Cinemaniacs

Melbourne Film Collective - Founded by Lee Gambin
Screening retrospective films monthly at The Astor Theatre

Founded in 2012 by film historian Lee Gambin, Cinemaniacs was created with the intention of making cinema a truly unique experience. Screening retrospective films across all genres, Cinemaniacs allows audiences to see their most beloved films on the big screen again, or for the first time. Collaborating with acclaimed directors, writers, actors, producers, academics and composers, Cinemaniacs guarantee Melbourne film lovers cinema like never they have ever experienced before!

11/10/2026

A so-bad-it’s-good disasterpiece or an enduring camp classic critique of ambition and excess? CINEMANIACS’ November screening will be a presentation of Paul Verhoeven’s infamous and iconic SHOWGIRLS (1995), the first (and maybe last) film ever released by a major Hollywood studio designed to garner the notorious NC-17 rating.
Paint your nails real whore-y, put on your Versayce, pour yourself a glass of holy water, and come celebrate the Goddesses themselves, Nomi Malone and Cristal Connors, with us next month… 🥂
In our new day and time-slot of Sunday afternoons at , with an introductory presentation by Cinemaniacs board member, Rob Povey.
Arrive early to grab tickets for our signature raffle draw, as doors will open shortly thereafter.
🎞️ SUNDAY 8TH NOVEMBER at 2:45PM.
🎟️ Tickets are on sale now via the Brunswick Picture House website (or the direct link in our stories). Get in quick because our last screening sold out in advance!

02/10/2026

PINK FLAMINGOS (1972) screens next weekend as part of the CINEMANIACS 2026 programme at Brunswick Picture House.
🎞️ SUNDAY 11TH OCTOBER at 4:00PM.
🎟️ Final few tickets are still on sale via the website (or the direct link in our stories).

01/10/2026

Even the Pope of Trash himself welcomes you to ’s new home, . He’s recorded a personal introduction just us to our upcoming screening of PINK FLAMINGOS (1972), but to see it, you’ll have to book tickets and they’re selling fast!
🎞️ SUNDAY 11TH OCTOBER at 4:00PM.
🎟️ Tickets are available via the Brunswick Picture House website (or the direct link in our stories).

25/09/2026

“John Waters made bad taste perversely transcendent with the forever shocking counterculture sensation Pink Flamingos, his most infamous and daring cinematic transgression. Outré diva Divine is iconic as the wanted criminal hiding out with her family of degenerates in a trailer outside Baltimore while reveling in her tabloid notoriety as the Filthiest Person Alive. When a pair of sociopaths (Mink Stole and David Lochary) with a habit of kidnapping women in order to impregnate them attempt to challenge her title, Divine resolves to show them and the world the true meaning of the word filth… Waters and his merry band of Dreamlanders leave no taboo unsmashed in this gleefully subversive ode to outsiderhood, in which camp spectacle and pitch-black satire are wielded in an all-out assault on respectability.”
—
PINK FLAMINGOS (1972) screens next as part of the CINEMANIACS 2026 programme at Brunswick Picture House.
🎞️ SUNDAY 11TH OCTOBER at 4:00PM.
🎟️ Tickets are on sale via the website (or the direct link in our stories).

18/09/2026

When distributors tried to bring “Pink Flamingos” to Australia in 1976, it was banned for indecency. A cut version was eventually given an R18+ rating and released that year theatrically. The film’s full version was granted an X18+ rating for pornographic, non-simulated sexual activity, in 1984 on home video, restricting sale and hire of the film to the ACT and some regions of the NT. In 1997, a 25th anniversary cinematic re-release of the uncut film was again refused. The classification board said films could receive an R18+ rating when sexual activity was realistically simulated, but not when it was the real thing.
(Pictured: poster artwork for the film’s original censored Australian release and its 25th anniversary re-release in America.)
PINK FLAMINGOS (1972) screens next as part of the CINEMANIACS 2026 programme at Brunswick Picture House.
🎞️ SUNDAY 11TH OCTOBER at 4:00PM.
🎟️ Tickets are on sale via the website (or the direct link in our stories).

14/09/2026

Have you heard the word? A-well, a bird-bird-bird, bird is the word! And that bird is a Pink Flamingo! CINEMANIACS finally returns in October after an extended break with our presentation of the pope of trash, John Water’s eternal midnight movie / cult classic, ‘exercise in poor taste’, PINK FLAMINGOS (1972), starring the legend herself, Divine, as the filthiest person alive…
Our signature raffle draw will be back, so arrive early to grab your tickets, and come dressed as your favourite John Waters character for a chance to win a special prize.
All in our new day and time-slot of Sunday afternoons at , with introductory presentations returning in November.
🦩🍳💩
🎞️ Sunday 11th October at 4:00PM.
🎟️ Tickets are on sale now via the Brunswick Picture House website.

13/09/2026

OK, we’ve laid dormant for too long… CINEMANIACS are finally back — and with some exciting news!
We are so grateful to and their wonderful staff for providing us with such a beautiful home for the past three years — and though it won’t be the last you ever see of us there 😉 — for our final three screenings of 2026, we’re returning at our stunning new home, , located on the iconic Sydney Rd in the heart of Brunswick.
Film titles and date announcements coming very soon, but we look forward to welcoming you all back (or for the first time, to any newcomers) to see out the year for a monthly screening in October, November & December…
Here’s a teaser for each: 💩| 🥂 | 🎁
Can you guess what’s in the lineup?

28/08/2026

While CINEMANIACS have been enjoying a short break during our 2026 programming hiatus, we’ve been re-introducing (or just introducing) ourselves to any longtime and new audience members…
Over the last couple weeks, you’ve been Meeting The Team and getting to know us through all of our personal Top 10 Favourite Films!
ROB POVEY is the newest board member and co-programmer at Cinemaniacs, a freelance makeup artist by day working on brand campaigns across fashion, beauty and lifestyle, and a lifelong cinephile by every other waking moment, with a specific interest in horror, q***r cinema and films starring actresses-of-a-certain-age. If it wasn’t already evident by his selections, he is a millennial.
ROB’S TOP 10 FAVOURITE FILMS
PARTY GIRL (1995)
PARIS IS BURNING (1990)
SHOWGIRLS (1995)
JURASSIC PARK (1993)
SCREAM (1996)
WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE (1995)
GHOST WORLD (2001)
CLOCKWATCHERS (1997)
DEATH BECOMES HER (1992)
WILD THINGS (1998)

Address

Brunswick, VIC

Opening Hours

6pm - 9:30pm

Website

http://www.patreon.com/cinemaniacsoz, https://www.astortheatre.net.au/special-events/cinemaniacs2024

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