St Ali Italian Film Festival 2025 with special guest Margherita Ferri

St Ali Italian Film Festival 2025 with special guest Margherita Ferri

Author: JOY 94.9 - LGBTI, LGBTIQA+, LGBTQIA+, LGBT, LGBTQ, LGB, Gay, Lesbian, Trans, Intersex, Queer Podcasts for all our Rainbow Communities September 16, 2025 Duration: 53:25

Disclaimer: the two films discussed on this episode deal with the topic of suicide and domestic violence and our commentary may contain content that could be distressing to some people so listener discretion is advised.

For this Out Takes we’re saying Bentornato to the St Ali Italian Film Festival which is back this spring in Palace Cinemas across Australia from September 17, delivering a Bellissimo selection of box office hits and award-winning films. We started with a review of ‘Il ragazzo dai pantaloni rosa’, also known as ‘The Boy with Pink Trousers’, which has become a cultural phenomenon and box office sensation in Italy. This incredibly moving, emotional and heartbreaking drama explores the real story behind Italy’s first publicised case of online bullying through the short life of Andrea Spezzacatene. A gifted student and a talented singer, Andrea longs to make friends and fit in at his new school but he soon falls prey to Christian, a charming student with a darker side. Then events take a turn for the worse for Andrea as the school bullying intensifies. We were honoured to be joined by Margherita Ferri, the film’s director, for a long form chat about her involvement in the film, the importance of telling this story through a queer lens and more.

We also took a look at ‘Diamanti’ (Diamonds), the 15ht film from celebrated gay Turkish-Italian film director and screenwriter Ferzan Özpetek which is also having its Australian premiere at this year’s festival. This Italian box office hit is a gorgeous tribute to the costume designers and seamstresses whose great craftsmanship bring to life the magic of cinema and is inspired by Özpetek’s personal experience frequenting film and theatre tailoring shops in the 1980s and the incredible women he encountered in these high-pressure environments.

 

The post St Ali Italian Film Festival 2025 with special guest Margherita Ferri 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…