The Nimbin Bush Theatre presents a rare screening of Virgin Beasts (1984), the underground punk fantasy by Australian counterculture icon Toby Zoates. Set in a psychedelic dystopian future, this anarchic animated sci-fi musical fuses radical politics, wild humour, and surreal hand-drawn visuals into a cult classic experience.
Rejected by the mainstream but embraced by punks and distributed by cult film house Troma, Virgin Beasts is a defiant, unforgettable sensory assault. Its raw soundtrack features Sydney punk bands including Box the Jesuit, Candy Harlots, Thug, and The Gunnery, cementing its place in underground cinema history.
The evening also includes Zoates’ short The Thief of Sydney, nominated for Best Animated Short at the AFI Awards and winner at the Krakow International Animation Festival. After the screenings, Toby Zoates will host a live Q&A, diving into the punk-era production, radical art, and the journey that made Virgin Beasts a true cult treasure.
A one-night-only art exhibition in the foyer will showcase original animation stills, signed posters, and hand-drawn prints from the film, all available for purchase to support the artist’s future projects.
Step into a night of rebellion, imagination, and cinematic history.
