Sunflower

Celebrating local filmmakers Bunjil Place is proud to present this coming of age debut feature film by Gabriel Carrubba. 

Filmed locally in the suburbs of Casey this beautiful film has been selected for the Cinefest Oz, Adelaide Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, Brisbane Film Festival and the Melbourne Queer Film Festival.

Sunflower

Gabriel Carrubba, Pancake Originals, Australia, 2023

In the outer suburbs of Melbourne, seventeen-year-old Leo leads a seemingly typical life.

Amidst hanging out with friends, bickering with his Italian family at the dinner table, going to school, and making out with his girlfriend Monique, Leo guards a secret he's afraid to confront—a hidden truth buried deep within. As Leo grapples with his inner turmoil, he finds himself unexpectedly drawn to his best friend, Boof, and the quiet, introverted boy at school named Tom. These newfound feelings force Leo to confront his true desires and come to terms with his identity. However, everything changes after a high school gathering when rumours about Leo's sexuality begin to circulate, shattering his once stable world. Faced with the fear of rejection from those closest to him, Leo must navigate the uncertain waters of acceptance and love.

Content Warning: This film is rated MA15+, recommended for Mature audiences. It contains swear words, some violence and sex scenes. 

Images courtesy of Radioactive Films.

Gabriel Carrubba
Writer/Director  

Born and raised in the South Eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Gabriel realised his passion for the arts after seeing the film 'Stand By Me' in a High School English class. At the age of seventeen, Gabriel left school to pursue a career in acting at the Film & Television Studio International. After graduating, he landed his first role in the Sci-Fi, Netflix drama 'Glitch'. A year later, Gabriel went on to study filmmaking at JMC Academy, while simultaneously studying method acting at the Melbourne Actors Lab. Shortly after graduating from JMC Academy, Gabriel teamed up with Zane Borg at Pancake Originals, with an aim to push untold Australian stories. His directorial debut feature film 'Sunflower' was selected by Queer Screen to take part in the Goes to Cannes showcase at the Marché du Film (Cannes Film Festival) program in 2023. Shortly after, 'Sunflower' World Premiered at the Sydney Film Festival (SFF) and has since been selected for every major Australian film festival, including the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF). In July of this year, ‘Sunflower’ released theatrically around the country.  

@gabrielcarrubba_

@pancakeoriginals  

Liam Mollica
Lead actor

Liam Mollica is a Melbourne based actor who’s career started from an early age. He has dedicated himself to both stage and screen since 2012 with various professional roles under his belt. Liam graduated from the Academy of Film Theatre and Television in 2019 holding an advanced Diploma in Theatre, Film and Tv acting. His credits Include hit ABC tv series ‘Nowhere Boys’, SBS tv series ‘Triple Oh!’ and most recently landing his first lead role as ‘Leo’ in the upcoming Feature Film 'Sunflower' which, after receiving critical acclaim at all major Aus film festivals, had its national Cinema release In 2024.

@ liam.mollica

David Harris
Moderator

David Martin Harris (they/them) was appointed to the helm of Melbourne Queer Film Festival in November 2021. A first-generation Australian born in Western Sydney, David is a skilled arts leader with a sound knowledge of cultural advancement, multi-arts curatorial practice, LGBTQI+ social justice, and the Australian not-for-profit landscape. Their career, spanning over 18 years in the arts, has included roles at some of Australia’s most prestigious cultural institutions including Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, Carriageworks, the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art and West Australian Ballet. David’s pro-bono work includes being the Chair and Co-Curator of SEVENTH Gallery and Board Director of Moogahlin Performing Arts. They were a co-recipient of the 2019 FBi SMAC Award for Best NSW Arts Program and a guest speaker at VIVID Ideas in 2019. In 2023, David was appointed to the Board of Directors of The Substation.  David holds a Bachelor of Communications majoring in Politics & Economics from RMIT University, Melbourne.  

@melbqueerfilmfest