The Melbourne International Film Festival has come and gone again, in another stellar year of screenings and social events.

The Closing Night Gala was a definite highlight of a very successful festival, with many attendees bringing the glitter to see the feature documentary The Coming Back Out Ball Movie, presented at The Comedy Theatre, with an afterparty at the iconic Forum Theatre in Melbourne’s CBD.

The Post Lounge  provided full picture post for the film and was one of the project’s main investors. Their Collingwood team lent technical assistance to process the myriad of different camera formats ready for offline, completing the theatrical colour grade, online, title design, mastering, and cinema and video deliverables. The film was cut by award-winning Editor Uri Mizrahi.

A heartfelt documentary in an observational style, The Coming Back Out Ball Movie follows a number of older members of the LGBTQI community as they prepare for ‘The Coming Back Out Ball’ itself, an event held at Melbourne’s Town Hall last year. The ball was designed to celebrate their lives and honour their experiences as pioneers against oppression and discrimination. It happened to fall in October – right in the midst of Australia’s marriage equality plebiscite – adding an extra layer of poignancy and importance to the night.

Through intimate interviews, the vibrant personalities and remarkable life stories of each character are revealed, painting a moving portrait of the beauty of diversity and the necessity of its acceptance.

Representing The Post Lounge at the Gala were COO and Executive Producer Kurt Royan and Post Producer Ela Furdas.

Of the project, Kurt said:

“When I first heard about the concept of this documentary, a story with cultural significance of particular importance to me, I was delighted for The Post Lounge to be the post-production partner to help bring this film to life.”

To also have contributed as a primary investor was a no-brainer, and working with the wonderful production team meant this project was a joy from start to finish, and I think that’s reflected on the screen.

The success of the premiere was celebrated with the film’s Director Sue Thomson, Producer Adam Farrington-Williams, and many of the film’s subjects and contributors – including Miss Marzi Panne, who gave a fabulous performance at the afterparty. The night was capped off with DJ’s and dancing.

The Coming Back Out Ball Movie was a part of the Melbourne International Film Festival’s ‘Travelling Showcase’ and distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Backlot Films.