Film lovers are heading to The Piccadilly in North Adelaide for four days of LGBTQIA+ cinema, community and unapologetic queer joy. Running from 11 to 15 November as part of Feast Festival, the Adelaide Queer Film Festival 2026 combines cult favourites, new releases, local shorts and family viewing in one lively programme.
Essential Takeaways
- Four days of cinema: AQFF runs from Wednesday 11 to Sunday 15 November at The Piccadilly in North Adelaide.
- A joyful programme: Highlights include Bound, The Birdcage, The Watermelon Woman, 9 to 5 and Turning Red.
- Something for families: The Turning Red matinee offers a more accessible daytime option.
- Local voices matter: Queercore Bites showcases short films curated by Chronosonder Productions.
- Tickets are available: The full programme and bookings can be found through the Feast Festival website.
Adelaide's queer film festival returns with a joyful edge
The strongest thread running through AQFF 2026 is its celebration of queer joy, but the programme doesn't confuse joy with fluff. Alongside camp comedy and crowd-pleasing favourites, audiences can expect films about identity, friendship, desire, history and belonging.
According to Glam Adelaide, the festival will take over The Piccadilly as part of Feast Festival, Adelaide's LGBTQIA+ arts and cultural celebration. That setting feels especially fitting: a cinema becomes more than a room with a screen when audiences recognise themselves, or their communities, in the stories unfolding there.
Cult classics meet landmark queer cinema
Two major anniversary screenings give the festival plenty of nostalgic sparkle. Bound and The Birdcage both mark 30 years, offering audiences a chance to revisit films that helped bring queer characters and relationships into mainstream conversation.
The programme also includes Cheryl Dunye's The Watermelon Woman, a landmark work that remains striking for its inventive approach to race, lesbian identity and film history. Meanwhile, 9 to 5 brings a Dolly Parton-shaped dose of wit and workplace rebellion, because few things improve a festival schedule like a little rhinestone energy.
New films, local shorts and Queercore Bites
AQFF isn't only looking backwards. The line-up includes Skiff, Body Blow, Barbara Forever, Night Stage and She's the He, giving contemporary work room alongside the retrospectives.
Queercore Bites adds a sharper local focus, with a selection of shorts curated by Jasmine Leech and Jasmin Watkins of Chronosonder Productions. The format is ideal for curious viewers who want to discover emerging filmmakers without committing to a full-length feature, and short-film programmes often deliver the evening's biggest surprises.
How to choose the right AQFF screening
Start with the mood you're after. The anniversary titles should suit anyone craving familiar, crowd-friendly cinema, while The Watermelon Woman is a strong choice for viewers interested in queer film history and independent storytelling.
Families may prefer the Turning Red matinee, while the local shorts and Queercore Bites sessions offer a useful introduction to Adelaide's creative scene. If you're booking with friends, mixing one well-known title with something new could make for a more rewarding festival day than simply choosing the safest option.
Why the big-screen setting still matters
AQFF's curators, Dr Jess Pacella and Dr Stuart Romeo-Richards, have framed the event as a space for LGBTQIA+ stories that deserve attention beyond the margins. Their comments, reported by Glam Adelaide, underline the importance of watching these films collectively rather than encountering them alone online.
Feast Festival Executive Director Skye Bee also pointed to the value of accurate representation at a time when queer and trans lives are often shaped by hostile public narratives. That's the quiet power of a festival like this: it offers entertainment, certainly, but also recognition, conversation and the simple comfort of being surrounded by people who understand why the stories matter.
Book through Feast Festival for the full programme and ticket details. AQFF 2026 looks set to make queer cinema feel communal, celebratory and very much at home in Adelaide.
Gather your people, choose a screening and let the queer joy begin.
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