The critically-acclaimed Australian film Gayby Baby – a powerful and compassionate portrait of same-sex families – will open in Australian cinemas on September 3.
The film launches with exclusive seasons at Cinema Nova in Melbourne and at Dendy Newtown in Sydney, with other cinemas to be announced and special filmmaker Q&A screenings and TUGG/cinema on demand screenings across the country.
Perth’s Cinema Paradiso will host a Q&A screening with director Maya Newell and producer Charlotte Mars at 6.30pm on August 30, with further screenings on September 5 and 6.
In a nation first, high schools from around the country will be able to screen the film ahead of the cinema release, on national Wear It Purple Day on August 28 – in a partnership with the youth-led, not-for-profit group Wear It Purple. Participating schools will be able to screen the film in their halls to students, teachers and families in a simultaneous mass screening.
“Having a hybrid-cinema release and screening in schools on Wear It Purple Day really encapsulates the way we believe Australian indie films can make a lasting impact. For us it’s not about trying to compete with huge studio pictures, it’s about empowering audiences and taking the film to the people at a time when the film’s themes are once more on the national political agenda,” said producer Charlotte Mars.
Recently nominated for an AACTA and AWGIE Award, the film had its world premiere at Hot Docs International Documentary Festival, the world’s most prestigious documentary film festival, screened to packed houses at the Sydney Film Festival in June and will screen at the Melbourne International Film Festival.
Directed by Maya Newell, the film has been selected to screen in competition at several upcoming international film festivals, which will be announced soon.
Gayby Baby addresses the marriage equality issue from the unique perspective of the children of same-sex partners – a perspective that, until now, has not been heard in the debate.
The film introduces audiences to four Australian kids – Gus, Ebony, Matt and Graham – whose parents all happen to be gay. As they each wrestle with the challenges of oncoming adolescence, the outside world wrestles with the issue of marriage equality, and whether or not kids like them are at risk.
It was one of seven outstanding Australian documentary films chosen for the inaugural Good Pitch2 Australia program. Good Pitch brings together documentary filmmakers with foundations, not-for-profits, campaigners, philanthropists, policymakers, broadcasters and key players in the film industry, around leading social and environmental issues, to forge coalitions and campaigns that are good for all these partners, good for the films and good for society.