A new documentary collaboration between Briefs Factory and directing duo Anna McGirr & Emily Bull, now in production
For eighteen years, Australian circus icons Briefs Factory have electrified audiences with burlesque, drag, and breathtaking aerials, cultivating a global following through their signature blend of humour, political bite, and queer and First Nations artistry.
Now, fresh from the stages of London and São Paulo, the ‘Briefs Boys’ are trading their usual tour circuit for the dusty red roads of regional Australia, bringing queer joy and drag back to the communities that shaped them. Can their dazzling spectacle and larrakin charm blaze a trail of connection and win the hearts of the outback?
This isn’t just a Priscilla-inspired road trip, it’s a homecoming with purpose
In this intimate, character-driven documentary now in early production, directing duo Anna McGirr and Emily Bull collaborate closely with the artists of Briefs Factory to bring you inside a groundbreaking tour. You are invited into the heart of the journey as this found-family of artists performs in town halls and outback pubs far from the city spotlight.
Don’t be fooled. This is much more than a Priscilla-inspired road trip. The stakes are real. For a troupe who grew up in regional communities from Broome to Mungandi, this is a homecoming with purpose: can they become the queer role models they once needed?
As the road unfurls, so do their personal stories like Rowan Thomas — world-class cyr wheel artist, Briefs’ “token straight man” and soon-to-be dad — who reflects on how different life might’ve been with brothers and father figures like those around him now; and Luke Hubbard (aka Nastia), a self-proclaimed “gateway drag queen” from Echuca, eager to prove how warmth and connection open hearts and minds.
Inspired by the raw honesty of Nan Goldin and the legacy of Paris Is Burning, this documentary will be a celebration of queer joy, chosen family, resilience, and reimagined masculinity.
Ladies, gentlemen, genders unforeseen, whatever genitals inbetween,
welcome aboard the Backtrack bus!
Thanks to Documentary Australia, we are now approved for fiscal sponsorship and can accept tax-deductible donations to help finance the production of this joyful and timely Aussie story. Every donation, big or small, fuels our journey to capture this fabulous drag family as they adventure across Australia.
Through the doco itself, and a nationwide impact campaign, this collaborative project is about celebrating the power of queer visibility and positive masculinity for young Australians today.
To learn more about our impact vision and to donate to the project, click the link below.
We’re grateful to our early support from the Felix Foundation, and look forward to welcome other donors with us on this exciting journey with us.
Help us get back on the road!
Join the movement!
We’re seeking impact partners to support the production of this film and the rollout of our national impact campaign. Are you a not-for-profit focused on providing resources for queer youth in regional Australia or an organisation championing positive masculinity? We’d love to hear from you.
By partnering with us, you’ll help amplify the film’s reach, spark meaningful conversations, and ensure this story has lasting impact beyond the screen.
Get in touch to explore how we can work together.