they never have before.

Skin is a poetic exploration of identity and self-discovery.

Using visual symbolism to depict one person’s (Lío Mehiel, Mutt) transformation into a man, their inner manifestation sheds their old skin to embrace their true identity.

Dragfox is an animation where a mysterious neighbourhood fox is voiced by Ian McKellen

The fox interrupts Sam’s search for identity.

Together they embark on a magical journey to discover the surprising things they might have in common and how to celebrate their differences.

Australian drama Die Bully Die sees Max catch up with a former high school bully 17 years later.

In a fancy restaurant, Max’s grudge against Adam begins to manifest in horrific ways.

A month of LGBTIQ+ shorts screening across Tasmania

This inaugural tour launches on Saturday, February 7, with a matinee screening at the Burnie Arts Centre with guest speaker Rodney Croome and MC’d by Pussay Poppins, Barry Bothways & Gary Snow.

Sunday, February 8, Pride Film Fest heads to Queenstown to Paragon Theatre.

Then Saturday, February 21 will head to Launceston at QVMAG.

The program heads to the Tasman Peninsula on Sunday, 22nd, to the Eaglehawk Neck Community Hall.

And then screens at the Cygnet Town Hall Supper Room on Saturday, February 28.

Before ending the tour in Hobart on Sunday, March 1 at SOHO Arts Backroom

All films are 15+ with closed caption screenings.

You can prebook tickets at the TasPride website, and door sales (card only) are subject to availability.

Pride Film Fest can tour across Tasmania thanks to the generous financial support from Pride Foundation Australia and Working It Out Inc.