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Julie Bale (she/her), Executive, Technology and Executive Sponsor of Prism at EnergyAustralia
May 2025
Who doesn’t love going to the movies? Popcorn, choc-tops, on-screen entertainment – it’s a great night out. And at EnergyAustralia, we think real energy comes from community and celebrating diversity and inclusion – especially when it’s on the big screen!
For the second year running, EnergyAustralia is a Platinum sponsor of the Geelong Pride Film Festival (GPFF). Our contact centre has a strong presence in Geelong, and we’re committed to having a positive impact in all the communities in which we work and live. I’m so excited that we’re sponsoring the event and community again this year.
We spoke with Stephen Ryan (he/him), GPFF Festival Director, who explained the importance to the local community of an inclusive event like this.
“GPFF is run entirely by volunteers, so without the support of our sponsors such as EnergyAustralia, we would not be able to run the festival,” he said.
This year’s festival offers over 20 events with 13 feature films, six collections of short films and a concert by the Melbourne Rainbow Band – supporting queer artists from across the community and beyond.
“Because of the EnergyAustralia sponsorship, Geelong audiences get a chance to watch a diverse collection of films that otherwise would not be shown. This, in turn, supports independent filmmakers from Australia and around the world to share their stories,” Stephen explained.
The power of pride and inclusion
Supporting and welcoming people across all diversity, equity and inclusion groups remains a key priority for our people including our internal LGBTQA+ and friends’ network, Prism.
GPFF is important to contribute to the richness of our cultural landscape by telling unique stories that might otherwise go unheard. They offer different perspectives and experiences that enrich the broader narrative of communities.
Members of Prism, including co-chairs Lauren Horwood and Jane Woolard, attended the launch event in April and proudly represented us. As they said, it was a privilege to be able to support a LGBTQA+ community event that has strong links to EnergyAustralia’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Our sponsorship also provides an opportunity for our people to be involved in bringing this fabulous festival to life.
Geelong Pride Film Festival runs from 1 to 11 May 2025. For more information, visit
gpff.org.au
Enjoy the festival!