Transcript
Speaker: Welcome to Breaking Screen, a podcast about the Australian screen industry and the creative people within it. I'm your host, Caris Bizzaca I'm recording this podcast from the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, where I'm very grateful to be a visitor and be able to work on these lands. Always was, always will be.
Speaker: Today's episode features Benson Wu, who was announced as the CEO of Queer Screen in 2025, nearly 10 years after he first volunteered there.
Speaker: Throughout the podcast, Benson talks about starting the Taiwan Film Festival in Australia before working at Sydney Film Festival and South by Southwest Sydney, as well as his advice for submitting to film festivals, why film festivals are important to both audiences and filmmakers, and much more.
Speaker: He also joins us ahead of September's Queer Screen Film Fest and the launch of their inaugural industry event, Queer Screen Studio, on September 6th, which will feature panels on pitching, pathways to audience, and the making of Leviticus, as well as a masterclass with director Goran Stolevski.
Speaker: For more information, you can find a link in the show notes. Now, without further ado, here's Queer Screen CEO, Benson Wu.
Speaker: At the beginning of every podcast, we ask the same question, and it's about inciting incidents, which is a term that comes up in a lot in screenwriting. And so I'm wondering if you could tell me what the inciting incident of your career was. Yeah.
Speaker: It took me a long time to Google what this means, but I figured it out. Sorry about that. That's all good. That's all good. Because I'm not screenwriter. um I think probably it's when I, after...
Speaker: my university degree in Australia and I couldn't get a job. ah So I think I started volunteer for different film festivals doing internship in the film industry.
Speaker: it's just like no one's hiring me. was like, oh, I'll start my own film festival. I'll start my own thing. Cause I this vision I think is gonna work. But of no one's doing it and no one's sort of believing it. So I was like, I'll give it a try. I'll be poor for three years and see how goes.
Speaker: And so what what was that? Can you explain what it was that you started? Yeah. So i I was born in Taiwan, but I left left Taiwan when 15. I moved to America for few years and went back to Taiwan again. and I think was about 2012 when I moved to Australia to start a university career. and then after university, I think it was 2015 is when I started to volunteer for career screen.
Speaker: And then I moved to Sydney Film Festival, I think about 2017 as a volunteer intern. And then back then, i just couldn't see a lot of Asian content or content from Taiwan being screened or being picked up in Sydney particularly. And I think 2018 was a big year in Taiwan when there was a lot of strong film that's playing internationally, but they still not being picked up here. So I decided maybe I'll i'll start Taiwan Film Festival and and see if people come.
Speaker: So far, so good. yeah So what was, can you tell us what the result of that was? ah We started 2018, the first year in Sydney.
Speaker: Number was not that good. I would 800,000 audience over the three or four days. It's okay. But now, 2026 is the ninth year.
Speaker: We actually travel in six cities in Australia. Audience size, probably three or four thousand. yeah Wow. Yeah. Solid. And um what are you drawn to about working at film festivals in the first place, like interning there and then, you know, creating one?
Speaker: i think because I cannot start university late in my career. So after high school, I worked for different business first, like international trading or just clothing store, stuff like that, trying to figure out what I want to do in my life. And then I realised my personality, I get bored really quickly if it's like a 9 to 5 job and then every day you do the same thing. When I was working for International for Trading, it's just not exciting and you kind of feel guilty because you sort of make profit out of the profit margin. So so I was like, oh, what do I want to do So when I started doing the internal volunteer for Film Festival,
Speaker: it feels a lot more ethical. You're doing ah for the passion, you're doing it for the community. Every year or every season you do for the film festival, it's always different, always very creative. And then every film you're trying to promote, you learn new things. Every film you see, you learn new things as well.
Speaker: And ah sort of feel like that's sort of my motivation to sort of push myself forward as well, both personally career-wise. So, ah kind of how it drove me into this industry, I think Were you always like a big film person? Was it something you watched a lot of films when you were younger, that kind of thing?
Speaker: No, i'm not at all. Really? i mean I mean, I watched a little bit. Yeah. But I think compared to other people in this industry, they're like, hardcore yeah yeah they know so much history about film was like oh I don't I think my background comes from marketing I'm always like how to do strategy how to promote how to get the brand out there that kind of thing yeah it's something I'm more interested like how to connect it with the audiences yeah that's right 100% yeah
Speaker: ah And what do you think is like, you know, talking about audiences, what do you think is the importance of film festivals when it comes to, you know, on one hand audiences, the other hand filmmakers? Yeah.
Speaker: I think most importantly for me, when it comes to programming, it's always something that's going to have an impact message to the audience. If we constantly program this comfort food or fast food content, for me personally, I found that pointless. And I think a lot of audience come to the film festival, they, don't know if this is a good way to say it, but sometimes they want to be shocked or they want to learn new things.
Speaker: um I think for filmmakers is, One thing that really draws me is a lot of time, i say, for content, especially Australia, they get made and they never get to screen anywhere else or have the chance to talk about why or how it was being made. I think film festival is such an important platform to give those opportunities to the filmmaker and then sort of amplify their message and hopefully the mainstream audience name will be like, oh, that's interesting outcome as well. yeah
Speaker: And do you have like for filmmakers continue on that? Do you have any advice for people when they're submitting for film festivals? Yeah. i always say to the filmmaker, actually get to know who is your audience.
Speaker: Don't try to be too ambitious. i You just want to go to the big festival like Cannes or Sundance or Berlin. Each of the programming funnels festival, they actually have a different, very distinct, different tastes as well. So if you're just randomly select to big festival, yeah to start with, you're kind of wasting your money, but then you kind of don't know who is your audience as well and what you're trying to build. So I think have a strategy, understand what your film stands for, and it's a connecting with the film festival that really represents your message as well, I think.
Speaker: that's more effective. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Just a couple more like questions ah about, about you. Um, I'm wondering like, when did you start as CEO of, uh, Queerscreen and what does that role involve?
Speaker: Uh, very, I'm very fresh. Literally only start, uh, 2025 in May. Uh, that's when I got the job. very Pretty lucky. What does it involve? Because we're very small. Like literally off-season at the moment, it's just myself, maybe a few volunteers in the office, join the festival. Like I say, next one is coming out. It's Korea Screening Film Fest. It's in September.
Speaker: um That's only like two or three people in the office as well. So my role really kind of covers everything. Like from programming to marketing to financing.
Speaker: managing the whole organization governing with the board, managing the volunteer, It sounds a lot, but can I kind of enjoy it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. If you're doing what you love, then yeah. You talked about how it's very, there's not a ah there's not a lot of staff like during the the down times between the festivals. But how how big does the kind of team grow when you are like looking at submissions, when you are actually entering into the the festival kind of time period?
Speaker: ah Not a lot, to be honest. I think during the Mardi Gras Film Festival, we probably will have four or five part-time staff or contractors. For example, last year,
Speaker: we had like 40 pre-screeners helping us watching film for like six to eight months for Mardi Gras Film Festival. What's a pre-screener? Is that like someone who, is that someone who watches some of the films to get it to the next stage?
Speaker: Is that what a pre-screener is? So I think it's because for queer screen particularly, we, because the team is too small. So the culture has always been, there's a bunch of,
Speaker: volunteer, they sign out to be the pre-screener. So they sort of then help us watch lot of submission. And then through that process, they kind of put in their feedback, but help us pack a lot of different label or identity and stuff like that. But also as a pre-screener team, we try to make it as diverse as possible. So it kind of take every single box. So we have different opinions from different people as well to take into consideration.
Speaker: I do a very appreciate their effort because, like, say for Queer Screen Film Fest, we have 20 of them. Each of them would have watched, like, 60 hours of the film from June to August. Yeah.
Speaker: And it's a lot of time, a lot good time to spend with Queer Screen after their full-time job. So, yeah. Yeah, yeah. It's hard work. Yeah, definitely. And you mentioned, so did your connection with Queer Screen begin when you were doing those internships? Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Speaker: You know, what was it about Queer Screen that you – really love like when you were interning there and then now to be CEO? Wow. I think when I started volunteer for career screen, I think when was at uni, um, I came from Christian family, my family background as well. So I always struggle coming out. So even moving to Australia, going to uni, I still don't feel comfortable coming out and still sort of trying to understand who I am, my identity, that kind of thing. So after graduating, I'm just like, oh, hi I kind feel really lonely. like I don't have a community that I really feel I belong to. So it came across with Mardi Gras Film Festival. was like, oh, this is interesting. looks fun. I went to field the screening there and maybe want to get involved with this organization. It looks fun. and then And just kind of for me, other than I enjoy film, for me, it's really good to know
Speaker: the career community, like a sort of pathway for me. And that's sort of then I started to fall in love with it and I feel really comfortable. ah feel safe. I feel part of the family with CareerScreen.
Speaker: And then when I moved to Cine Film Festival, it was sort of the same thing as well. like it's just It's a community that I feel everyone's so open-minded and very acceptable. And that's when I started Taiwan Film Festival or doing the CEO for CareerScreen.
Speaker: That's always one of my dreams, like to keep it very diverse, keep it very open to anyone. It doesn't have to be, you don't have to be graduating from, don't know, Harvard or Sydney Uni to join Queer Screen. and can just be nobody, someone from the regional. You just want to connect with the community. And that's that's why I feel passionate about connecting with those people.
Speaker: And there is also like a couple of events throughout the um that Queer Screen run in Sydney. Can you talk through what they what they are? Yeah, um so we do two festivals. We operate Career Screen Film Fest in September. This year will be the 13th year.
Speaker: And then next year in February and March, we're doing the Madagascar Film Festival. I believe it's the 34th year, which is the much longer running festival. But then throughout the year, we do a lot of pop-up screening or curatorial for like different non-for-profit or corporate organization just to constantly promote queer storytelling and then opportunity for conversation. And ah you also have initiatives. Like what, can you explain what initiatives are offered?
Speaker: I'm very lucky. um I sort of inherited all this initiative from the previous CEO. Yes. and So I think that we have... My Queer Career, which is the show film competition. will had We have pitch-off competition, which gives away ten k at the moment for the winner to make their show film.
Speaker: We have a new thing which started last year, is the Emerging Feature Film Competition, which is running at the Queer Screen Film Fest in September. And that's just like a winning prize for emerging filmmaker who has made their first or second feature film and has played in our program. But otherwise, it's completion fund. There's a lot of initiative. And so on top of that, you also, you mentioned Queer Screen Studio. So this is something new. ah Can you tell me what it is? What prompted it?
Speaker: Yeah, I think after being this position for one year and in this industry, I i feel bad saying this, but I got sick of panel. Okay, yeah.
Speaker: Being to another panel of different festivals different venues event I always found it's too much of a fast process of the whole discussion that i'm not learning new things on this panel or i I feel like the speaker can actually...
Speaker: talk more that will benefit the filmmaker. So we we're trying to, so snowballing for a very long time on this project, how can we do something that will really benefit the filmmaker or help the industry here in Sydney particularly. So without, cause I used to work for South by Southwest as well. And then I think conferences is one thing that really works and we can see there's a hunger for it, for the people here in Sydney particularly. You're like, we'll do our own conference. That's right. We have the and so So that's why it' sort of how it came out. And then during that day, Create Screen Studio, we'll have three panels and one masterclass. So the first panel will be about
Speaker: how to pitch your film to to film festival, to competition, to sales agent or to producer and how to connect the relationship with all your potential funder or philanthropy people. And then we plan to invite the team down Leviticus and do a strip down the whole Leviticus to kind of tell us the secret, like,
Speaker: say particularly seeing how it was done in the post-production, what's the VFX effect, how was done, if they're willing to share, um or the script process, think it'll be really fun, hopefully. And then the third panel, I think we'll be talking about, I think we talked about earlier, it's like understanding your audience after your film is made. So knowing who to submit,
Speaker: to the film festival and knowing which sales agent to sell to. I really know the sales agent and get to know what kind of film they usually buy and what other festivals usually pick up there their their work or their catalog. That really, i think, would be more strategy thinking how to...
Speaker: really get more hands-on on the afterlife of your baby, I think. Yeah. um And then the Masterclass. I think by the time this podcast is released, we will have locked in who is doing Masterclass. Okay. And um you mentioned sales agent. Can I just, um for, you know, anyone in the more emerging space who's listening who doesn't know what a sales agent is, yeah could you explain what that is really quickly?
Speaker: Yeah, sales agent, so... It's like a third party or I don't if this is good way to say it. It's like a middleman. They picked up your film and usually sales agent has more connection to the programmer or knowing when every film festival their call for submission is.
Speaker: So then they will throw all their catalog, all their work, and then sell it to those submitted for you instead of you doing yourself. And sometimes they have a better connection. So it's easier to go through sales agent and they get picked up by the film festival rather than you try to do it yourself. But again, yes and no. Because sales agents sometimes will have like 20 babies yeah on their hands. So if yours is not something that kind of make profit for them or they just really passionate about your project, sometimes your film just doesn' doesn't get picked up or doesn't get extra push on them.
Speaker: So when it comes to that, maybe it's better you be your own sales agent and try to know who you want to sell it to. So it kind of depends. I said for sure film filmmaker, personally, I would say be your own sales agent and know who you want to sell it to and know your the life of the film, how long it will last in the film festival circus. And then after that, who how do you want to sell it to streaming platform? And then that could be a different sales agent strategy as well.
Speaker: Yeah, okay. So I'm wondering, like is this ah is this event, is it Sydney only? Can people interstate access it at all? um Yeah, could you elaborate on that?
Speaker: yeah ah Yeah, unfortunately, it's only for this first year. We're not doing sort of recording or live streaming at this stage yet, no. So we we'll run through the first year and then hopefully be big success and then we can then expand to see if we can do an online component. But I think for me,
Speaker: I don't know this is bad. I'm always more passionate about in-person events. by the I think in-person really makes a big difference. like you we We want people to come to this studio event.
Speaker: I think the highlight open is you chase to the speaker after the event and be like, this is my business card. Or like, can can we ask you more questions or even just like connect to the audience there and they could be your future partner or crew to make your next film as well. and It's again that community thing that you were talking about earlier, that feeling of community and being in the one space together. yeah That's right right. Okay, so that brings us to the Pay It Forward segment, which is where you're asked a question from a previous guest. And then you come up with a question for the next guest. So the pay it forward question, it's from ah Liz Doran. So Liz is a screenwriter. um She's the EP and showrunner of My Brilliant Career, which is released on Netflix by the time this comes out. And so Liz's question is. My pay it forward question is how have you put joy into your production as a principal?
Speaker: That's a good one. Okay, that's an easy one. o I will say this sounds, hopefully it's not too shallow, but it's to talk to the audience during the festival.
Speaker: It's to really connect with the audience, whoever they are whenever they are. their feedback after they watch the film or come to the festival, it's always my adrenaline or my motivation to keep on going. Even though they hate the film, I was like, okay, I learned something. This is not for you. If you love the film, they understand or they're willing to listen to your vision, why you programmed it and how how you see the film, that they're willing to sort of listen to your perspective and understand the sort of the metaphor and of the perspective of the film.
Speaker: That's something that pumped my blood and that's how I was able to keep going after 10 years in this industry. Oh, amazing. love that. um And just generally, I'm wondering, like, we often to ask an advice question on this podcast. Like, do you have any advice for emerging filmmakers, queer filmmakers or or people that want to work in the film festival space? Hmm.
Speaker: I might be biased because I'm not a filmmaker myself. But I always say to people, especially in this current phase of the industry at the moment, is take your time. like Don't try to make your work or your film or your career into sort of fast food culture. like Really slow down networking with different people.
Speaker: Don't rush through your script. and Just also try to work in teams. I mean, the work is always better when you can work in a team that you can trust and you're happy to let go of some of your power or creativity control and just trust your teammate, then then you will step on the next leader. And if you don't, I mean, unless you're Steve Jobs. yeah so yeah take your time i would say amazing that was all my questions i won't take any more of your time but thank you so much for joining me on the podcast today and talking to me all about your career and queer screen thank you
Speaker: That was Benson Wu, CEO of Queer Screen and a big thanks to him for joining me on the podcast. This episode was produced and edited by myself with logo design by Shara Parsons and music by Seb 'Sebotage' Gavrilovich
Speaker: If you enjoyed listening, please hit that subscribe button and leave us a review. See in fort night.
