WQ:40

This shorts program seeks to highlight the lesser told trans stories, especially those told by trans people themselves. The stories often found and repeated in the world are not often the stories that resonate the most with the living trans experience. Transport yourself out of that narrative and into a more authentic trans experience.

This collection of short documentary films highlights our histories, our current realities and our activism in our collective fight for a better future.

Ten drag performers find solace in each other as they rebel against their oppressive reality and those who control it.

Pakistani Muslim Mariam and her Canadian-born daughter Azra come of age in two different eras against the backdrop of a shared obsession with Bollywood fantasy.

While having a day-long swim at Athens' queer beach, best friends Demos and Nikitas recall the events of a recent summer in the prospect of turning them into a screenplay for Nikitas' feature debut. Imagining their lives as a film, will bring the two face to face with the pending conflicts in their colorfull friendship.

This program is dedicated to BIPOC resilience. We endure bias and turn it into beauty, pain into progress, slavery into strength, discrimination into dance, mistreatment into music and marches. Yet, after everything we've been through we hold our crowns high; and still, we rise.

A collection of Kings and Queens who are turning heads and changing the world

Michael, terrified of pursuing his musical dreams and exploring romantic intimacy, relies on his best friend and her girlfriend for support and affection. However, when he meets a newly open married couple seeking a casual encounter, the three men enter into a relationship that is more vulnerable than any of them ever expected.

To be Queer is to embark on a journey. Here, we explore the different narratives and stories Queer Asian individuals have to tell as they navigate moments of self-discovery, vulnerability, grief, love, and reflection. Join us as we embrace these moments of emergence, growth, and reunion, we'd love to have you along for the ride.

Get ready for a rollercoaster of unexpected connections and serendipitous encounters in this lineup of shorts, where love, laughter, and life intertwine in the most surprising ways.

Past and present collide when an Iranian American trans man time-travels through the LGBTQ+ archive on a dizzying and erotic quest to unravel his own sexual desires. Rendered in hybrid documentary and stylized dramatizations, DESIRE LINES is a provocative exploration of evolving trans sexuality and identity directed by Jules Rosskam (Paternal Rites, Against a Trans Narrative) and featuring Theo Germaine and Aden Hakimi.

Since the 1970s, lesbians from around the world have been drawn to the island of Lesvos, birthplace of the ancient Greek poet Sappho. When they find paradise in a local village and carve out their own lesbian community, tensions simmer with the local residents. With both groups claiming ownership of lesbian identity, filmmaker Tzeli Hadjidimitriou—a native and lesbian herself—is caught in the middle and chronicles 40+ years of love, community, conflict, and what it means to feel accepted.

Caleb has been plagued by nightmares about an ex who had been working in Provincetown, MA but now won't return his calls. Under the guise of taking a respite, he convinces his boyfriend Adrian to trek down to the Cape Cod town in the offseason of winter. When they arrive, Caleb's ex is nowhere to be found, and the locals provide no help. As Caleb's dreams continue to haunt him, he becomes more determined to find his ex, even as the search puts more strain on his relationship. But the more he persists in his search, the closer he nears the sinister secret the town is hiding.

Barred from attending her religious service, Mel does not give up professing her faith. Every night, she prepares posters and takes them to the church door, waiting for the day she will be able to walk inside again. Over the span of a far-right government and the hardships of an unforeseen pandemic, the documentary follows the transsexual hairdresser's struggle to assert her constitutional right to religious freedom. A poignant portrait of a character and a country in its far from ordinary complexities

Julia has just lost her life partner, Barby. Torn between her grief and a world that is crumbling without her, she strives to preserve the restaurant they built together and her bond with their son León. A relationship now threatened by a wilful grandmother and the return of an absent father. León is about relationships and the joyous and difficult task of loving and understanding one another.

In her desire and ambition to become a powerful glam rock star, Elda comes into conflict with her shy alter ego Diego, with whom she shares the same body. A pilgrimage to the altar of a trans woman, who was murdered and buried in the middle of a forest, awakens in Elda new ways of loving, growing and bonding, in connection with nature and beyond the limitations of binaries.

Step into a world of cinematic morsels with our collection of international short movies that promise to tickle your taste buds and your funny bone. From the coast of Jersey to the Romani community in Sweden, and finally, a heartwarming bonding in an unexpected setting, join us for an evening of laughter, connection, and a side of fries – because life is better with a sprinkle of humor!

Shot on one day by 25 different cameramen across the USA under the co-ordination of Arthur J. Bressan Jr. this film documents Gay Pride parades across the United States in the late 70s.

Aravind, a high school teacher, wants to transition from male to female while working for a school in a small town in South India. Aravind’s parents do not know that Aravind is already taking hormone treatment for the transition. When his parents force a marriage upon him due to their financial situation, Aravind gains courage under pressure. He starts to live as a woman named Bhanu with his friend Haritha's help. The school administration creates problems by not acknowledging Bhanu as a woman. As Bhanu struggles to find happiness after transition, she meets a student Karthik who is being bullied by his classmates for his feminine demeanor. Unable to withstand the bullying, Karthik retaliates by wearing makeup and nail polish to school. The school administration blames Bhanu for all the problems. How Karthik and Bhanu deal with the problems form the rest of the story.

The seminal documentary on Black gay life, Emmy Award-winning director Marlon T. Riggs’ 1989 Tongues Untied uses poetry, personal testimony, rap, and performance (featuring poet Essex Hemphill and others), to describe the homophobia and racism that confront Black gay men.

This year's experimental shorts program celebrates difference in all of its forms while asking in what ways these films are connected. Despite differences in time, place, style, and contexts, each of these films speak to each other in ways that produce a dynamic understanding of Queerness that push beyond our typical forms.

Radha (the stunning Shabana Azmi) is unwavering in her devotion to her husband, Ashok (Kulbushan Kharbanda), despite their barren and sexless arranged marriage. For 15 years, Radha has been the consummate Indian wife, while Ashok, under the guidance of a spiritual leader, is attempting to rid himself completely of any form of desire. Meanwhile, Ashok’s brother Jatin (Jaaved Jaaferi) has brought home his new wife, Sita (Nandita Das), but is unwilling to give up his relationship with his Chinese girlfriend. Added to the mix are Biji (Kushal Rekhi), Ashok and Jatin`s infirm mother, who keeps a watchful eye over the family, and Mundu (Ranjit Chowdhry), who works in the family's restaurant and video store under their small apartment. Slowly, Sita`s presence causes the threads that held the family together to unravel.

"The boys in the barroom living it up. Shootin' off energy. The guys on the sidewalk workin' it out. Talkin' 'bout Menergy. The boys in the back room are laughin' it up. Shootin' off energy. The guys in the street talk checkin' you out. Talkin' 'bout Menergy. The boys in the bedroom lovin' it up, Shootin' off energy. We all know the feelin', it's no mistery Talkin' 'bout Menergy - Patrick Crowley "

Mia and Ele share an important journey that will make them face their ghosts and grow up. A journey through amazing or run-down Italian scenarios, from the South to the North, discovering places, but above all discovering themselves.

Sam (Elliot Page) hasn’t been home since his transition, and after four years in Toronto, he takes a long-dreaded trip back to Cobourg for his father’s birthday. On the train there, he runs into Katherine (Hillary Baack), a friend from high school with her own complicated life now, and feelings from their unresolved past begin to bubble to the surface. Close to You is an emotionally observant drama about coming home as yourself, only for everyone to treat you like a completely different person. It’s a powerful new film from star and producer Page, capturing an all-too-familiar experience, as Sam exercises patience with his family’s baseline acceptance and well-intentioned clumsiness.

A unique queer horror set in Egypt with an Egyptian filmmaker and all Middle Eastern cast and crew, THE JUDGMENT follows a gay couple returning from the US to Egypt for a family emergency, which forces them back into the closet and to attempt to pass as just friends. As the pervasive tension of dangerous homophobia rises around them, they begin to fear that they have fallen prey to witchcraft as punishment for their “homosexual sins”, causing one of them to fall into religious terror and exposing his unhealed past.

These Up & Coming filmmakers are about to bring you everything from being true to oneself, love, hate, acceptance, and so much more! See where the future of queer filmmaking is headed.

Following the death of his mother, a 17-year-old Egyptian teenager, NABIL, relocates to Toronto to live with his estranged father, ISKANDER, an eminent architect. In his exploration of the city, he meets MALIBU, a trans elder, fighting alone against the possible demolition of her haven, MANDY’S, a drag nightclub. Nabil is reminded of his mother, a seamstress, and fashion designer when he learns that Malibu sews all her outfits, and asks Malibu to teach him his mother’s craft. Malibu and Nabil develop a friendship and Nabil is thrust into Malibu’s crusade to save Mandy’s, which has long-time history for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Nabil fails to disclose that it is his own father’s work that is responsible for the impending demolition of Mandy’s, but nonetheless joins the fight. As Nabil comes into his own queer identity, he realizes that he not only needs to sew his mother’s dress, but that he needs to wear it and become QUEEN TUT.F

An uptight and conservative woman, working on tenure as a literacy professor at a large urban university, finds herself strangely attracted to a free-spirited, liberal woman who works at a local carnival that comes to town.

Since Thom and Henri met 35 years ago, their love for each other has never faltered. The seemingly perfect life they had built in Brussels started to go awry when Henri retired from being a police officer. Now, Henri’s days seem to stretch endlessly, each one as bland as the next while his feelings for Thom are fading fast. They drift away from each other a little more each day, to the point that their house has become a battleground. Thom’s love for Henri remains strong though and he is not ready to give up. He will do anything to save his relationship and rekindle their love, even if that means asking Henri for a divorce.

Restored by the Academy Film Archive. Eternal trans icon / Warhol superstar Holly Woodlawn is a total riot in this newly-uncovered Seventies sketch comedy musical. Holly stars as a small-town Kansas girl who tries to make it big — or at least find a roommate — in New York City. SCARECROW has the feel of an undiscovered Robert Downey, Sr. picture, is stacked with Old Hollywood references and also has an epic supporting performance from fellow Warhol scenester Tally Brown. Previously out of circulation for 50 years, SCARECROW has never been on home video or streaming. It’s one of the very first feature films with a trans lead, and has bonus cameos from Bette Midler + Lily Tomlin. Now in 2024, the film is finally ready to find the cult audience it's long deserved.

Come and unwind with us as we showcase a diverse range of hilarious short films that will surely leave you in splits. Your pizza delivery orders will never be the same!

From North African diaspora stories of queer liberation and to tales of young love in Iran, this year's queer MENA stories are sure to leave you with a lasting smile.

Noel Coward grew up in poverty and left school when he was only nine years old. He was queer in a very straight world. And yet by the age of 30, he was the highest paid writer in the world, and a star on the Broadway stage. He wrote, directed and acted in some of the finest plays and movies of all time, including Private Lives, Blithe Spirit, Brief Encounter and In Which We Serve. He also became a world renowned songwriter and performer of whom Frank Sinatra said, ‘If you want to hear how a song should be sung, go see Mr Noel Coward’. And if that wasn’t enough, he was also a spy during the Second World War! Against all odds, Noel Coward became the most successful multi-talented artist of the Twentieth Century. He defined an era and led an extraordinary life. This is his inspirational story told in his own words and music, and unique home movies.

From mermaids to monsters to dance-offs, these shorts will throw us back in time and make us yearn for our golden years.

GTFO is for the films we love because of their weirdness. We have Vico Ortiz. We have talking boobs. We have ghost boyfriends. We have someone cumming gold. Come and see all our weird, fun finds.

Who knew Aliens could be so Campy?

Crime queen and drug dealer, Diaba finds out that the police are after his protégé and decides to "make up" a new bandit to turn in in his place.

A showcase of all the shorts that were paired with features

Audience Award winners from WQ:40 part 1

Audience Award winners part 2