Geelong Pride Film Festival to bring Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut, a premiere of US lesbian film, and a 40th anniversary screening to theatres across the region

The annual film festival is a celebration of bold storytelling and community celebrations.

The Geelong Pride Film Festival (GPFF) returns from 30 April to 10 May 2026, promising an exhilarating program of LGBTIQ+ cinema across some of Geelong’s most iconic cultural venues. With screenings spanning the Pivotonian Cinema, Platform Arts, Geelong Arts Centre, Village Cinemas Geelong, and the newly rebranded Bellarine Arts Centre (Potato Shed), GPFF continues to cement its role as a vital platform for queer stories, local filmmaking talent, and immersive cultural experiences.

This year’s festival, curated under the new Festival Director Louise Lever, signals both a continuation and evolution of GPFF’s mission: celebrating cinematic excellence while fostering meaningful engagement with the city’s artistic heart.

Geelong Pride Film Festival

When: 30 April – 10 May 2026

Where: Venues include Pivotonian Cinema, Platform Arts, Geelong Arts Centre, Village Cinemas Geelong, and Bellarine Arts Centre

Keep up to date with all things arts, exhibitions and stage here.

 

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Directorial Debuts of Distinction and Groundbreaking World Premieres

GPFF 2026 offers audiences a rare opportunity to witness debut works and premieres that push the boundaries of storytelling. Highlights include:

• Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut, The Chronology of Water, a highly anticipated feature that cements her evolution from screen icon to visionary filmmaker.
• The US lesbian film Drip Like Coffee, an intimate story of transformation between two Brooklyn baristas.
• The Australian documentary Tasty, recounting the 1990s police raid through the lens of director Cameron Collett.
• Big Johnny, a poignant tale of self-discovery in Melbourne’s drag scene, directed by Jeanie Kane.
• The documentary 3000 Lesbians Go to York, chronicling the UK’s largest gathering of LGBTQ+ women, and Plainclothes, starring Russell Tovey and Tom Blyth, rounding out a weekend rich with narrative and emotional depth.

Short film enthusiasts will delight in approximately 40 carefully curated shorts, from Gender Frontiers, exploring transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse lives, to Lesbian Shorts, Gay Shorts, and the uplifting finale collection Happy Endings.

 

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All Aboard for a 40th Anniversary Screening

This year, the festival offers a unique journey for Melbourne audiences: the V/Line Pride Train will carry guests directly to Platform Arts, Geelong’s contemporary and experimental arts hub, just a short stroll through Johnstone Park from Geelong Train Station. There, audiences will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the queer classic Desert Hearts, a landmark in lesbian cinema.

While Platform Arts hosts this historic screening, On the Sea, an award-winning Welsh drama, will play the same evening at The Pivotonian Cinema, giving festival-goers a choice between two compelling cinematic experiences. Completing the program is the Brazilian erotic thriller Night Stage, ensuring that opening weekend offers both reflection on queer film history and a pulse on contemporary global storytelling.

 

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A Launch Party Full of Pride

The festival kicks off with a celebratory launch at Platform Arts on 9 April 2026 at 6:30 PM, before its formal opening on 30 April at the Geelong Arts Centre. Guests will enjoy an evening with Festival Director Louise Lever and Festival Chair Stephen Ryan, exploring the carefully curated program while sampling Great Ocean Gin. The evening promises conversation, connection, and a tangible sense of pride as the community gathers to celebrate film, identity, and creativity.

GPFF thrives not only as a film festival but as a vital contributor to Geelong’s cultural fabric. By partnering with Platform Arts, Geelong Arts Centre, Bellarine Arts Centre, The Pivotonian (who are currently hosting screenings for Alliance French Film Festival), and Village Cinemas Geelong, the festival maximises the use of state-of-the-art facilities while elevating existing exhibitions and programs. These collaborations ensure that local audiences experience international and national queer cinema in settings designed to inspire engagement and reflection, embedding GPFF firmly within the city’s vibrant arts ecosystem.

This year’s program is supported by a generous network of sponsors, including Energy Australia, Provincial Media, WorkSafe Victoria, Meli, MacKillop Family Services, Great Ocean Road Gin, the Victorian Government, City of Greater Geelong, Thorne Harbour Health, Q Psychology, Deakin University, Snap Printing, Platform Arts, Geelong Arts Centre, Bellarine Arts Centre, Valley Road Nursery, Ballroom Baby, and Post Lab IO. Their support enables GPFF to remain a festival of discovery, inclusivity, and bold storytelling.

Tickets are now on sale, with screenings spanning from intimate shorts collections to grand cinematic experiences. The 9th Geelong Pride Film Festival promises to be a celebration of identity, artistry, and community in the heart of Geelong.

The full program can be discovered here.