Ro Bright’s artistic vision, creative passion and festival expertise will guide the next stage of MQFF’s ever-evolving programme, starting with the 2025 event which marks the festival’s 35th year.

“It’s an incredible honour to be joining the MQFF team,” Ro says. "I’m so grateful to be a part of the film community here in Naarm, especially at a time when investment in queer cinema is growing, making way for new voices, continuing the mosaic of richly nuanced queer stories on our screens.”

Ro brings a wealth of festival and film experience, as CEO of TILDE (Trans and Gender Diverse Film Festival). It’s the southern hemisphere’s only trans and gender-diverse film festival. Plus, since 2013, they’ve been Co-Director, with Kitan Petkovski, of the Bullet Heart Club, a Scotsman Fringe First award-winning theatre company. The Bullet Heart Club create fresh, innovative works with the trans community.

Ro is also an acclaimed writer, and has been a resident artist at the Michael King Writers Centre and the American Lyric Theatre.

“Ro has a brilliant track record of delivering multifaceted festival experiences that provide deep engagement for communities,” MQFF CEO David Martin Harris says. “Ro’s capacity to draw from personal experience as a filmmaker and knowledge of the global arts scene – especially as it relates to queer storytelling and creative agency – is exciting. We’re looking forward to curating an evolving program for the LGBTQIA+ community with Ro onboard.”

MQFF Board Co-Presidents, Anouska Phizacklea and Gail Veal, echo MQFF’s enthusiasm.

“We are absolutely delighted to welcome Ro Bright as MQFF's Program Director. Bright's expertise within the film industry, coupled with proven leadership within the queer community, makes them uniquely qualified to curate MQFF's programme. We are excited to discover the diversity of Queer stories that will unfold at the 35th edition of the MQFF.”