PRESS RELEASE
To celebrate Pride Month this June, Queer Screen is proud to partner with Inner West Council to present the Pride Screenings & Market — a vibrant one-day celebration of love, identity and community.
Taking place on Sunday 22 June from 11:30am to 7:30pm at Leichhardt Town Hall, this free event will feature a lively mix of market stalls, film screenings and a panel discussion.
Sneak peek at some of the market stalls, including Better Read Than Dead bookstore, Qweer Clothing, ACON, and The Polly’s Club. The full list of Market vendors and stalls will be announced closer to the event date.
This collaboration between Queer Screen and Inner West Council reflects a shared goal of activating the Inner West (and Leichhardt Town Hall) as a vibrant space for
LGBTQIA+ celebration. It’s a meaningful opportunity to bring the community together in a spirit of pride, inclusivity and joyful connection — while also supporting local businesses and grassroots organisations in the Inner West.
“This free screenings program encapsulates everything that Pride should be about: community, activism, perseverance and joy. This is an opportunity for us to come together to not only celebrate the progress LGBTIQ+ people have made and the opportunities we have to live our lives openly and authentically, but also unite against the ongoing struggles facing our community, both abroad and right here in Australia.” said Programming & Industry Manager Andrew Wilkie.
From 11:30am – Market Opens
Leichhardt Town Hall will be transformed into a buzzing hub of queer joy and community spirit. Attendees can browse a diverse range of market stalls and enjoy delicious offerings from local food vendors. LGBTIQ+ community organisations will also be present, to provide information and opportunities to connect, learn and get involved.
1:30pm – Australian Premiere: Heightened Scrutiny Screening
The day continues with the Australian Premiere of Heightened Scrutiny. Direct from Sundance, award-winning director Sam Feder’s (Disclosure) latest documentary dismantles anti-trans disinformation and highlights its devastating real-world impact, with insights from familiar faces including Elliot Page (Juno, Close to You) and Laverne Cox (Orange is the New Black).
ACLU attorney Chase Strangio, the first out trans person to argue before the Supreme Court, fights a high-stakes legal battle to overturn Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth (United States v. Skrmetti). The film exposes the dangerous role mainstream media has played in fuelling anti-trans legislation, uncovering how biased coverage drives hate, endangers lives and threatens democracy itself.
Stick around after the screening for a thought-provoking panel discussion with Teddy Cook (Chair of #TransEquality) and Jackie Turner (Director of Trans Justice Project). The discussion will shift focus closer to home, exploring the current state of trans rights in Australia, the recent ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth in Queensland and what can be done to push for lasting change.
4:00pm – Out & Proud Shorts Screening
This selection of audience favourite short films from the most recent Mardi Gras Film Festival showcases the diversity of the LGBTIQ+ community as they overcome obstacles – both external and internal – to live their lives openly with authenticity and pride.
International titles include animated gem Dragfox by Lisa Ott, starring Ian McKellen as the voice of a gender-affirming fox; multi-award winner One Day This Kid by Alexander Farah, about an Afghan Canadian kid coming to terms with his sexuality; Is Gay Marriage Next?, a touching exploration of the impact a single magazine cover had on director Emily Clark; the poetic Skin by Leo Behrens, exposing the inner struggle to accept one’s gender identity; plus the joyful Really Good Driver by Alex Song-Xia, featuring Keiko Agena (Gilmore Girls) as a mum trying to connect with her adult queer child.
They’re joined by two Australian films and 2025 My Queer Career winners: Die Bully Die by Nathan Lacey and Nick Lacey, about a gay man finally confronting his high school bully seventeen years later; and With Love, Lottie by Lily Drummond, about a disabled queer teen seeking guidance on navigating the complicated world of dating.
6:00pm – Queer Comedy Shorts Screening
Finishing the day on a high, this gleeful selection of comedy shorts was made to be enjoyed in a room full of cackling queers – skewering everything from dating mishaps and cruising misadventures, to gender reveal parties and the dreaded voicemail overshare. This package of films includes two local shorts: Single by Tilly Robba and Steph Jowett, about a group of Inner West housemates bamboozling their way through a kaleidoscope of psychedelic romantic encounters; and Why Not Both? by Mansoor
Noor, about a bi man’s dilemma when the man and woman he’s dating seem a bit too similar.
They’re joined by international titles ILY, BYE by Taylor James, starring scene-stealer Megan Stalter (Hacks) at her chaotic best; winner of the 2023 Queer Screen Film Fest Audience Award, 100% USDA Certified Organic Homemade Tofu by Gbenga Komolafe; laugh-out-loud Canadian comedy Gender Reveal by Mo Matton; an ode to new beginnings at any age, First Date by Clara Panelles; the bawdy laughs of cruising comedy Foraging by Matthew Jacobs Morgan, and F**KED by Sara Harrak, showing an unexpected conversation sparked by a lesbian couple opening their marriage.
All screenings are free to attend, but registration is strongly encouraged due to limited capacity at the venue. For more information, please visit: https://queerscreen.org.au/