Five must-see films at this year’s Melbourne Queer Film Festival

From the adaptation of Deborah Levy’s Hot Milk to the short film encapsulating Lily Allen’s West End Girl rage.

This November, Australia’s oldest and largest queer film festival is returning to Melbourne. The program at Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF) is stacked, with major events taking place across the city and over 130 Australian and international films on show. Beyond entertainment, the festival offers an opportunity for the LBGTIQA+ community and its allies to connect over shared lived experiences and escape into a space where they can just be. 

The theme for 2025 is ‘Searching for Queer Utopias’. According to Program Director Ro Bright, it’s about finding beauty in even the most unsuspecting parts of a journey. “Film allows us to build what we want to see, to imagine, to experiment and project visions of ourselves into the world,” Ro tells me.

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“The word ‘searching’ feels important. Queer utopia isn’t a destination, but a series of fleeting, sometimes liminal moments that we recognise when we’re in them, moments when we can unmask and truly be ourselves, when we can be messy, authentic, unguarded and not calculated.”

2025 hasn’t been an easy year for the community in Australia or around the world, and so many in the LGBTIQA+ community sit at the intersection of marginalised identities. The program offers space to stand in solidarity with those whose rights are at risk, while also celebrating the dreams and achievements of its featured filmmakers.

“In such a troubling time, when our rights are being taken away, it feels vital to hold onto the idea that a queer utopia isn’t a permanent state of perfection but an honouring of those flashes of unmasked belonging and freedoms that we experience in varied ways,” says Ro.

With over 130 films spanning over 100 sessions in 10 days, it’s nearly impossible to see each and every piece the festival has to offer. If, like me, you can feel paralysed by choice, Ro has narrowed down the program to the five absolute must-see films of Melbourne Queer Fashion Festival 2025. Each offers a window into the queer experience – the power, the heartbreak and the moments of pure, wild joy.

Hot Milk

Photography by Nikos Nikolopoulos

Fiona Shaw. Emma Mackey. Need I say more? Two of the best actors in the world go head-to-head as mother and daughter in this adaptation of Deborah Levy’s 2016 novel. This knotty, sophisticated film dives deep into the messy inner rage of intergenerational trauma. It’s unmissable.

Jimpa

Photography by Matthew Chuang

Directed by one of Australia’s leading filmmakers, Sophie Hyde, Jimpa is easily one of the most stunning films I’ve ever seen. Olivia Colman’s performance will break your heart and Aud Mason-Hyde delivers one of the most layered and moving non-binary performances captured on screen. This is a film about what it really means to be part of a queer family. Jimpa is a landmark Australian work destined to become a classic.

Queens of the Dead

Photography by Shannon Madden

Prepare to see the icon herself, Dominique Jackson, in the house at Melbourne Queer Film Festival! Tina Romero’s zombie comedy is a wild, queer extravaganza, packed with celebrities, laughs, chaos and plenty of camp. It’s a fresh, outrageous spin on the zombie genre that celebrates the spirit of queer community nightlife. And you’ll also catch the world premiere of Mohammad Awad’s Flight Risk, starring the brilliant Kate Box. We are so proud to support Mohammad’s groundbreaking, hilarious short. 

She’s The He

Photography by Bethany Michalski

This trans teen rom com is the funniest takedown I’ve seen in ages! Drawing inspiration from ’90s teen classics like She’s the Man, this smart satire takes on the trans bathroom panic with razor-sharp humour and heart. I absolutely adore this film. This is my new Clueless. 

Girls Behaving Badly

Photography by Sophie Williams

One of my favourite short film collections from Australia and beyond. As Lily Allen reminded us with her latest release, it’s officially the era of girl rage. Some of the best queer shorts of the year feature in this lineup, including I Hate Helen from the UK and Oi from here in Australia. Sometimes we need to let rip!

To get your ticket or pass to Melbourne Queer Film Festival, head here.