Aurora’s feast of queer viewing
The not-for-profit subscription community channel Aurora is celebrating the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras with a feast of queer-themed programming over the next two months.
Highlights throughout February and March include new episodes of Queer TV, with performances by last year’s Mardi Gras showgirls Alexis Jordan and Wynter Gordon (pictured), plus new episodes of Drags Aloud, a show starring a cabaret troupe of Melbourne-based drag queens including Jessica James, Kris Del Vayz, Linda Lamont and Amanda Monroe.
The group, which has performed to acclaim at London’s West End and the Edinburgh Film Festival, is renowned for holding the record for being the longest running drag show in the history of Melbourne’s drag industry.
And on Sunday March 4th, Aurora will share with audiences the documentary film The Hidden History of Homosexual Australia, which journeys the history of gays and lesbians over the past 200 years – from the early colonial days, through to the present. The film takes an inside look into the treatment ofhomosexuals, and how our attitudes and opinions have evolved throughout this time.
As partner of the Mardi Gras Film Festival and Melbourne Queer Film Festival, Aurora will also draw attention to the work of Australian GLBTQI filmmakers by showcasing My Queer Career – a new series bringing together a selection of short films from past years featured in the IF Award winning category of the Mardi Gras Film Festival.
“Our 2012 Mardi Gras programming is a significant milestone for the channel. Lending our support to two of the world’s premiere queer film festivals has unleashed a wealth of quality Australian made films,” said Aurora Programming and Production Manager Corrie McDougall.
