Mardi Gras Film Festival moves home
Queer Screen have announced that the 2011 Mardi Gras Film Festival will be moved to the Hoyts Cinemas Complex at the Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park.
Queer Screen will have the use of three screens across Cinema Paris and the Hoyts Multiplex, allowing it to put on the largest line-up of films it has screened in nearly a decade.
The move was made necessary after the closing of Academy Twin cinema on Oxford St in Paddington in June this year. It closed after Palace Cinemas failed to reach an agreement on the lease with building owners, The Greek Orthodox Community.
The Academy Twin had been the long-term home of the Mardi Gras Film Festival, with films also showing at Newtown’s Dendy Cinema in recent years.
The agreement with Hoyts does not effect Queer Screen’s commitment to bringing queer cinema to the Inner West through festival screenings at the Dendy.
“We’re just thrilled with our new home,” festival director Lex Lindsay said.
“At Hoyts EQ our queer stories will look and sound even more beautiful than ever, while the wealth of screens at a multiplex has allowed us to offer our audience more sessions and more opportunity to see all the films they want to see.”
Queer Screen general manager Jain Moralee said audience needs were changing and access to unlimited cheap parking was now as important to the festival’s audience as having access to Oxford St.
“We’re working with bars, restaurants and cafes in the Entertainment Quarter to offer the full experience of dinner, movie and drinks, all with convenient parking for just $6,” she told the Star Observer.
“There’ll be a real festival village atmosphere at EQ for those two weeks, and we are grateful to Hoyts for the partnership opportunity.”
The 2011 Mardi Gras Film Festival will screen 12 more sessions than the 2010 festival and special access has been granted to premium La Premiere seating for top billing films.
Nason Aylmer of Hoyts Cinemas said they welcomed the Mardi Gras Film Festival and the partnership with Queer Screen.
“Cinema Paris and Hoyts Cinemas at the Entertainment Quarter are popular destinations for film festivals such as this and we delighted to host this important cultural event.”
A little tease
The Australian premiere of Geoffrey Sax’s critically-acclaimed film Christopher and His Kind will be screened as part of next year’s Mardi Gras Film Festival.
The film tells the story of celebrated author Christopher Isherwood (Matt Smith) who escapes the stifling culture of hometown England to the decadent culture of 1930s Berlin.
Last year Queer Screen premiered the Tom Ford-directed A Single Man, also based on Isherwood’s life.
info: The Mardi Gras Film Festival, presented by Queer Screen runs February 17 – March 3 at Cinema Paris, Entertainment Quarter and Dendy Newtown. The festival guide hits the streets on January 18
