Mardi Gras Film Festival 2010

Get set for the Mardi Gras Film Festival 2010, which runs from February 12 - March 6. The full program has now been announced and tickets are now on sale. This year's festival pays homage to time and place, with a nod to the history and heroes of our beloved 'hood, the postcode 2 0 1 0. With a program that reflects upon our community's shapers, faces and sacred spaces, highlights of the three week event include:

The History of My Queer Career. In 2010 we honour the history of the world’s largest competition for locally produced LGBT short films. For more then a decade and a half, My Queer Career has unearthed the latest and greatest in Aussie queer filmmaking, and launched some impressive careers. This special event will feature highlights from the first decade of the competition, including all-time audience favourites: Cousin by Adam Elliot, Exposed by Tony Ayres, Strap on Olympia by Cate Shortland, Urn by Miro Bilbrough, and Tales from the Powder Room by Darren Burgess.

2010 My Queer Career Competition. The Mardi Gras Film Festival will open with a fresh batch of new Australian LGBT shorts, a gala awards ceremony, and our fabulous opening night party over three levels at the City Recital Hall, Angel Place. This year’s My Queer Career Judges are Neil Armfield, Courtney Gibson, Amy Gebhardt and Andrew Mercado, and they will present their winning selection to you on the night.

An Englishman in New York. In this long awaited sequel to The Naked Civil Servant, John Hurt returns with his unparalleled portrait of Quentin Crisp. This legendary tale of Britain’s most notorious homosexual turned American socialite, reprises the Crisp chronicle as an older fey gentleman overwhelmed by a fast moving culture of gay and lesbian activism, political correctness and the horror of AIDS. Bursting with Crisp-quips, powerful performances and a host of impressive cameos, this festival highlight is a must for any queer culture aficionado.

Maggots and Men. In a cinematic first, a cast of over 100 Trans Men come together in recreation of the Konstadt uprising of 1921. This (mostly) silent feature paints an idyllic portrait of pre-Soviet sailors, languid and luscious to view, with stylish stylised execution. Think Battleship Potemkin meets Querelle with FTM sailor-bois rebelling against the Bolshevik state. Curious, aren’t you…?

Little Ashes. Before he was every teen’s favourite blood-sucker, Robert Pattinson played a troubled young Salvador Dali, in this poetic biopic on the love affair between the great painter and Garcia Lorca. The two men try to fight their affections as their social group (consisting of luminary Spanish contemporaries such as Luis Buñuel) become suspicious and the civil war escalates…

And Then Came Lola. Germany’s seminal split-narrative film, Run Lola Run, gets a San Franciscan reworking in what is already the most popular lesbian film of the year. Commitment-phobic Lola, has one chance to salvage her job and her relationship, but time is running out and a wrong turn or detour will cost her everything. Navigating an obstacle course by sprinting, hitching, flirting and fooling, she must do whatever it takes to keep her girlfriend from the arms of her hot and headstrong ex. The Fish Child Mysticism and epic love meet in this Latin American thriller. Lala is the privileged daughter of a powerful judge, in love with the family’s young maid, La Guayi. As the two prepare to run away together, Lala’s father is mysteriously murdered and La Guayi appears to be prime suspect. Lala soon finds herself negotiating in a world of poverty, crime and extraordinary danger, as she battle’s to save her lover.

Drool. In this queer comic take on Thelma and Louise, salvation takes unfamiliar forms, mostly, in the beautiful guise of a travelling cosmetics saleswoman. Imogene, from Kathy K Cosmetics, moves in next door to the Fleece family and into troubled housewife, Anora’s life. Forbidden lust, homicide and a cross-country road-chase ensue, as these two women fly, taking racism, the sexual awakenings of teenagers, patricide and lesbian love all in their stride.

Hollywood Je T’aime. Melancholic man-candy, Jerome, needs to escape Paris and the reminders of his boyfriend in the arms of another guy. Where to go to escape reality…? Los Angeles, of course. In true fish-out-of-water style, Jerome is soon living in a house of We-Ho oddballs, dating a drug dealer, taking acting lessons and auditioning for pizza commercials. But will this sensitive, lovelorn Frenchman survive the Hollywood machine?

For more information on this year's festival visit the website: http://queerscreen.com.au

Get Ready Pool Boys and Girls for the Mardi Gras Pool Party

This year Sydney's favourite DJs and performers will be rocking at the Ivy Pool for the first time. Get your gear off, grab a cocktail and make a splash at the sexiest party of the season, the Mardi Gras Pool Party.

The Ivy Pool bar is a pretty special location. Even the changing rooms have their own dance floor and DJ.

Hang out by the pool, soak up the sun and checking out the talent, while the DJs keep the party going well into the night. Featuring live performances from some of Sydney’s best acts, and attracting the hottest party-goers the city has to offer, the Ivy Pool Bar is the place to see and be seen.

Location - Ivy Pool Bar
320 George Street,
Sydney, New South Wales

When: 1 March, 2.00pm - 10.00pm
Cost: $45 + booking fee. NMG Member or concessions $35 + booking fee.

Rainbow Flag Set to Fly in Sydney

The GLBT Pride flag is set to fly above Sydney’s Town Hall during events of significance to the city’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans communities, the City of Sydney has announced.

In a first for Sydney, the pride flag – also known as the rainbow flag or the freedom flag – will be hoisted above Town Hall during queer community events such as the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and the annual Sydney Pride festival.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said the decision, which was endorsed unanimously by Council last Tuesday (September 22), reflected the city’s ongoing commitment to recognising and supporting its many GLBT residents, workers and tourists.

According to Clover Moore, the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival and Pride Week are two of Sydney’s most important community events.

The rainbow flag, which was initially created by San Francisco artist Gilbert Baker in 1978, has become a universally-recognised symbol of pride for queer communities worldwide.

The flag colours represent the diversity of GLBT people and were designed to symbolise life (red), healing (orange), sunlight (yellow), nature (green), harmony (blue) and spirit (purple).

Oxford St Turned Straight?

This week an article in the Daily Telegraph declared that ‘Oxford Street is straight’, with ‘straight’ venues outnumbering the gay ones. The strip, once the 'glitter mile' has certainly changed in recent years.

The internet is blamed for taking away some of the 'oomph' of the strip. This has been compounded by the scene, now with straight girls aplenty, attracting the straight boys, and homophobic violence and aggression on Oxford Street on the increase

New gay pockets have emerged from the ashes. with the opening of the Clarence Hotel in the inner west and alternative nights occering in the region also, such as BadDog, Kooky or Scooter.

Whilst the internet has had an impact on Gay Sydney, the scene continues to evolve.

Many beg for the return to a 'community feel' to the scene, with a cold shoulder given to the corporatisation of Mardi Gras and a more community-minded approach.

Maybe the GFC will have a positive effect on the scene after all. Maybe something good can come of the recent downturn. Here's hoping.