Spun out of the team behind Mardi Gras Film Festival, Queer Screen Film Fest is the city’s cosy, late‑winter sibling – a five‑day burst of queer film at Event Cinemas George Street, usually landing in the last week of August. Expect a tight, curated program: opening‑night thrillers, tender indie romances, trans and non‑binary stories, shorts that leave you wrecked in 10 minutes, and the odd steamy sauna drama for good measure.

The vibe is very Sydney: people rolling in from the office in sneakers and statement shirts, filmmakers grabbing post‑screening beers with audiences, and strangers comparing favourites in the escalator queue. It’s small enough that you start recognising faces by day two, but big enough to pull major international titles and local premieres. Between the red‑carpet opener, the buzzy closer and the shorts packages, it’s one of the easiest ways to plug straight into the city’s creative heartbeat.

Most years centre on Event Cinemas George Street, a short wander from Oxford Street bars and late‑night noodles. Book ahead for the hottest sessions, download the Queer Screen app for mobile tickets, and build yourself a mini‑festival: matinee tear‑jerker, dinner on nearby Goulburn or Liverpool Street, then a late‑night screening and a drink with your new cinema crush.