Queer Screen’s 26th Mardi Gras Film Festival opens Thursday 13 February 2019 with a showcase of films celebrating the LGBTIQ experience, many of which are the creations of AFTRS alumni.
Premiering at the Festival, after receiving part of the 2018 Queer Screen Completion Fund, is Becoming Colleen, co-produced by Carolyn Johnson (Specialist Extension Course Certificate Producing, 1996). The documentary details the life of 80-year-old Colleen, who is transitioning into the woman she has always wanted to be while living in an aged care facility. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion, Diversity in Aged Care.
Also screening is Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite. Co-written by alumnus Tony McNamara (Bachelor of Arts (Film and Television) Screenwriting, 1995), his work on the film has earned him a Best Original Screenplay nomination at this year’s upcoming Academy Awards, a BAFTA, an AACTA, critical acclaim, and a heap of other accolades.
Alumni works are represented in the Lesbian and QueerDocs short categories, and make up four of the nine selections in the My Queer Career competition, Australia’s biggest queer short film prize, with the winning film gaining automatic entry into the Iris Prize, the world’s largest LGBTIQ short film competition. Previous My Queer Career winners include alumnus Brendon McDonall (Master of Screen Arts, 2014; Graduate Diploma in Directing, 2012; Graduate Certificate in Screenwriting, 2011; Graduate Certificate: Directing, 2010) for his AFTRS short All God’s Creatures.
The 26th Mardi Gras Film Festival runs from 13 – 28 February 2019. A list of films made by alumni is below. For tickets and the full program visit Queer Screen.
Features
Becoming Colleen
Co-Producer: Carolyn Johnson (Specialist Extension Course Certificate Producing, 1996)
The Favourite
Screenwriter: Tony McNamara (Bachelor of Arts (Film and Television) Screenwriting, 1995)
My Queer Career
Black Lips
Director: Adrian Chiarella (Graduate Diploma in Screenwriting, 2012)
Cherry Season
Director: Joshua Longhurst (Advanced Diploma in Producing: Story, Audience and Finance, 2016)
Dani Boi
Director: Logan Mucha (Graduate Diploma in Documentary, 2012)
What Do You See?
Co-Producer: Eero Heinonen (Master of Arts Screen: Producing, 2018) Advanced Diploma in Producing: Story, Audience and Finance, 2016)
Co-Producer: Margaret McHugh (Graduate Diploma in Documentary, 2012)
Lesbian Shorts
The Ocean
Director: Sinead McDevitt (Graduate Certificate in Documentary Fundamentals, 2014)
QueerDocs Shorts
Phyllis & Francesca 48 Years On
Director: Edwina Storie (Diploma in Camera, 2017)