Australia’s Queer Screen Mardi Gras Film Festival is set to showcase five diverse and compelling projects at the Marché du Movie’s Goes to Cannes event. The festival director, Lisa Rose, has curated a lineup that celebrates a wide range of LGBTQIA+ stories and identities, with a focus on Australian talent.
One of the standout projects is “Hands of a Man,” a semi-autobiographical film by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade that explores queer identity and mourning in rural India. Another highlight is “From All Sides,” a multiracial bisexual family drama set in Sydney, Australia, directed by Bina Bhattacharya.
“Heart of the Man,” directed by David Cook, follows a young boxing prodigy as he navigates his sexuality and familial expectations. “Strange Creatures,” from the creators of “Metro Sexual,” delves into toxic masculinity and sibling relationships, while “Under the Influencer” explores the power dynamics between a struggling artist and her exploitative mentor.
These projects represent a diverse range of voices and experiences within the LGBTQIA+ community, and the filmmakers are eager to share their stories with a global audience. The Goes to Cannes event provides a platform for these projects to find distribution, financing, and potential festival opportunities, further solidifying Australia’s Queer Screen Mardi Gras Film Festival as a champion of queer talent development and support.