The festival will showcase the latest and greatest in queer films from around the world, engaging public programmes, and exciting special events. There will be 49 feature films and documentaries, 12 short film packages, 35 Australian premieres and 4 Melbourne premieres.

Opening the festival is the Melbourne premiere of ‘Private Desert’ (2021) directed by Aly Curitiba. The story follows Sara, a gender fluid blue-collar worker living as her male birth identity Robson in an online relationship with Daniel. When Sara disappears, Daniel drives 2,000 miles across Brazil to find her.

Then, to close the festivities will be ‘Uýra: The Rising Forest’ (2022) directed by Juliana Curi. Travelling throughout the Amazon, trans Indigenous artist Uýra embarks on a journey of self-discovery using performance art and ancestral messages to teach Indigenous youth and confront structural racism and transphobia in Brazil.

“The 32nd MQFF continues to bring the best of world queer culture to Melbourne and we couldn’t be happier that the festival is returning in all its glory in 2022,” MQFF CEO David Harris says.

'Private Desert'

“The entire MQFF programme is full of diverse films which are stunning, emotional, beautiful, heart-breaking, hilarious and boundary-pushing. We can’t wait to share all these films with our audiences.”

The 2022 Australian Feature Of The Year will be the Melbourne premiere of ‘The Longest Weekend’ (2022), set in Sydney’s inner west and directed by Molly Haddon. It depicts the lives of three disconnected siblings whose lives are turned upside-down when they find themselves forced to live under the same roof.

The MQFF Awards And Shorts will celebrate the brightest and best in Australian queer filmmakers. These shorts highlight the richness in storytelling and the breadth of original talent working in Australia today.

The full programme will be announced 13 October.

Melbourne Queer Film Festival 2022 is on from 10-21 November.