Queer Screen’s 31st Mardi Gras Film Festival is set to dazzle audiences with a vibrant array of films, panels, and discussions, featuring a stellar lineup of international guests.
From February 15th to 29th, 2024, the festival promises to be a celebration of queer cinema, culture, and community.
The festival is proud to host esteemed guests, including:
Connie Cocchia (Writer-Director-Producer) and Piper Curda (Actor)- Canada.
Presenting their film When Time Got Louder, a poignant coming-of-age drama that explores the profound connection between a college student and her non-verbal autistic brother as they navigate independence and self-discovery.
Su I-Hsuan (Writer-Director)- Taiwan
Showcasing Who’ll Stop the Rain, a compelling narrative centered on two girls finding love amidst their struggle for creative freedom in post-martial law Taipei. The film recently captivated audiences at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Carl Joseph E. Papa (Writer-Director)- Philippines
Screening as the Narrative Centrepiece of the festival, The Missing is a poignant animated Filipino sci-fi film that served as the Philippines’ entry for the Academy Awards. The story follows a young man without a mouth as he confronts suppressed memories.
Rafael Albarran (Co-writer-Co-director-Actor)- USA
Presenting F.L.Y, a film depicting ex-boyfriends rekindling their connection in Los Angeles just as the pandemic strikes, leading them to cohabitate under one roof, for better or worse.
Loro Bardot (Non-binary Actor)- Brazil
Power Alley, this captivating and award-winning debut that featured in Cannes Critics Week, celebrates the depth and beauty of queer sisterhood while grappling with conservatism in Brazil.
Goran Stolevski (Writer-Director)- Australia
Will be in attendance for the Closing Night Gala screening of his Venice Queer Lion-winning film, Housekeeping For Beginners, a sensitive domestic drama that discovers joy in the chaos of found family.
The festival will also host two free panel discussions that are sure to spark conversation:
“Queer Tropes and Trauma On Screen- Should we tell these stories?” with Patrick Abboud, Craig Boreham, Carl Joseph E. Papa, Natalie Krikowa and Monica Zanettei, and “Queer Awakenings- The Films That Make You Feel Seen” with Alexei Toliopolous, Su Goldfish, Benjamin Law, Sam Matthews and Nina Oyama at new festival venue the State Library of NSW.
