Melbourne Documentary Film Festival (MDFF) with special guest James Lewis for ‘Out Laws’

Melbourne Documentary Film Festival (MDFF) with special guest James Lewis for ‘Out Laws’

Author: JOY 94.9 - LGBTI, LGBTIQA+, LGBTQIA+, LGBT, LGBTQ, LGB, Gay, Lesbian, Trans, Intersex, Queer Podcasts for all our Rainbow Communities June 30, 2026 Duration: 48:18

For this Out Takes, we dedicated it to the return of MDFF aka Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, which is celebrating its 10th year this July in bringing quality films online and in cinema for Melbourne cinephiles that amplify marginalised voices and share stories from here and around the world.

One of the LGBTQIA+ documentary’s on offer this year is ‘Out Laws’ which follows three queer activist-litigants – Friedel from Namibia, Rosanna from Sri Lanka and Raven from Barbados – as they take their governments to court over the colonial-era laws that still criminalise same-sex intimacy across 60+ countries. The film premiered at BFI Flare in March to a standing ovation and five-star reviews in Screen Daily and will be screening with a selection of queer short films on Sunday July 12 from 5.15pm at Cinema Nova. Our special guest was James Lewis online from London who is the codirector of ‘Out Laws’ and the co-founder of The Good Side and Head of Productions, where he steers the agency’s film work. James has 20 years of experience as a producer in TV news, branded content and impact documentary filmmaking. ‘Out Laws’ is James’ first feature documentary and is a result of a decade working to support the decriminalisation movement and provided excellent insight and context into this must-see documentary.

We followed that up with reviews of two fantastic short films that are also on offer at this year’s MDFF; “Sheesh, A Taylor Love Story” that documents Filipino Taylor Swift impersonator Taylor Sheesh and explores how her drag performances have transformed Swiftie fandom into a movement of joy, empowerment, and belonging; and ‘The Last Closet’ which is directed by Reese Leigh and explores why the AFL remained the last major sports league without an openly queer male player, and examines inclusion within Australian sports.

The post Melbourne Documentary Film Festival (MDFF) with special guest James Lewis for ‘Out Laws’ appeared first on Out Takes.


Dive into the rich and ever-evolving world of queer cinema with Out Takes. This isn't just a series of reviews; it's a thoughtful exploration of how LGBTQIA+ stories on screen intersect with the wider world. Each episode places films and television within a broader cultural, political, and cinematic context, asking what these narratives say about us and the society we live in. You'll hear insightful interviews with creators, critics, and community voices, offering perspectives that go far beyond a simple plot summary. Presented by JOY 94.9, this podcast is a vital resource for anyone interested in the depth and diversity of rainbow storytelling. Whether discussing a groundbreaking new release or re-examining a classic through a contemporary lens, the conversations are always engaging and substantive. Tune in for a deeper appreciation of how queer film both reflects and shapes our collective experience. Find Out Takes for a regular dose of analysis and celebration dedicated to all our communities.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Out Takes
Podcast Episodes
‘Heated Rivalry’ plus films we’re looking forward to in 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:41
Even though we are at the start of a new year, we wanted to take the time to spotlight a TV series that came out at the end of 2025 that has literally taken over social media (and our lives) plus made us all into big fan…
Out Takes 2025 Interview Highlights [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:33
With 2025 coming to a close, we thought it would be a good time to revisit some of our favourite interviews from the past 12 months. We’ve been fortunate to speak to so many great filmmakers, actors and industry creative…
Out Takes Best of 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:12
We know that ‘Best of’ lists can be problematic but with the end of the year fast approaching we wanted to share with you some of our favourite queer films and television shows for 2025. In no particular order, we offere…
Out Takes celebrates 10 years on air! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:56
The year was 2016 and two weeks out from Christmas, a new show started on JOY that promised to bring you the best in queer film and television every week… and on Monday December 15, Out Takes celebrated 10 years on air a…
JOY’s 32nd anniversary and World AIDS Day 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:27
For this special Out Takes episode, we headed back in time then back to the future in honour of JOY 94.9’s 32nd on-air anniversary and World AIDs Day 2025. We started off by using the 1993 December 1st start date for JOY…
MQFF 2025, He Had It Coming and Eclipse Cinema [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:55
For this Out Takes, we welcomed the return of Melbourne’s very own queer film festival with a selection of reviews, took a look at a new local show that promises to be a feisty feminist murder mystery plus we checked in…
All’s Fair, MQFF 2025 and Prime Minister [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:34
For this Out Takes, we kept it eclectic by discussing the latest all-star female focused series from Ryan Murphy that the internet cannot get enough of, a documentary about one of the most respected and queer friendly wo…