Aotearoa’s queer coming-of-age cinema is taking centre stage across the Tasman! Kiwi filmmaker Paloma Schneideman’s acclaimed debut feature Big Girls Don’t Cry has been selected to close the 2026 Melbourne Queer Film Festival, bringing a beautifully complicated story of teenage identity, first love and self-discovery to Australian audiences.
It’s a big moment for New Zealand queer cinema!
Big Girls Don’t Cry, the debut feature from writer and director Paloma Schneideman, will bring the 36th Melbourne Queer Film Festival to a close on Sunday 22 November.
The film, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year before opening the Whānau Mārama New Zealand International Film Festival, has already attracted attention for its intimate portrayal of queer adolescence in Aotearoa.
Now, it’s heading to Melbourne’s iconic Capitol Theatre for the festival’s closing-night screening, followed by a celebration bringing filmmakers and audiences together.
A Summer Of First Love And Finding Yourself
Set during the summer holidays of 2006, Big Girls Don’t Cry follows 14-year-old Sid Bookman, played by Ani Palmer, as she navigates the messy, confusing and occasionally exhilarating experience of growing up.
Living with her father and older sister in a small rural community near Ōmaha, north of Auckland, Sid is desperate to reinvent herself.
When summer visitors arrive, she suddenly finds herself drawn into a world of older teenagers, new friendships and unfamiliar feelings.
Among them is Freya, played by Rain Spencer, a friend of Sid’s older sister whose presence sparks emotions Sid doesn’t yet fully understand.
As Sid attempts to fit in with the people she admires, she begins experimenting with different versions of herself.
But the more she tries to become someone else, the harder it becomes to understand who she really is.
Growing Up Queer Before Social Media Took Over
One of the film’s most distinctive elements is its early-2000s setting.
Think school holidays, teenage awkwardness and the early days of exploring your identity online.
For Sid, the internet becomes somewhere she can experiment with ideas and feelings that are difficult to express in person.
It’s an experience that will feel familiar to many LGBTQ+ millennials who grew up before social media transformed how young people connect.
Speaking to YOUR EX in October, Schneideman explained that the story was inspired partly by her own experiences of growing up queer.
The filmmaker recalled the isolation she sometimes felt as a teenager and the possibilities that opened up when the internet arrived.
It offered a way to discover different identities, connect with people beyond her immediate community and imagine new possibilities for herself.
Schneideman also spoke about wanting to make a film for the younger version of herself.
Rather than presenting Sid with a neatly defined sexuality or a traditional coming-out storyline, she allows the character to experience attraction and uncertainty without immediately knowing what those feelings mean.
It’s a more subtle approach to queer storytelling, reflecting how self-discovery often happens gradually.
A Major Moment For Kiwi Queer Cinema
The Melbourne screening adds another milestone to an impressive year for Big Girls Don’t Cry.
The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January before being selected to open the 2026 New Zealand International Film Festival.
It subsequently opened in New Zealand cinemas on 8 October.
Now, its selection as Melbourne Queer Film Festival’s closing-night feature places it alongside a diverse international programme celebrating LGBTQ+ storytelling.
The festival opened on Friday 13 November with Kick, Julia Schwalb’s documentary about transgender and non-binary American runner Nikki Hiltz.
Across ten days, the festival showcases queer filmmakers, stories and perspectives from Australia and around the world.
For Schneideman, the closing-night slot offers another opportunity to introduce audiences to a distinctly Aotearoa story.
And for rainbow New Zealanders, it’s another example of Kiwi filmmakers finding international recognition for stories that reflect the complexity of LGBTQ+ experiences.
Melbourne Queer Film Festival Closing Night
The final evening will feature the screening of Big Girls Don’t Cry, followed by the festival’s closing-night party.
Organisers say the celebration will bring attendees together for an evening of connection, refreshments and entertainment.
Event: Big Girls Don’t Cry — Closing Night
Date: Sunday 22 November 2026
Venue: The Capitol, 113 Swanston Street, Melbourne, Australia
Film: Big Girls Don’t Cry
Director: Paloma Schneideman
Runtime: 100 minutes
Classification: MA 15+ (Australia)
Tickets and information: Melbourne Queer Film Festival
A Story That Travels Beyond Aotearoa
At its heart, Big Girls Don’t Cry is about the uncertainty of adolescence — the friendships, crushes and experiences that slowly help us understand ourselves.
For LGBTQ+ audiences, its exploration of queer longing without the need for immediate labels offers a different perspective on coming-of-age storytelling.
And with its recognisably Kiwi setting, the film gives international audiences a glimpse into queer adolescence in Aotearoa.
From a small summer community near Ōmaha to the closing night of one of Australia’s leading queer film festivals, Big Girls Don’t Cry is giving Kiwi LGBTQ+ storytelling a moment in the international spotlight. 🌈
Read YOUR EX’s earlier interview with director Paloma Schneideman: Growing Up Queer Before The Internet Changed Everything.
