Melbourne Women in Film Festival 2026, The Moment and A Friend of Dorothy

Melbourne Women in Film Festival 2026, The Moment and A Friend of Dorothy

Author: JOY 94.9 - LGBTI, LGBTIQA+, LGBTQIA+, LGBT, LGBTQ, LGB, Gay, Lesbian, Trans, Intersex, Queer Podcasts for all our Rainbow Communities March 10, 2026 Duration: 51:28

For this Out Takes, we welcomed the return of the Melbourne Women in Film Festival. Running from March 19–23 across ACMI and Fed Square, this year’s program continues to bring together bold works from Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and Pasifika. Over four days, audiences can look forward to premiere screenings, restorations, creator conversations and hands-on workshops—an immersive celebration of diverse perspectives and the homegrown visionaries shaping the screen industry’s future. The Melbourne Women in Film Festival recently unveiled its landmark tenth-year program, marking a decade of championing women and gender-diverse filmmakers from Australia and beyond. We caught up with Festival Director Dr Sian Mitchell to discuss this year’s program and much more.

We also reviewed ‘The Moment’, a new film that turns the spotlight on Charli XCX as we go behind the scenes for a hilarious look at the life of a popstar as she navigates the complexities of fame and industry pressure while preparing for her arena tour debut.

Finally, we took a look at ‘A Friend of Dorothy’, a new short film that is delightfully queer and in the running to win an Oscar too.

The post Melbourne Women in Film Festival 2026, The Moment and A Friend of Dorothy 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: 100

Out Takes
Podcast Episodes
‘My Melbourne’ and the 2025 Melbourne Women in Film Festival [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:15
We love celebrating local films that highlight diversity and representation and ‘My Melbourne’ is one worth celebrating. Themed around four pillars – sexuality, gender, disability, and race – the anthology film ‘My Melbo…
Out Takes Extra: Tara Thorne for ‘Lakeview’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:17
For this Out Takes Extra, Demetra spoke to Tara Thorne, the writer / director of ‘Lakeview’ which is screening as part of the QueerScreen Mardis Gras FIlm Festival On Demand program until March 10. ‘Lakeview’ is about a…
The Out Takes Guide to the 2025 Academy Awards [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:08
For this Out Takes, we dedicated the entire show to the 97th Academy Awards a.k.a. the 2025 Oscars! It’s no secret that we love the international film award season and it was another interesting take on the ‘best’ in cin…
Invisible Boys, Queer and AIDC 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:39
For this Out Takes it was a mixed bag of reviews and interviews to celebrate the arrival of a new Aussie series based on a much loved queer coming of age novel, the latest release from Italian auteur Luca Guadagnino and…
Europa Europa Film Festival plus reviews, reviews, reviews! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:34
It’s no secret that we love highlighting local film festivals and the talent behind it and for this Out Takes we were delighted to welcome back Artistic Director Spiro Economopoulos to tell us about the 2025 Europa Europ…
Out Takes Extra: John Crowley for ‘We Live in Time’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:13
The latest release from award winning Irish film and theatre director John Crowley is called ‘We Live in Time’, starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, which is in cinemas now. These two incredible actors are brought…
Spotlight on the 2025 Midsumma Movie Program [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:04
Midsumma Festival is back in 2025 with an explosion of queer events that centre around hidden and mainstream queer culture, involving local, interstate, and international artists including a fantastic range of film event…