IMDb 7.1 1980 HD

Witches, Faggots, Dykes and Poofters

Witches, Faggots, Dykes and Poofters

1980
Documentary
45 min NR USA
2.333 / 10
7.1 IMDB

In 1978 the police attacked demonstrators at the Sydney (Australia) Mardi Gras celebrations. This film details the communities' responses.

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Digby Duncan

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

activist defiant raw historical powerful resilient confrontational solidarity urgent important unvarnished vital

Reviews

I
Isabelle Moreau
May 23, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

A potent and necessary historical document, 'Witches, Faggots, Dykes and Poofters' delves into the immediate aftermath of the 1978 Sydney Mardi Gras police raid, chronicling the community's powerful reactions. The film’s strength lies in its unmediated portrayal of…

A
Arthur Penhaligon
May 23, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

This 1980 film, 'Witches, Faggots, Dykes and Poofters', serves as a direct response to the 1978 police actions at Sydney's Mardi Gras. It prioritises the voices and reactions of the communities impacted, offering a candid look at their…

G
Genevieve Dubois
May 23, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

'Witches, Faggots, Dykes and Poofters' is a landmark piece of Australian activist filmmaking, documenting the vital responses of LGBTQ+ communities to the 1978 Sydney Mardi Gras police raid. Its title is a bold reclamation, setting the tone for…

M
Marcus Bellweather
May 23, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

A raw and urgent dispatch from a critical juncture in Australian LGBTQ+ history, 'Witches, Faggots, Dykes and Poofters' captures the charged atmosphere following the 1978 Sydney Mardi Gras incident. The film’s strength is its unvarnished presentation of community…

E
Eleanor Vance
May 23, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

This 1980 documentary, 'Witches, Faggots, Dykes and Poofters', offers a potent and unflinching look at the aftermath of the 1978 Sydney Mardi Gras police raid. The film eschews conventional narrative structure, instead focusing on the raw, immediate responses…

FAQs

'Witches, Faggots, Dykes and Poofters' holds considerable cultural significance as a document of early LGBTQ+ activism in Australia. It captures a pivotal moment where communities rallied in response to police aggression at the Sydney Mardi Gras. The film serves as a historical marker, illustrating the courage and solidarity of these groups during a challenging period, contributing to the broader narrative of the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and visibility in the nation.