First up is ‘Keyboard Fantasies – the Beverly Glenn Copeland Story’, a fascinating look at Glen’s life, his journey as a trans elder and his music that has been rediscovered after 30+ years and is now being acclaimed worldwide. We spoke to London based director Posy Dixon about how this incredibly beautiful film came about and the powerful story behind this musical genius.

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We were joined by CEO of Cinema Nova Kristian Connelly and owner of Lido, Classic and Cameo cinemas, Eddie Tamir. Both Connelly and Tamir are joining us to talk about the ways that our cinemas have been impacted by the current public health crisis, and what we can expect from local cinemas as they reopen over the coming weeks.

The post Cinemas To Re-Open appeared first on Out Takes.

The post A look back: The impact of COVID19 on local cinemas appeared first on Out Takes.

In particular, we spoke with Herbert Peck about his award winning documentary, I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO, which paints an incendiary portrait of James Baldwin and race relations in 20th century America.

We also revisited interviews with the film makers behind documentaries like CHECK IT and KIKI and Barry Jenkins, the visionary director of IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK and the Academy Award winning MOONLIGHT.

To support local and national anti racism organisations, see this fantastic list of resources courtesy of the Victorian Women’s Trust.

Anti-Racism Resources from Australia and Beyond

The post Race Relations, Rebellion and Resistance in Queer Cinema appeared first on Out Takes.

St Kilda Film Festival features a number of curated sessions and some of Australia’s best short films.

The post Forbidden Fruits at the 2020 St Kilda Film Festival appeared first on Out Takes.

Our guest was Kitty Green, whose new film, THE ASSISTANT, has been called ‘a significant cultural statement in cinematic form’.

The post #METOO Cinema with director Kitty Green appeared first on Out Takes.

Rachel Mason’s film ‘Circus of Books’ looks at her parents legacy in LGBTIQ history through their legendary gay book stores of the same name and Chris Bolan shares the incredibly moving tale of his Great Aunt Terry, her wife Pat and their 72 year love story in ‘A Secret Love’.

We also explored the representation of LGBTIQ families in cinema including the importance of our chosen families alongside our biological ones.

The post LGBTIQ Representation of Family in Cinema featuring Rachel Mason and Chris Bolan appeared first on Out Takes.

There’s no doubt that Murphy tips his hat to the golden age. But how much of HOLLYWOOD is true? We’re sorting fact from fiction as we celebrate Murphy’s revisionist and optimistic take. We also looked at some of the films that you should watch if you loved the series: think SCOTTY AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD, ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS and FAR FROM HEAVEN.

The post Hollywood by Ryan Murphy appeared first on Out Takes.

Film productions are in hiatus. Cinemas are closed. And the industry is scrambling to find a way to survive what has already been a bleak few months. But it’s not all bad news. We explored some of the brilliant new initiatives to keep film and cinema industries afloat and to keep you entertained.

The post Supporting the local Film and Television industry through COVID-19 appeared first on Out Takes.

It’s that time of year again! JOY 94.9 is Australia’s premiere LGBTI radio station and it needs your help. So this week on Out Takes, we’re celebrating RADIOTHON – JOY’s annual supporter drive – and the importance of keeping independent programs like OUT TAKES on the air.

This year’s RADIOTHON theme is We Are You, so we’re bringing the Out Takes family together for a very special Out Takes look at why LGBTI representation in film is so important and why seeing ourselves on the big screen matters.

The post We Are You: Out Takes 2020 Radiothon Special appeared first on Out Takes.

To help us with this question we were joined by online content creator and producer of IGGY & ACE 5EVA, Hannah Ngo. IGGY & ACE 5EVA is a new, Screen Australia funded web series that explores friendship, addiction and recovery through a queer lens. 

The post Queer Webseries with special guests Hannah Ngo and Boaz Stark appeared first on Out Takes.

To help us unpack this fraught question we’re joined by directors Ian Watson and Suzanne Guacci.

The post Queer and Differently Abled Identity in LGBT Cinema with Directors Ian Watson & Suzanne Guacci appeared first on Out Takes.

Film productions are in hiatus, cinemas are closed and the industry is scrambling to find a way to survive what could be a very bleak few months. But what does this mean for local productions? For cinephiles? For all of us who depend on cinema to reflect our lives back to us and to entertain us?

The post The impact of COVID-19 on the Australian Film Industry appeared first on Out Takes.

Our guest was Berger himself, whose films include festival darlings such as PLAN B (2009), ABSENT (2011), TAEKWONDO (2016) and THE BLOND ONE (2019). These are films that revel in homoeroticism and subversion; films that use the gay male gaze to say something about homosocial friendship and the gay male experience.

We spoke with him about his latest film and some of it’s more controversial elements, alongside it’s use of technology and his ability once again to find the perfect cast to tell this compelling and complex tale.

The post Marco Berger Retrospective appeared first on Out Takes.

While you stay safe indoors we also encourage you you to revisit some of our classic Out Takes podcasts, brush up on your cinema knowledge and then watch the films that have got us all talking.

Thanks to Vision Australia Radio for allowing 1/4 of our team to use one of their studios while the rest of us relied on modern technology to make this work because as you all know – the show must go ON! 

The post Binge Worthy Queer Films appeared first on Out Takes.

But as of March 16, due to concerns about COVID-19 and the health of MQFF attendees, the Festival was offically suspended. That means no more screenings for now. So what does this mean for you and the festival? We spoke with MQFF Program Director Spiro Economopoulos to find out what the suspension of MQFF means for queer cinephiles around the State.

We also looked at some of the fabulous fare that hit MQFF screens over the past few days. Joining us on the program was Kurt David Handler, the director of SPIRAL, which screened this past Friday as part of the Festival. SPIRAL conflates horror and homophobia to render a gay spin on cult classics like GET OUT and HEREDITARY.

We also spoke with Out Takes co-host Conrad about his experience at the MQFF Opening Night Gala, which included a screening of the unmissable new doco GAY CHORUS DEEP SOUTH.

The post MQFF 2020 suspended – what next? appeared first on Out Takes.

Our guest was cult film maker Peter Strickland, who joined us to talk about his sensual and surreal new horror. Set in London, IN FABRIC tells the story of a lonely divorcee who purchases a new red gown that unleashes a malevolent, unstoppable curse. It releases nationally this week.

The post The Look: Iconic Cinematic Dresses appeared first on Out Takes.

Our guests were Spiro Economopoulos, the Program Director of MQFF and directors Rodrigo Bellott and Isobel Sandoval.

Bellott joined us to talk about his new film Tu Me Manques (I Miss You), which was selected as Bolivia’s official Academy Awards entry earlier this year.

Sandoval joined us to talk about Lingua Franca, her beguiling new drama, which tells the story of an undocumented Filipino transwoman who becomes romantically involved with the grandson of a woman for whom she is a paid caregiver.

We extend our best wishes to the MQFF team and look forward to celebrating their 30th year and many fantastic queer films on the big screen with them soon.

The post Melbourne Queer Film Festival 2020 appeared first on Out Takes.

Our first guest was pioneer of Australian film and television Rodger Ward, who joined us to talk about his iconic 1970s classic, THE SET. Released in 1970 and dubbed Australia’s first gay film, THE SET is a classic representation of camp 1970s Sydney subculture.

Our next guest was Tim Spencer, writer, creator and producer of DING DONG I’M GAY, a new web series funded by Screen Australia that shines a whimsical light on the gay Sydney experience.

We also looked back at the Mardi Gras Film Festival (MGFF) in Sydney, which wraps up tonight after two weeks of fresh queer content. MGFF kicked off earlier this month with ELLIE AND ABBY (AND ELLIE’S DEAD AUNT) – a moving coming out story that pays homage to LGBT activism in Sydney.

The post Sydney Mon Amour! appeared first on Out Takes.

Our guest was Nation herself, who joined us to talk about her thrilling new film. There’s a fine line between emotional desolation, obsession and paranoia in UNDERTOW, which tells the story of a grieving woman who channels her pain over the loss of her unborn child into a fixation with a pregnant teenager.

We also crossed to Sydney to speak with Out Takes co host Daniel, who was there for the Mardi Gras Film Festival. They chatted with him about the Festival and some of the fresh cinematic fare on offer.

The post Obsession in Queer Cinema appeared first on Out Takes.

We all have our favourites (Parasite, 1917 and Marriage Story), our frustrations on what missed out on a nomination (seriously, no female directors nominated in the Best Director category AGAIN?? Also #Justice4Jlo) and a few personal favourites we’d like to see come out on top (Saoirse and Taika, you can do it!).

Our guest was Cinema Nova CEO Kristian Connelly, who joined us as guest co-host to sort through this year’s batch of nominees plus provide some insight in to what’s happening behind the scenes in the local and international film industry.

The post The Out Takes Guide to the 2020 Academy Awards appeared first on Out Takes.

Our guests were Festival Director Lisa Rose and Monica Zanetti, the director of ‘Ellie and Abbie (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt)’.

Shot entirely in Sydney and based on Zanetti’s stage play of the same name, ‘Ellie and Abbie (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt)’ is the first Australian film to open the Festival in its 27 year history. It tells the story of school captain Ellie, who falls for her rebellious classmate Abbie, and the supernatural plot to bring them together.

The post 2020 Queer Screen Mardi Gras Film Festival appeared first on Out Takes.

For the first live Out Takes of 2020, we turned the spotlight on some of the most anticipated films headed our way in 2020: think new Disney blockbusters, star studded queer indie flicks and large scale musical adaptations.

We also cast our eye over a slew of Awards winners as we settle ourselves into this year’s Awards season. The Golden Globes, Dorian Awards and Critics Choice Awards all aired in January so we ventured into the new year by looking at the some of the most lauded and critically appraised cinema of the last 12 months.

The post Ones to Watch in 2020 appeared first on Out Takes.

If you enjoy this best of make sure to go back and check out the full programs on our podcast page and on Spotify.

The post Out Takes 2019 Interview Retrospective appeared first on Out Takes.

We’ve spoke at length the past 12 months on what we’ve loved and loathed but as always our picks are guaranteed to stir up some debate in the studio and out across the airwaves… We also looked at some of the biggest cinematic trends of the year including some of the year’s most surprising hits and biggest flops (congratulations to CATS for just making the cut as one of the worst films of 2019, we salute you!). 

Did your favourite make the cut or did we miss mentioning a film that you loved? Let us know via the Out Takes Facebook page and check out more of our podcasts on Spotify

The post The Out Takes Guide to the Best & Worst Films of 2019 appeared first on Out Takes.

To mark the occasion, we took a look back at our last four years as the home of queer cinema on JOY 94.9

The post Out Takes turns 200! appeared first on Out Takes.

We also noticed a common theme, that many of our favourite films have not only featured on Out Takes over the years but we’ve also been fortunate enough to speak with many of our favourite directors, writers and actors from many of the films on our list. Check out the Out Takes podcast feed for more great interviews and programs from the home of queer cinema on JOY.

Did your favourites make the cut? Was there anything that we missed? Let us know what you think – outtakes@joy.org.au

The post The Out Takes Guide to the Best Queer Films of the Decade appeared first on Out Takes.

Disney’s FROZEN franchise is a certified box office success. But its also represents a watershed moment in Disney’s cultural and representational legacy. In fact, when FROZEN first hit cinemas, the internet was atwitter with conspiracies that Elsa might be gay. Six years later, Elsa’s sexuality is still unconfirmed. But there can be very little doubt: FROZEN 2 is a very queer film.

So for this Out Takes program, we journeyed deep into the heart of Arendelle and the Wonderful World of Disney to celebrate the theatrical release of Disney’s FROZEN 2. Our guest was Dr Eleanor Byrne, whose seminal thesis “Deconstructing Disney” explores the latent queer potential of Disney classics like SNOW WHITE, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, and now the FROZEN franchise. We spoke with Byrne about the way that gender and sexuality function in Disney films, and their potential for queer interpretation.

The post Finding the Queer in ‘Frozen 2’ appeared first on Out Takes.

Elizabeth Banks is the director, screenwriter and one of the stars of the film, and she had a lot to say about why the film didn’t connect to audiences including that she believed men were not likely to see female-led action movies. This generated a lot of discussion so the Out Takes team decided to jump in the ring and take a deep dive in to the wonderful world of Charlie’s Angels and try and figure out why this latest incarnation just didn’t work with audiences.  We all have our opinions and a great debate was had but in this instance we’ll leave the last word to Elizabeth Banks:

The post Charlie’s Angels 2019 – back on the big screen appeared first on Out Takes.

This is director Selina Miles debut feature, a bold expansion of her previous work in the art community which includes the viral street art video ‘Limitless’. Selina joined us in the JOY studios for an extended chat about the documentary, her experience filming around the world and of course her relationship with Martha Cooper, an unexpected icon of the street art movement and a pioneer in her field. Listen in to find out more about how this project came to be, some great behind the scenes stories and find out one of the key elements to what drives Martha to continue doing what she does today (hint – Kangaskhan!).

Partnered with the theatrical release of ‘Martha: A Picture Story, you can also get along to the free Seasons of Change event at Revolver Upstairs on Friday December 6 in Melbourne and check out a 1UP film screening plus an exclusive Q&A session with Martha Cooper & Selina Miles – definitely not to be missed.

The post Out Takes Extra: Director Selina Miles on ‘Martha: A Picture Story’ appeared first on Out Takes.

Our guest was Olga Chajdas, the director of NINA, which screens at the Polish Film Festival in Melbourne later this month. Nina tells the story of an illicit sexual affair between a would-be-mother and her surrogate in modern day Poland. We spoke with Chajdas about her new film, and the politics of same-sex intimacy in which it is situated.

We also revisited our chat with April Mullen, the director of BELOW HER MOUTH, which was elsewhere described as ‘a cinematic voice for the female orgasm’.

The post Intimacy in Contemporary Lesbian Cinema appeared first on Out Takes.

First up we looked at ‘Brittany Runs A Marathon’, the new feature film from gay writer and director Paul Downs Colaizzo that caused a bidding war at this year’s Sundance Film Festival with Amazon Studios acquiring worldwide distribution rights to the film for $14 million dollars. Based on a true story, the film follows Brittany Forgler, a hilarious hot mess of a New Yorker who always knows how to have a good time, but at 27, her late-night adventures are starting to catch up to her. She takes the first step in changing her life by actually taking a run around the block and that’s where the story gets interesting. Our special guests on the show were the star of the film, Jillian Bell, and Paul Downs Colaizzo (pictured with Out Takes presenter Conrad) who took us behind the scenes of this funny, frank and insightful film which is in cinemas now.

We also took a look at ‘The Ice King’ a searing documentary about John Curry, a lost cultural icon in a fascinating story of art, sport, sexuality, and rebellion. It includes incredible unseen footage of some of his most remarkable performances and with access to Curry’s letters, archive interviews, and interviews with his family, friends and collaborators, this is a portrait of the man who turned ice-skating from a dated sport into an exalted art form. The Ice King is an exclusive release on DocPlay, a new streaming service featuring award winning and exclusive documentaries from around the globe.

Special thanks to Alicia and Cathy at ABCG Film for the opportunity to interview Jillian Bell and Paul Downs Colaizzo, and for their ongoing support of Out Takes.

The post Transformation in Cinema featuring Jillian Bell & Paul Downs Colaizzo appeared first on Out Takes.

The post The best queer film soundtracks of the decade appeared first on Out Takes.

Our guest was Tal Barda, the producer of FAMILY IN TRANSITION, which chronicles the journey of Amit, a father of four living in a small Israeli town, who tells his wife that he is a woman and wants to transition. We spoke with Barda about her fascinating new documentary, and the landscape of transgender representation in Israeli cinema. FAMILY IN TRANSITION screened as part of the 2019 Jewish International Film Festival.

We also turned our attention to the TRANSPARENT musical finale, which follows the dysfunctional Pfefferman family made famous by Jill Soloway’s critically awarded Amazon series and which, like FAMILY IN TRANSITION, explores gender and sexual identity against the backdrop of culture, religion and trans generational trauma.

The post Families in Transition appeared first on Out Takes.

Our guest was Tomer Heymann, the director of MR GAGA and WHOSE GONNA LOVE ME NOW, who joins us to talk about his new documentary, JONATHAN AGASSI SAVED MY LIFE.

JONATHAN AGASSI SAVED MY LIFE is an intimate look at the world of gay pornography and escorting and the unique relationship between gay porn star, Jonathan Agassi, and his mother. It screened as part of the 2019 Jewish International Film Festival.

The post Representation of Gay Pornography in Queer Cinema appeared first on Out Takes.

So for this week on Out Takes, to mark the national release of the new Garland biopic JUDY, we celebrated the legacy of Judy Garland and the new film spotlighting her final days.

JUDY stars Renée Zellweger as the famed actor, and chronicles her final days in June 1969. We took a look at her short but prolific career, her legacy on screen and off plus a deep dive in to her relationship with the queer community and why for many she will always be considered the ultimate ‘friend of Dorothy’.

The post Spotlight on JUDY starring Renée Zellweger appeared first on Out Takes.

Our first guest was actor and documentarian Ben Steel, who joins us to discuss his new documentary, THE SHOW MUST GO ON, which is now available on ABC iView. THE SHOW MUST GO ON follows Home and Away actor and debut documentary filmmaker Ben Steel on a soul-searching investigation into why there are so many entertainment workers developing and struggling with mental wellbeing issues.

Our next guest was Genevieve Bailey (pictured), the director of HAPPY SAD MAN, which releases nationally this month. HAPPY SAD MAN explores the link between masculinity and mental health.

Finally, we welcomed clinical psychologist Dr Jarrod White into the studio as our guest Mental Health guru. Jarrod has appeared on Triple J and Potential Psychology and heads up The Lives of Others, a social media platform that promotes the sharing of mental health stories around the world.

The post Mental Health in Cinema appeared first on Out Takes.

Our guest were Spiro Economopoulos, the Program Director of MQFF eXtra, and Keith Behrman, the director of GIANT LITTLE ONES, which screened at this years Festival.

GIANT LITTLE ONES is a fresh coming of age film that charts the friendship between two popular teen boys, who discover their lives, families, and girlfriends dramatically upended after an unexpected sexual encounter.

The post MQFF eXtra 2019 appeared first on Out Takes.

This week on Out Takes, we turned the spotlight on QSFF by speaking with the Director of QSFF, Lisa Rose, about this year’s exciting lineup of fresh new queer films.

We also spoke with Nikki Si’ulepa, the director of Same But Different: A True New Zealand Love Story, which screens at QSFF this year. Same But Different chronicles a romance based on the director’s own love story with Rachel Aneta Wills, who co-produced the film.

The post Queer Screen Film Festival 2019 appeared first on Out Takes.

This week on Out Takes, we celebrated the release of Sophie Hyde’s ANIMALS by looking at the representation of female friendship in queer 

The post Female Friendship in Queer Cinema with ANIMALS Director Sophie Hyde appeared first on Out Takes.

Waters is a queer cinema auteur and film making icon responsible for cult classics like Pink Flamingos, Female Trouble, Serial Mom and Hairspray. He’s also known fondly as the ‘Pope of Trash’ and describes himself as a Filth Elder and it’s fair to say he’s been there and done that!

Our guest was John Waters himself, who joins us ahead of his one man show at Hamer Hall in Melbourne this October. We spoke with Waters about his remarkable filmic career, his iconic work with Divine andwhat punters can expect from his upcoming live tour of Australia.

The post John Waters appeared first on Out Takes.

This week on Out Takes, we plunged into the world of Hollywood remakes, in particular we looked at the ways in which Hollywood remakes mirror the sexual politics of their times, and represent sex, gender and sexuality.

Our guest was writer, academic and senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne, Dr Lauren Rosewarne (pictured), whose new book “Sex and Sexuality in Modern Screen Remakes” examines how sexiness, sexuality and revisited sexual politics are used to modernize film and TV remakes.

The post Sex and Sexuality in Modern Screen Remakes appeared first on Out Takes.

This week on Out Takes we waved goodbye to the MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL by reviewing some of our favorite Festival films: think PAIN & GLORY, 5B, THE QUEEN, THE FAREWELL and MATTHIAS & MAXIME.

We also spoke with SEQUIN IN A BLUE ROOM director Samuel Van Grinsven about his film, which screened at the Festival. SEQUIN IN A BLUE ROOM is a fresh new Australian coming of age film set in the modern Grindr era. Congratulations to the MIFF team on a fantastic festival, we look forward to seeing what comes next in 2020!

The post MIFF 2019: wrap up and reviews appeared first on Out Takes.

This year’s program features 60 films spanning 21 languages, and focuses on the themes of diversity and courage. Says Festival Director Mitu Bhowmick Lange: “Diversity and inclusivity is at the heart of this year’s programming”.

The post Your LGBTIQ Guide to the 2019 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne appeared first on Out Takes.

This week on Out Takes, we joined cinephiles everywhere to celebrate MIFF, the largest film festival in the Southern Hemisphere!

To help us celebrate, we were joined by MIFF Artistic Director Al Cossar who spoke about this year’s formidable line up, including its diverse line up of queer treats.

We also talked with Anoop Lukkur, the director of ‘Long Distance’, which screens as part of the Accelorator line up at this year’s Festival. ‘Long Distance’ interrogates the tension between sexual and cultural identities against the backdrop of modern day Australia.

The post Your Queer Guide to the 2019 Melbourne International Film Festival appeared first on Out Takes.

Our first guest was Mark Saxenmeyer, the director & producer of ‘The Queens’ which screened at this year’s Melbourne Documentary Film Festival. ‘The Queens’ explores the transgender subculture of competitive female impersonation within the chaotic atmosphere and excitement of the Miss Continental pageant which has been running for the past 39 years.

Our next guests were Isabel Peppard and Josie Hess, the directors and producers of ‘Morgana’, a fascinating new Australian documentary which chronicles the journey of Morgana Muses who went from being an unhappy housewife in Albury in her mid 40’s to a feminist pornography icon by 50. We spoke to Peppard & Hess about their relationship with the dynamic and enigmatic Morgana, the process of making this extensive project and more. ‘Morgana’ screens this August at the Melbourne International Film Festival.

The post Documenting Queer Gender & Sexual Outsiders appeared first on Out Takes.

Our first guest was Raymond Phang, the director of the Shanghai Pride Film Festival. We talked to Raymond about the state of Modern queer Chinese cinema and the restrictions that impede access to queer films in China. We also spoke with Chris Luscri about his short film SAMMY THE SALMON, which recently screened at the Festival.

Finally, we’re speaking with Benson Wu, director of the Taiwan Film Festival, about the state of modern, queer Taiwanese cinema. The Taiwan Film Festival ran from 25 to 28 July in Sydney.

The post Modern Queer Asian Cinema appeared first on Out Takes.

Our guests were MAKING MONTGOMERY CLIFT directors Robert Anderson Clift and Hillary Demmon. MAKING MONTGOMERY CLIFT deconstructs the pop psychology that reduced Clift’s life and his extraordinary career to a Freudian cliche. We spoke with Clift and Demmon about how their documentary pieces together a heretofore unexplored life, and the remarkable queer legacy of one of Hollywood’s finest actors.

The post Remembering Montgomery Clift appeared first on Out Takes.

Joining us on the program were local film makers Sam McGowan and Logan Mucha, who both have films screening at the Festival.

Sam McGowan is the director of Prom Night, a new documentary that looks at youth, queerness and non binary gender identity in modern Australia. Logan Mucha is the director of We’re All In This Together, a fresh new documentary that explores queer experience and intergenerational connectedness.

The 2019 Melbourne Documentary Film Festival runs from July 19 – 30.

The post Melbourne Documentary Film Festival 2019 appeared first on Out Takes.

We looked at her Oscar winning roles in Kramer vs Kramer, Sophie’s Choice and The Iron Lady and dived into her rich filmography for a closer look at some of our favourites including The Hours, Death Becomes Her, Julia & Julia, Doubt and of course The Devil Wears Prada plus so many more.

We also celebrated her philanthropic efforts and her activism for women, civil rights and her overall fabulousness so enjoy this lovefest to the one and only Meryl Streep!

Let us know your favourite Meryl moment too, drop us a line via Facebook and Twitter.

The post We ♥ Meryl! appeared first on Out Takes.

But despite our observations, the statistics paint a disappointing picture. Women are still dramatically underrepresented on the big screen. But why?

The post Female Representation in Contemporary Cinema appeared first on Out Takes.

PAPI CHULO centres around Sean (Matt Bomer), a newly-single TV weatherman who is put on leave following an on-air meltdown, so he directs his energy into home improvement and hires a middle-aged Latino day laborer named Ernesto (Alejandro Patiño) to help. Despite a language barrier and having nothing in common, the two men develop an unexpected but profound friendship.

Our guest was PAPI CHULO director John Butler, who joined us last year when his charming take on friendship, HANDSOME DEVIL, first hit cinemas. We spoke with Butler about how his films mediate the queer experience of lonliness and friendship, and where PAPI CHULO sits in the queer canon.

The post Loneliness and Companionship in Queer Cinema with Papi Chulo Director John Butler appeared first on Out Takes.

We looked at some of the great queer flicks that you can catch at this year’s Festival with special guests Samuel Van Grinsven, the director of Sequin in a Blue Room, and Em Baker, the director of I Am No Bird.

Sequin in a Blue Room tells the story of high schooler Sequin and his search for meaning in the cold world of anonymous online dating apps. I am No Bird documents the weddings of four different couples from four corners of the globe to unpack what marriage really means to women in the modern age.

The post Sydney Film Festival 2019 appeared first on Out Takes.

ROCKETMAN is an epic musical fantasy about Elton John’s breakthrough years. The film follows the fantastical journey oftransformation from shy piano prodigy Reginald Dwight into international superstar Elton John.

ROCKETMAN premiered to rave reviews at Cannes earlier this month, but will it become a box office behemoth like BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY? Or a canonical fixture like HEDWIG? We put the full spotlight on Fletcher’s flamboyant new musicalROCKETMAN to if it has what it takes to become the next watershed queer musical biopic!

We also had a fantastic Rocketman prize pack to giveaway on air courtesy of our friends at Paramount Pictures Australia. Rocketman is in cinmeas from May 30

The post ROCKETMAN AND THE RISE OF QUEER MUSICAL BIOPICS appeared first on Out Takes.

Our first guest was Bali Padda, Diversity Advisor and Industry Development Executive at Screen Australia. We spoke with Padda about how important our local film industry is and why diversity on screen matters.

We also spoke with Marcelo Martinessi, the director of The Heiresses, which is an endearing look at love, relationships, class, age and the coming of (middle) age. It was the perfect companion piece to the love films that discussed as we looked at our favorite queer love films ♥

The post RADIOTHON 2019: LOVE JOY, LOVE (QUEER) CINEMA appeared first on Out Takes.

Our guest was , the director of GIANT LITTLE ONES, which sold out when it screened at this year’s Mardi Gras Film Festival and screens later this month at the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival. GIANT LITTLE ONES tells the story of two best friends who discover their lives, families, and girlfriends dramatically upended after an unexpected sexual encounter on the night of a 17th birthday party. We spoke with Behrman about his joyous new film, and how new queer coming of age films are reflecting a modern sexual sensibility.

The post Modern Coming Out and Coming of Age Cinema appeared first on Out Takes.

Our guest was Megan Townsend, the Director of Entertainment Research and Analysis at GLAAD/ We spoke with Townsend about the importance of the Awards and some of the other fantastic work that GLAAD does.

We also revisited our conversations with the directors of 1985, Disobedience, The Miseducation of Cameron Post and Boy Erased, which all recieved nominations at this year’s Awards: Yen Tan, Sebastian Lelio, Desiree Akhavan and Joel Edgerton.

Pictured: Beyonce & Jay Z, joint recepients of the Vanguard Award at the 2019 GLAAD Media Awards.

The post 2019 GLAAD Media Awards appeared first on Out Takes.

Our guests are HRAFF Program Manager Alice McShane and ‘Being Impossible’ director Patricia Ortega. ‘Being Impossible’ is a somber exploration of gender and identity, and a rare look at intersex life in Colombia. It screens as part of HRAFF this May.

The post Human Rights Arts and Film Festival 2019 appeared first on Out Takes.

We also looked at some of our favorite, sickly sweet and chocolate packed films that are perfect for this time of year. In fact, we even pitted Mel Stuart’s 1971 take on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory against Tim Burton’s 2005 hit to definitely determine which take on Roald Dhal’s classic is the best.

The post Easter 2019 – Camp Guilty Pleasures appeared first on Out Takes.

Our guest was Yen Tan, whose moving new film 1985 has been called “richly hypnotic” and “deeply emotional”.

Set in Texas in 1985, the film charts the journey of Adrian Lester, a closeted gay man, who returns home to tell his family that he is dying of AIDS. Shot on black and white super 16mm film, 1985 takes a unique look at a pivotal moment in American history through the prism of empathy, love and family.

1985 is also just one of a spate of recent films that have sought to re-envisage and recreate the tragedy of the early AIDS crisis.

The post Modern AIDS Cinema with Yen Tan’s ‘1985’ appeared first on Out Takes.

We looked at some recent standouts (Love Simon, Call Me By Your Name, Disobedience), some old favourites (Brokeback Mountain, Head On, The Color Purple) and a few books that we thought deserved the big screen treatment next.

The post Queer Literary Adaptations: from the page to the screen appeared first on Out Takes.

Fom early Burton classics like BEETLEJUICE and EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, to new Burton fare like MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN, Tim Burton’s cinema has consistently glorified the queer, empowered the vulnerable, and reimagined the banal. And we think that’s worth celebrating!

The post Lonely Outsiders and Flying Elephants: Dumbo and the Queer Imaginarium of Tim Burton appeared first on Out Takes.

We also spoke with director Li Cheng about his Guatemalan gay drama, JOSE, which screened as part of the Festival. JOSE is a gentle, coming of age romance and the first film from Central America to be presented in the Venice Film Festival. It was also awarded the Queer Lion in 2018.

The post MQFF 2019 wrap up with ‘Jose’ director Li Cheng appeared first on Out Takes.

We know that cinema has the power to influence the ways that we think about and view the world, and our experiences of it, but does what we see on the big screen shape our health practices? And if so, is queer cinema complicit in perpetuating unhealthy behaviors in the LGBTIQ+ communities?

These are just some of the questions that SMOKESCREEN, a panel initiative hosted by the Melbourne Queer Film Festival in conjunction with Quit Victoria, seeked to address. SMOKE SCREEN was held on 20^th March 2019 and explored the links between queer art, film and culture, and our health and human rights. So to coincide with SMOKESCREEN and to help us interrogate health messaging in Queer Cinema, the Out Takes team were joined by SMOKESCREEN moderator Benjamin Law, who has built a reputation for himself as one of Australia’s foremost authors and social commentators alongside Quit Victoria Director Dr Sarah White.

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Our guests were MQFF Program Director Spiro Economopoulos and BLACK DIVAZ director Adrian Russell Wills.  Spiro gave his picks of the festival and a few hidden gems not to be missed plus we spoke with Wills about his fabulous documentary BLACK DIVAZ which chronicles the journey of six aboriginal drag queens at the inaugural Miss First Nation Pageant and screens as part of the Festival’s Queer First Nations Shorts.

We also revisited our chat with A KID LIKE JAKE screenwriter Daniel Pearle. A KID LIKE JAKE explores what it’s like to raise a gender non conforming child in modern day New York and screens as part of the Festival’s formidable line up of international films.

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Our guest was Michel Richard, the Director of the Alliance Française in Melbourne. We’re speaking with Michel about French cinema and his favourite Festival Picks.

We also reviewed a slew of films screening at the Festival, including Philippe Lasage’s ‘Genesis’, Christophe Honore’s ‘Sorry Angel’ and Lukas Dhont’s ‘Girl’.

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Our first guest was director Jordan Bryon discussing ‘Birds of the Borderlands’, a powerful look at the lives of queer Arab refugees.

Our second guest was director Marco Berger speaking to us about ‘The Blond One’, a slow burn Argentinian drama that celebrates the gay male gaze.

We also recapped the 2019 Academy Awards and took a closer look at the diverse range of winners and the few surprises that took home an Oscar.

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Our guests were Kristian Connelly, the General Manger and Head of Programming at Cinema Nova, and Matthew Wade, the editor of Star Observer. We got Kristian and Matthew to cover off on their favourite Oscars contenders and their picks for which nominees are likely to take home an award.

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Our guest was Simon Chung, director of ‘I Miss You When I See You’, which screened at the Mardi Gras Film Festival. We spoke with Chung about his romantic new take on unrequited love, and his favourite Valentine’s Day flicks.

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Queer Screen’s 26th MGFF hits cinemas in NSW this month with an exciting array of diverse LGBT films.

For more details visit the MGFF website.

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We also count down our favourite queens on the screen, from Cate Blanchett’s career defining portrayal of Elizabeth to Disney’s iconic Evil Queen.

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We’ve looked at Holocaust films that are explicitly gay on Out Takes before: think films like Cabaret, Bent and Paragraph 175. This year, we looked at films that challenge the traditional hetero-normative, linear ways that conventional cinema recalls the Holocaust, without depicting narratives that involve LGBT characters.

Our guests were Eddie Tamir, the owner and operator of Classic, Cameo and Lido cinemas, which have always sought to screen films in remembrance of the Holocaust, and Dr Gerd Bayer, editor of “Holocaust Cinema in the Twenty-First Century: Images, Memory, and the Ethics of Representation.”

Must see: Inglorious Bastards (2009, Dir. Quentin Tarentino)

Hungry for more: The Reader (2009, Dir. Stephen Daldry)

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With the number of refugees around the world proliferating exponentially. Refugee Cinema has become a filmic genre in its own right so it seemed timely that we explore some of the more recent filmic releases that mediate the experiences of LGBT refugees and asylum seekers.

Our guests were Mikko Makela, director of A Moment in the Reeds, and Blerta Zeqiri, director of The Marriage. Both films chart illicit, some-sex love affairs against the backdrop of war torn societies and refugee trauma.

Must see: A Moment in the Reeds (2017, Dir. Mikko Makela)

Hungry for more: The Marriage (2017, Dir. Blerta Zeqiri)

The post LGBT Refugee Cinema with Directors Mikko Makela and Blerta Zeqiri appeared first on Out Takes.

Our guests were Kristian Connelly, General Manager and Programmer at Cinema Nova, and Kirk Marcolina, the director of Australia Says Yes, which screens at the Yarraville Theater later this month. We spoke with both Kristian and Kirk about their most anticipated films of the year.

We also reflected on the winners and losers at this year’s Golden Globes and revisited some of the films and performances that were championed at the awards.

The post The Year Ahead in Queer Cinema appeared first on Out Takes.

Here are some of the films that the Out Takes team chose as their favourites of the year. 

Daniel:

Best film of the year: Custody (Dir. Xavier Legrand) 

Best queer film of the year: A Kid Like Jake (Dir. Silas Howard)

Gina:

Best performance of the year: Victor Polster (Girl) 

Best queer film of the year: BPM (Robin Campillo) 

Alan: 

Best film of the year: A Star is Born (Bradley Cooper)

Best performance of the year: Glenn Close (The Wife)

The post The Best Films of 2018 appeared first on Out Takes.

For this annual special program, the Out Takes team made your Yuletide extra gay this festive season with our guide to the best, most off beat and queerest holigay classics.

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untold story of author and bisexual icon Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette and her famous Claudine novels to the big screen.

Our guest is COLETTE director, Wash Westmoreland (THE FLUFFER, STILL ALICE). We speak with Westmoreland about the message behind his powerful new film, and the importance of bringing diverse queer stories to the big screen.

We also revisiting THE WIFE starring Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce (pictured), which hit cinemas earlier this year. Like COLETTE, THE WIFE tells the story of the woman behind the man, and furnishes a powerful commentary on gender relations and the modern politics of gender relations.

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This retrospective includes conversations with:

LUCA GUADAGNINO, the director of Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria and A Bigger Splash.

BARRY JENKINS, whose Academy Award winning dissertation on modern identity politics, Moonlight, reinvented the boundaries of gay cinema.

DESIREE AKHAVAN, whose breakout film Appropriate Behaviour established her as a critical voice in LGBT cinema.

SEBASTIAN LELIO, the Academy Award winning director of Gloria, Disobedience and A Fantastic Woman.

JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL, who launched himself into stardom with Hedwig and the Angry Inch and has since directed films like Shortbus and Rabbit Hole.

The post Retrospective: Auteurs of Modern Queer Cinema appeared first on Out Takes.

This retrospective includes conversations with:

Sue Maslin, the producer of iconic Australian films like The Dressmaker and A Japanese Story.

Ana Kokkinos, the ground breaking director of Head On, Blessed and Only the Brave.

Jill Billcock, one of the world’s most revered and respected film editors responsible for editing films like Moulin Rouge! and Elizabeth. 

Stephan Elliot, the director of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Swinging Safari.  

The post Retrospective: Australian Cinema and LGBT Representation appeared first on Out Takes.

To celebrate, we spoke with the iconic director of WEEKEND and LOOKING, Andrew Haigh, about his new film LEAN ON PETE, his broader filmic legacy, and the importance of queer cinema.

We also took a look back at some of our best and worst and favourite moments on air, and ask our listeners what their favourite queer films are so that we can cover them over our next 150 episodes. 

Tune into this Out Takes podcast to celebrate our birthday with us!

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So this week on Out Takes, we looked at queer monster cinema, and the way that monsters feature as an allegory for otherness or queer experience in mainstream cinema: think The Shape of Water or The Babadook.

Our guest was Monster Fest programmer and festival director, Grant Hardie. Hardie has worked in the Australian film industry for over twenty years and is also the co-founder of Monster Pictures.

Tune into this Out Takes podcast for your guide to queer monster cinema, this year’s Monster Fest and the latest instalment in JK Rowling’s Potterverse.

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 Our guests were Rubi Gat, the director of DEAR FREDY, and Shira Clara Winter, the director of CONVENTIONAL SINS. DEAR FREDY documents the life of Fredy Hirsch, an unsung queer hero who risked his life to save hundreds of minors in Auschwitz. CONVENTIONAL SINS is a brave and vital exploration of child sex abuse in a Jerusalem based Hasidic community. We also took a look at RED COW, the award winning new Lesbian romance from Tsivia Barkai, which screens at the Festival as well. For more information about JIFF and it’s line up of films from around the world head to jiff.com.au 

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Our guests were music icon Lukas Nelson, who recently hit screens with a role in A STAR IS BORN, and Jessica Leski, the director of I USED TO BE NORMAL: A BOYBAND FANGIRL STORY, which hits cinemas later this month. I USED TO BE NORMAL explores the complex emotions of passionate pop-music appreciation.

We also reviewed BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, the controversial new Freddie Mercury biopic from director Bryan Singer. BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY has soared at the international box office, but it has received mixed reviews and has been lambasted for straight washing and queer erasure. So do we agree? What’s the OUT TAKES take? Tune into this podcast to find out.

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This week on Out Takes, to celebrate the theatrical release of Boy Erased, we spoke with Edgerton (pictured) about his powerful new film. Based on Garrard Conley’s urgent memoir, Boy Erased follows the son of a Baptist preacher, who is forced to undergo a church-supported gay conversion program after being outed to his parents. It also stars Nicole Kidman, Lucas Hedges, Troye Sivan, Xaviar Dolan and Russell Crowe.

We also reviewed the film in depth and look at why Boy Erased is such an important and timely addition to the canon of queer cinema.

The post Boy Erased with Writer, Director and Star Joel Egerton appeared first on Out Takes.

We’re also joined by our very special guest Lukas Nelson (pictured), son of legendary country music star Willie Nelson, who worked with Cooper and Gaga to write and produce many of the original songs for the latest version of A Star Is Born and also featured with his bandmates from his own band Promise of the Real who double as Jackson Maine’s band in the film. Lukas opens about the process of taking his musical talent to the big screen, what influenced (and in this case, what didn’t influence him) when writing songs for the amazing soundtrack and his own observations on fame, Gaga and more.

The Out Takes team also look at all four versions of this iconic story and decide once and for all which version is the best of the best (hint: it’s the one that came out this year).

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To celebrate the theatrical release of WESTWOOD: PUNK, ICON, ACTIVIST, we spoke with Tucker about her new documentary, and took the opportunity to look at Queercore cinema – queer films that celebrate punk culture: think Bruce la Bruce’s controversial RASPBERRY REICH, Kenneth Anger’s SCORPIO RISING and the now canonical but then iconoclastic PINK FLAMINGOS.

The post Queercore Cinema with WESTWOOD Director Lorna Tucker appeared first on Out Takes.

So this week on Out Takes, as Melbourne prepared to open its arms to the most famous chanteuse of our times, we turned the spotlight on the controversial, kitsch, award winning film career of the one and only Cher: from her on-screen debut in GOOD TIMES (1967) to her recent turn in MAMMA MIA: HERE WE GO AGAIN.

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Our guest was A KID LIKE JAKE screenwriter Daniel Pearle, who developed the script from his similarly titled 2012 stage play. We hear from Daniel about his delicate new film and its authentic representation of trans and gender diverse experience.

We also welcomed Miranda Sparks from JOY’s own THE GENDER AGENDA to the Out Takes studio. We spoke with Miranda about the political and filmic milieu surrounding A KID LIKE JAKE and why the on screen representation of the trans experience is so important.

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Our guest was senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne and prolific writer Lauren Rosewarne, whose thesis Part-Time Perverts explores the incest trope in western pop culture. We spoke with Rosewarne about why so many queer films stake their plots on the representation of this taboo.

We also reviewed a range of queer films which deal with the incest trope, including Pascal-Alex Vincent’s 2008 French road movie GIVE ME YOUR HAND and Bernardo Bertolucci’s controversial THE DREAMERS. 

The post The Incest Trope in Queer Films appeared first on Out Takes.

Out guest was Peter Ettedgui, the director of MCQUEEN, which is now in cinemas. MCQUEEN explores the life of British fashion designer Alexander McQueen, who gained notice as designer for Givenchy before launching his own label.

We also took a look at MCKELLEN: PLAYING THE PART, the much anticipated new documentary about Sir Ian McKellen. MCKELLEN: PLAYING THE PART hits cinemas later this month.

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Our guests were Omar Al Dakheel and Mojan Nourbakhsh, who both have films screening at the QSFF. Omar is the director of ABLUTION, which charts the relationship between a disabled Muslim father and his gay son. Mojan stars in MASKS, which tells the story of an Iranian Jewish Lesbian caught in a shooting at a gay club.

We also reviewed a number of other short films that deal with the tension between religion and sexuality, including WREN BOYS and SALAMGAN, which both deal with the tension between homosexuality and Catholicism and screen at QSFF later this month.

QSFF kicks off in Sydney later this month. For more information head to queerscreen.org.au

The post Religion and Homosexuality in Short Format Films appeared first on Out Takes.

The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is in full swing and this week we’re celebrating by taking stock of some of our Festival favorites so far.

MIFF is the leading film festival in Australia and one of the world’s oldest film festivals. It presents a curated global program of innovative screen experiences and the world’s largest showcase of exceptional Australian filmmaking.

MIFF is also home to an annual line up of formidable LGBT themed films. This program includes reviews of some of our favourites from this year’s program, including:

• A Kid Like Jake (USA, Dir. Silas Howard)
• Antonio Lopez 1970: Sex, Fashion & Disco (USA, James Crump)
• Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot (USA, Dir. Gus Van Sant)
• Hard Paint (Brazil, Dir. Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon)
• Girl (Netherlands, Dir. Lukas Dhont)
• McQueen (UK, Dir. Ian Bonhôte)
• Sorry Angel (France, Dir. Chrisophe Honeré)

We’re also joined by Adrian Wootton OBE, CEO of Film London & The British Film Commission, who is in town for MIFF. We chat with Adrian about his ties to the Festival, the importance of cross-cultural relations in the film industry, and what the industry can do to promote on-screen diversity.

The post Your Queer Guide to the Melbourne International Film Festival – Part Two appeared first on Out Takes.

Our guest was film maker and radical body politics activist Kelli Jean Drinkwater. We chatted with Drinkwater about her new documentary, ‘Nothing to Lose’, which screens as part of the Queer Screen Film Fest next month. ‘Nothing to Lose’ charts the production of the similarly titled stage performance, which sought to give choreographic language to larger bodies.

We also spoke with Drinkwater about the representation of fat bodies in film. We know that representation matters; that seeing ourselves on screen is important. So why are there so few larger bodies on our screen? We unpacked this loaded question as we celebrate films that are fat and fabulous!

Essential viewing: Hairspray (Dir. John Waters, 1988)

Hungry for more: Camp (Dir. Todd Graff, 2003)

The post Fat and Fabulous appeared first on Out Takes.

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Our guests were The Story of the Stone director Starr Wu and the Taiwan Film Festival director Benson Wu. The Story of the Stone is a lavish new film that gives a modern gay twist to one of China’s most iconic literary love stories. It screens in Sydney this weekend as part of the Taiwan Film Festival. We spoke with both guests about queer cinema in Taiwan and what it is that’s making queer Taiwanese cinema more popular now than ever.

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The #YouMustSee campaign calls on audiences to celebrate their favorite Australian films in support of the #MakeItAustralian campaign, which highlights the importance of a sustainable national screen industry.

Our guest was Adelaide Film Festival director, Amanda Duthie. We spoke with Duthie about the #YouMustSee campaign and the importance of autonomous and successful local films.

We looked at some of our top #YouMustSee films, as well as some queer Australian forgotten gems, which highlight the importance of local queer representation on the big screen.

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There’s nothing better than staying rugged up with some kitsch feel good film while the Winter winds howl outside. So for this Out Takes, we wished away our winter blues by looking at our favourite queer, feel good winter warmers: think HAIRSPRAY, THE SKELETON TWINS and THE GREATEST SHOWMAN. 

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We were also joined by DANCING THE INVISIBLE producer Sue Maslin, whose producing credits include The Dressmaker and A Japanese Story. We spoke with Sue about the importance of an excellent editor, what makes Jill’s work so compelling, and the importance of celebrating powerful female film makers.

The post Dancing the Invisible and the Art of Editing with Jill Bilcock and Sue Maslin appeared first on Out Takes.

Our guest was Mitchell himself, who spoke to us in an exclusive chat about why he thinks HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH has continued to resonate for nearly 20 years, and how it fits into the current cinematic and political landscape.

John Cameron Mitchell will perform his one man show, THE ORIGIN OF LOVE: THE SONGS AND STORIES OF HEDWIG, at the Arts Centre, Melbourne this July.

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