📽️ Ellie & Abbie

Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt) (2020) is a vibrant, funny, and deeply affectionate coming-of-age film that occupies a prominent "feel-good" slot in the contemporary international catalog of QueerFilmHub.com. Adapted by Monica Zanetti from her own stage play, the narrative grounds its whimsical, supernatural premise in the hyper-relatable awkwardness of high school romance. The plot introduces Ellie (Sophie Hawkshaw), a sweet, tightly wound 17-year-old student who is hopelessly infatuated with her cool, openly non-binary classmate Abbie (Zoe Terakes). Struggling to find the courage to ask Abbie to the upcoming school formal, Ellie finds her chaotic teenage life complicated even further by a sudden supernatural manifestation.

Out of nowhere, her deceased Aunt Tara (Julia Billington)—who passed away in the 1980s—reappears in her bedroom as a glitter-sprinkled "lesbian fairy godmother."
While Tara is brimming with enthusiastic intentions, her dating advice is decades out of date, rooted entirely in the bold, confrontational activist strategies of 1980s political movements. This creates a beautifully comedic friction against the casual, intersectional, and digital dating landscape Ellie is navigating today. However, beneath the lighthearted banter, a deeper, more profound mystery unfolds. As Ellie tries to understand why her fiercely protective mother, Erica (Marta Dusseldorp), is so hesitant about her public coming-out, the narrative opens up a deeply emotional historical drawer. The film evolves from a simple prom-posal comedy into an elegant, intergenerational dialogue, reminding young queer audiences that the quiet domestic freedoms they enjoy today were paved by the fierce sacrifices of a previous generation.

💡 Did You Know? (Czy wiesz, że?) 🧠
A History-Making Premiere: The film holds an iconic spot in Australian cinematic history. It was officially selected as the opening night feature for the 2020 Mardi Gras Film Festival in Sydney, marking the very first time in the festival's long history that a film directed by an Australian woman was chosen to open the event.

The Stage-to-Screen Genesis: Writer-director Monica Zanetti originally brought the story to life as a low-budget independent stage play staged at Sydney's Depot Theatre. The production was so fiercely loved by local queer community members that independent investors rapidly lined up to fund a cinematic feature-length adaptation.

A Stellar Taika Waititi Alum: The cast features a brilliant supporting turn from iconic New Zealand actress Rachel House (immensely beloved worldwide for her scene-stealing comedic performances in Taika Waititi’s Hunt for the Wilderpeople and Marvel Studios' Thor: Ragnarok), who infuses the film with a wonderful layer of deadpan warmth.

Authentic Casting Priorities: Zanetti made it a strict priority to cast authentic LGBTQ+ actors for the project. Out actor Zoe Terakes, who delivers a beautifully charismatic performance as Abbie, has frequently praised the film for creating a safe, joyous set that celebrates young queer romance without reducing it to trauma.