Queer Screen director Lisa Rose to marry same-sex partner

Festival Director of Queer Screen, Lisa Rose, has announced her engagement to her partner Annika ahead of this year’s festival.

While presenting the festival program to an audience of 600 earlier this week, Rose jokingly said it would be the perfect time to propose to her girlfriend, but she wouldn’t because Annika would kill her.

However, the later in the week, Rose told her that she regretted not doing it, to which Annika immediately proposed to her.

“I feel elated,” she said.

“We were watching RuPaul’s Drag Race when she proposed – I paused it of course.

“I was just so happy.”

In light of Australia achieving marriage equality, Rose said marrying her same-sex partner feels possible for the first time in her life.

“I’m 40 years old and come from parents who have been happily married for nearly 50 years,” she said.

“So to finally be able to have the ability to get married here is pretty incredible.

“Hopefully we can emulate mine and her parents’ long and happy marriages.”

When asked what she loves the most about her new fiancé, Rose said her support is up there as the most important.

“She is incredibly kind, she makes me laugh every day, and she just gets me,” she said.

“She’s a professional cellist and I have a pretty full on job that involves all hours and her having to watch many LGBTI films, which I’m incredibly grateful for.

“She always without a doubt supports me and it means the world to me.”

Queer Screen’s Mardi Gras Film Festival runs from February 15 – March 1. For more information and to buy tickets click here.