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SEARCHInternational Transgender Day of Visibility takes place every year on March 31 to celebrate trans and gender-diverse people, and raise awareness on systemic anti-trans discrimination.
Out In Schools has curated the following film playlists and lesson plans for educators to bring into your classrooms. To access films and lesson plans, educators can register to join our free Film Catalogue.
- Grade 5-7: Uplifting and supporting trans and gender-diverse people
- Grade 8-10: Diverse cultural experiences of gender diversity
- Grade 11-12: Complex representations of trans experiences by trans people
We recommend watching 1 short film per day and debriefing as a group using our associated Lesson Plans. At the end of the week, ask students to reflect on their favourite film and how they can make their school more welcoming for people of all gender identities and expressions!
The Litle Piratemaid (6 min)
Marooned in a mermaid’s lagoon, a young pirate makes an unlikely friendship and discovers there’s more than one way to sail the seven seas
Bay Creek Tennis Camp (9 min)
At Bay Creek Tennis Camp, boys and girls have always been separated–until a group of campers unite to support their teammates.
Kumu Hina (25 min)
In this documentary, eleven-year-old Ho’onani dreams of leading the boys hula troupe at her Honolulu school with the support of her teacher, a proud Native Hawaiian māhū, or transgender woman.
Rêve ton futur – Tobi (5 min)
Meet Tobi: 18, young queer, two-spirit, transmasculine, lesbian.
Kapaemahu (9 min)
Long ago, four extraordinary individuals of dual male and female spirit brought the healing arts from Tahiti to Hawaii. The name of their leader was Kapaemahu.
Schuyler Bailar (14 min)
Schuyler Bailar is a decorated swimmer who was recruited to Harvard as a female athlete and transitioned while continuing to compete and advocate for trans inclusion.
To All That We Are (5 min)
Two friends reflect on their school year and affirm each other’s unique identities.
Scrapped Fabric (Retaso) (11 min)
Fran sews her dream prom dress from her mother’s scrap fabric (“retaso” in Tagalog) and reveals her trans identity to her family and community.
Queer Parivaar (27 min)
When a mysterious gate-crasher appears at Madhav and Sufi’s wedding, the couple uncovers family secrets and reflect on what makes a family.
If you made use of these resources, we would love to hear how your lessons went and any other feedback! Get in touch with us at info@outinschools.com.
Vancouver, BC, February 11, 2025 – Out On Screen, a leading organization dedicated to 2SLGBTQIA+ media arts and education, is pleased to announce Mary Galloway as the new Artistic Director, effective February 4, 2025.
Galloway is an award-winning mixed Cowichan filmmaker and actor with deep roots in the Vancouver film industry as well as the Indigenous, Canadian, and international film communities. She brings over a decade of artistic leadership as a writer/director/producer in film and TV and over five years of experience in film festivals and on award juries selecting films that champion diverse voices.
As Artistic Director at Out On Screen, Galloway will lead the programming of the annual Vancouver Queer Film Festival and other year-round programming. She is the first Indigenous and Indigiqueer person to assume the role of Artistic Director in the Festival’s 37-year history.
As an Indigiqueer cis female artist, I have always believed in the transformative power of storytelling to foster empathy, ignite change, and amplify the voices of those who are too often silenced. I have dedicated my career to uplifting my queer, Indigenous, and neurodiverse communities. As the new Artistic Director, my goal is to help shape a festival that challenges harmful mainstream portrayals and fosters thoughtful, intersectional representations of our beautifully queer identities. – Mary Galloway (she/they), Artistic Director
“As a matriarch of the local and national film industry and a fierce advocate for Indigenous and queer communities, Mary is a natural fit to lead the next chapter of the Vancouver Queer Film Festival. In this moment, it feels more important than ever that we build solidarity across our communities for our collective liberation. Mary does just that, bringing an impressive wealth of cross-departmental industry experience, a collaborative and empowering approach to leadership, and a deep commitment to our values to her work.” – Eli Morris (they/them), Executive Director
The upcoming 37th edition of VQFFwill take place from September 11-21, 2025 in Vancouver and online BC-wide. VQFF is currently accepting film entries: the regular deadline for submissions is February 28, 2025, and the late deadline is April 15, 2025. Learn more at https://outonscreen.com/entries/
As a filmmaker, Galloway bravely tells stories that represent marginalized communities in a heartfelt, entertaining, and enlightening manner. Her 2021 web series Querencia about a love story between two Indigenous queer women was nominated for two Canadian Screen Awards for Best Web Series and the Cogeco Audience Choice Award 2022. Galloway’s other director credits include the APTN/BellFund digital series D dot H (2023), the CBC documentary The Cowichan Sweater: Our Knitted Legacy (2023), Crave/APTN original comedy series Acting Good (2023).
Galloway was previously named a TIFF Rising Star and Whistler Film Festival Talent to Watch, a recipient of WIFTV’s Newcomer Award, and on The Hollywood Reporter’s list of Breakouts Making An Impact on Hollywood. She is a graduate of the prestigious Canadian Film Centre’s Director’s Lab 2021, the Academy of Canadian Cinema and TV’s Executive Residency Program in 2022, and Canadian Academy x Warner Brothers Discovery Director’s Program 2023/2024.
On top of her own filmmaking work, she has spent years volunteering on committees and serving on juries for initiatives like the Canadian Screen Awards, Reelworld Film Festival, GEMS Vancouver and many others.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
media@outonscreen.com
About Out On Screen
OOut On Screen illuminates, celebrates, and transforms 2SLGBTQIA+ lives through film, education, and dialogue. We pursue our mission with two core programs: The annual Vancouver Queer Film Festival celebrates and promotes authentic authorship and representation that uplifts, empowers, and furthers the liberty, culture, and justice of 2SLGBTQIA+ people. The award-winning Out In Schools program brings age-appropriate 2SLGBTQIA+ cinema into school classrooms and communities across BC to combat anti-trans and anti-gay sentiments and bullying, and to provide the language and tools for inclusion. Out On Screen works to create an equitable society where 2SLGBTQIA+ people are respected, valued, and protected across all our intersections of identity. www.outonscreen.com
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Out On Screen is announcing the departure of Artistic Director Charlie Hidalgo, who is leaving the organization to pursue other opportunities.
Charlie joined Out On Screen as Artistic Director in September 2022, and stewarded the creative vision of the Vancouver Queer Film Festival for the 2023 and 2024 seasons with a focus on guest experience, cultural strategy and industry development. We thank Charlie for his service and wish him well in his future endeavours.
Out On Screen will begin the hiring process for a new Artistic Director in the coming weeks with a start date in early 2025.
Please subscribe to our Industry & Job Opportunities newsletter to be notified when this job posting is published.
An open letter from the Out In Schools Education Director Gavin K Somers in advance of the upcoming BC Provincial Elections on October 19th in support of SOGI-inclusive education.
PREFACE
In the lead-up to the 2024 BC Provincial election, a group of concerned educators, parents, and activists formed The Coalition for SOGI Inclusive Learning Environments. Our coalition called on the responsibility of all electoral candidates to share truthful and accurate information regarding SOGI*-inclusive education. Our correspondence included a SOGI fact sheet and urged public officials to continue learning about the importance of and express public support for SOGI-inclusive education.
*SOGI stands for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity – Every person has a sexual orientation and a gender identity. In 2016, the BC government announced changes to support SOGI in schools. SOGI 123 is a set of free resources for teachers created to bridge the gap in content and resources which are affirming of 2SLGBTQIA+ identities, communities, and families.
THE LETTER
The Out In Schools program has been delivering film-based educational programming in schools throughout British Columbia since 2004. The Out In Schools program uses 2SLGBTQIA+ film to facilitate discussion with students and educators to create safer learning environments for people of all Sexual Orientations and Gender Identities (SOGI). I have had the great privilege of being a part of delivering this program for half its life.
When I started as a program facilitator in 2014, I was in my mid/late twenties and had been out as transgender for nearly 8 years. What excited me about Out In Schools was being able to bring my lived experience as a queer and trans person into schools, to create safer spaces for young people to learn and ask questions.
As a young person, I grew up with no gay, queer, or transgender role models or representation. Starting my journey with Out In Schools, I remember thinking back to my time in high school and imagining what life might have been like for me if I had ever met an “out” queer person, read a book that had queer representation, or had a presentation where language was used that reflected my lived experience.
Now, I oversee the Out In Schools program as Education Director, and over the last ten years I’ve seen a lot of changes; when I started, the work to educate about queer and trans identities was rooted in the equation of “language + terminology = allyship”. Well, times have changed, and while students now understand the language and terminology, that no longer leads to allyship or safer learning environments for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth.
I believe that with any kind of social change, there is always movement. When we become visible, we gain more rights, and in response, we also receive more backlash. There is rarely linear progress when it comes to people’s social beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours, which is why, when it comes to elections, we cannot support those who plan to roll back protections on basic human rights.
I won’t lie, there is a lot at stake in the BC Provincial election this week. As we’ve seen in provinces like New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, and most recently Alberta, protections supporting transgender and gender-diverse youth are being rolled back. In this upcoming election, the BC Conservative Party has followed suit and taken to making SOGI a “wedge issue” by calling SOGI 123 “too divisive” and pledging to remove SOGI learning materials from schools.
The removal of 2SLGBTQIA+ content from schools won’t erase the existence of 2SLGBTQIA+ youth. It will only ostracize them.
I always knew something was different about me. I remember being called homophobic slurs in the hallways of my high school, before I realized I was queer or knew what those words meant. I didn’t even know that it was possible to be trans. When I heard the word “genderqueer” for the first time, I realized there was language for how I’d always felt. It was euphoric to finally have words to describe my experience! In my time working with Out In Schools, I have witnessed countless young people have similar experiences of validation.
The human rights, dignities, and protections of 2SLGBTQIA+ people should never be up for debate, especially not in a provincial election.
The removal of “SOGI [inclusive] learning materials” will be detrimental to all youth, not just those who are 2SLGBTQIA+. Research just released by UBC’s Stigma and Resilience Among Vulnerable Youth Centre (SARAVYC) in the School of Nursing found that SOGI 123 reduced bullying and discrimination targeted toward LGBQ+ youth above and beyond GSAs’ impacts, as well as reduced bullying and discrimination among heterosexual students.
Encouragingly, results also suggest that continued implementation of SOGI 123 over time will improve results even further, and that the training and support for school staff provided by SOGI 123 helps reduce bullying and discrimination in schools, for both LGBTQ+ and heterosexual students.
Access to queer content doesn’t make people queer; but it can make us feel less alone and better understood by our peers.
Instead of attacking vulnerable youth, I encourage our government to address real and pressing issues regarding the state of education in our province beyond the need for inclusive learning materials.
A well-funded and resourced education system is a pillar to supporting youth – the decision-makers of our future.
For more information on some key party’s Education Platforms, see below.
BC New Democrats Party
BC Green Party
BC Conservative Party
Gavin K Somers is the Education Director for Out On Screen and oversees the Out In Schools program. They are the proud parent of a three-year-old, and tertiary caregiver to an eleven-year-old attending public school in BC.
Out In Schools supports students and educators province-wide by delivering adaptable educational programming using 2SLGBTQIA+ film and storytelling. Support SOGI inclusive learning environments by making a donation today.
VANCOUVER, BC (October 16, 2024) – The Vancouver Queer Film Festival (VQFF) is pleased to announce the esteemed group of 2024 Award recipients. $57,500 CAD in cash and in-kind prizes will be distributed to 2SLGBTQIA+ filmmakers, with the highest accolades bestowed upon the RBC Narrative Change Award winner director Jules Rosskam (USA) for DESIRE LINES, who will receive a cash prize of $5,000 CAD, and the Gerry Brunet Memorial Award: Best British Columbia Short winner directors David Ng and Jen Sungshine for DRAG IS FOR EVERYONE, who will take home a cash prize of $2,500 CAD courtesy of the Directors Guild of Canada, BC as well as a $20,000 camera package prize from Keslow Camera and a $5,000 gear package from Cinelease.
The winner of the RBC Narrative Change Award winner is American director Jules Rosskam for DESIRE LINES, a liberating exploration of transmasculine sexuality that blends narrative and documentary forms. This award comes with a $5,000 cash prize and was determined by an international jury, honouring a Canadian or International feature film that uses the power of cultural strategy to overturn outdated narratives, inspire change, and expand the audience’s perception of 2SLGBTQIA+ identities.
The 2024 jurors for the RBC Narrative Change Award were Executive Director of Frameline Allegra Madsen, Director of Programming at NewFest Nick McCarthy, and actor, creator, producer Scott Turner Schofield. They said in a statement: “In the face of cultural and industrial pressures to tell expansive and marketable stories, queer and trans audiences are worthy of films that affirm and celebrate the intricacies of our intersectional identities, we deserve the films that reveal the multiple layers and revel in the prismatic light that defines our queerness. For its fearless ethics of and commitment to risk-taking – aesthetically, formally, thematically, and culturally – and for the depths of trans and queer sexuality that it artfully explores, we present DESIRE LINES from director Jules Rosskam with the RBC Narrative Change Award.”
VQFF is grateful for their ongoing partnership with RBC and for their support of the Narrative Change Award.
VQFF’s annual prize for the Festival’s best BC short film, the Gerry Brunet Memorial Award: Best British Columbia Short was established in 1997 in recognition of Brunet, a lifelong contributor to the arts and an early board member of Out On Screen. This year, this prize was determined by audience vote. This year’s winners Ng and Sungshine previously won the Gerry Brunet Memorial Award in 2019 for Yellow Peril: Queer Destiny.
“The Directors Guild of Canada, British Columbia, is proud to sponsor the Gerry Brunet Memorial Award for Best British Columbia Short at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival. We would like to congratulate directors David Ng and Jen Sungshine, along with their Drag is for Everyone team, on winning the 2024 Gerry Brunet Memorial Award!” says Matthew Chipera, DGC BC Executive Board Chair.
“Keslow Camera has been passionate about supporting the next generation of filmmakers from our very inception. We believe that film sets should be inclusive, equitable, and diverse – just like the world that surrounds us every day. Through our work with Vancouver Queer Film Fest, we are proud to have had a direct impact on changing the face of the film industry, for the better, from within. We are honored to sponsor this year’s winner of the Gerry Brunet Memorial Award for Best British Columbia Short with a $20,000 camera package prize, we know the winner will craft something truly remarkable. Congratulations to all official selections, and to the People’s Choice winner: we’re ready to bring your vision to life,” says the Keslow Camera team.
An additional $25,000 CAD in cash and prizes will be distributed amongst the winners for this year’s People’s Choice Awards. The 2024 winners are:
The Canadian Feature winner is A MOTHER APART directed by Laurie Townshend, who will receive $2,500 cash prize supported by Canada Media Fund (CMF).
“What an honour it is to be the “People’s Choice”. A Mother Apart is as much a film about one inspirational mother figure as it is about all those who mother or have been mothered. It’s a film about all of us—and our capacity for grace and for healing in the face of wounding.” – Laurie Townshend, Director
The Canadian Short winner is JANELLE NILES: INCONVENIENT directed by Kelly Zemnickis and Cass Gardiner, who will receive $20,000 in-kind prize from Panavision and $2,500 in-kind prize in post-production services from Elemental.
“I am absolutely thrilled and so honoured that our film was selected for the Best Canadian Short! My hope with sharing Janelle’s story was simply that I wanted even more people to know about the incredible work she’s doing and all that Janelle has done since she first took the mic. That it’s been embraced by the VQFF audience like this is icing on the cake!!” – Kelly Zemnickis, co-director
The International Feature winner is VERA AND THE PLEASURE OF OTHERS (Vera y el placer de los otros) (Argentina) directed by Romina Tamburello, Federico Actis and the International Short winner is SEAT 31: ZOOEY ZEPHYR (USA) directed by Kimberly Reed.
“Thank you for this wonderful award. It is wonderful for us to see how this story touches and identifies people of all ages and countries. This film was made possible by the great friendship and trust of those who make it. We believe that pleasure is not only a right but a search that we should never lose. Thank you for sharing this wish with us.” – the VERA AND THE PLEASURE OF OTHERS (Vera y el placer de los otros) team
VQFF thanks its generous partners for their support of our industry programming, including lead partner RBC Royal Bank; screening partners UBCP/ACTRA and the Canadian Media Producers Association, BC Producers Branch; premiere partners Canada Media Fund, Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada, and Telefilm Canada; festival supporters IATSE 891 and Vancouver Film Studios; and award partners Directors Guild of Canada BC, Panavision Vancouver, and Keslow Camera.
Out In Schools, VQFF’s sibling program, has acquired seven films that screened at VQFF 2024 to add to our Film Catalogue. These films are available online to educators now and will be screened as a part of Out In Schools presentations in schools and communities across BC in the 2024-2025 school year and beyond.
DYEING FOR A POCKET (UK) dir. by Mairi Eyres
THE LITTLE PIRATEMAID (USA) dir. by Luke Beatrice
TO ALL THE WE ARE (USA) dir. By Kris Cahatol
BAY CREEK TENNIS CAMP (USA) dir. by Michele Meek
FORZA, REA (Switzerland) dir. by Isabel Pahud, Isabel Clerici, Laura Zimmermann, Polina Tyrsa
THE PRINCE’S DILEMMA (USA) dir. by Devin Rowe
DIRT PRIDE (USA) dir. by Christina Rosetti
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MORE INFORMATION:
Media Kit can be downloaded here.
More info and Festival images at the VQFF Press & Media page.
About Out On Screen
Out On Screen is a charitable organization that illuminates, celebrates, and transforms 2SLGBTQIA+ lives through film, education, and dialogue. We pursue our mission with two core programs: The annual Vancouver Queer Festival celebrates and promotes authentic authorship and representation that uplifts, empowers, and furthers the liberty, culture, and justice of 2SLGBTQIA+ people. The award-winning Out In Schools program brings age-appropriate 2SLGBTQIA+ cinema into school classrooms and communities across BC to combat homophobia, transphobia, and bullying, and to provide the language and tools for inclusion. Out On Screen is proud to be a leading organization working to create an equitable society where 2SLGBTQIA+ people are respected, valued, and protected across all our intersections of identity.
www.outonscreen.com / Instagram / Facebook / X / #VQFF2024
Media Requests:
Nicola Pender, Pender PR
m: 604.617.4807 / nicola@penderpr.com
penderpr.com / @penderpr
The beloved festival takes place Sept. 11-22 and will showcase 97 projects from 27 countries, with 28 features, 5 series debuts and 64 short films, complemented by 5 spectacular parties
VANCOUVER, BC (August 12, 2024) — The Vancouver Queer Film Festival (VQFF) has announced the entire lineup for their 36th annual Festival, which will take place across Vancouver from September 11-22, 2024 this year. The programme includes international film and episodic content authored by 2SLGBTQIA+ creators, centred on 2SLGBTQIA+ protagonists, and celebrating queer storytelling and joy. The Festival includes parties, performances, post-screening Q&As with filmmakers, and industry events.
VQFF’s Opening Presentation: Closer features a collection of short films that highlight the solidarity and brilliance of our diverse queer community. Familiar faces, such as beloved actor Ben Whishaw (GOOD BOY, US) and rising local talents like Oji-Cree-Saulteaux poet jaye simpson (I’LL TELL YOU WHEN I’M READY, Canada) star as queer heroes in this dynamic collection. First dates, beautiful friendships, and tender parent-child relationships round out this rousing call to action: be ready to party and love one another throughout this year’s Vancouver Queer Film Festival.
The 2024 Centerpiece Presentation will be the BC Premiere of Canadian director Julia Jackman’s BONUS TRACK (UK), which follows 16-year-old songwriter George who longs to break free of his parents expectations and the small English town they call home. Canadian feature film premiere highlights include: Tribeca favourite RENT FREE (Fernando Andrés, US) follows ageing millennials who launch a social experiment to spend an entire year living “rent-free” by couch-surfing in a rapidly changing Austin, Texas; IF I DIE, IT’LL BE OF JOY (Alexis Taillant, France) follows three rabble-rousers who contemplate and advocate for their right to recognition, love, and sexual liberation as older adults; and the powerful documentary LIFE IS NOT A COMPETITION, BUT I’M WINNING (Julia Fuhr Mann, Germany), which debuted at Venice and explores the achievements, challenges, and legacies of a group of trans, intersex, and queer Olympic athletes who create a radical utopia to challenge the rigid gender rules of competitive sports and envision a more inclusive future.
“I’m thrilled to follow up the success of last year’s festival with another lineup of outstanding films. It’s been a pleasure to witness the incredible calibre of work that 2SLGBTQIA+ filmmakers around the globe are creating,” says Charlie Hidalgo, Artistic Director, Out On Screen. “My respect to the programming team for all their dedication. This year’s festival is an opportunity for Vancouver audiences to discover urgent, innovative and empowering stories by us, for us and about us.”
Other VQFF 2024 feature film highlights include: winner of this year’s Grand Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary Feature at the Frameline: San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, FRAGMENTS OF A LIFE LOVED (Chloé Barreau, Italy) a hypnotic film that explores the complexities of sex and relationships; PARADISE IS BURNING (Mika Gustafson, Sweden) which won two awards at the Venice Film Festival, captures the turbulence of three sisters growing up without a safety net among the margins of working-class Sweden; the critically acclaimed YOUNG HEARTS (Belgium, Netherlands) from Anthony Schatteman, a giddy ode to teenagehood with its winsome and warm-hearted exploration of fierce young love; and the hometown premiere of Harrison Xu’s EXTREMELY UNIQUE DYNAMIC (Harrison Xu, Ivan Leung and Katherine Dudas, US) in which a pair of twenty-something Asian-American creatives are determined to make a movie reflecting their experiences as best friends where one happens to be gay and the other, straight; A MOTHER APART (Canada) the award-winning NFB documentary from Laurie Townshend follows powerhouse Jamaican-American poet and LGBTQ+ activist Staceyann Chin and a deeply personal journey to uncover the mysterious past of her elusive mother. Another must-see film this year is the previously announced closing night film LAYLA (UK), which debuted at Sundance earlier this year and follows an up-and-coming British-Palestinian drag queen lighting up local clubs with impressive creativity in the London queer scene.
Episodic projects including series KIN., from directors Justin Ducharme and Theo Jean Cuthand, which will screen to BC audiences for the first time. The five-part scripted series is an honest and comedic exploration of the contemporary, urban queer and trans Indigenous experience, following a group of friends and their social media-engrossed lives starring Ta’Kaiya Blaney (Monkey Beach) alongside an all-Indigenous cast and crew. Giselle Miller’s NOVELETTE IS TRYING; Vancouver’s first Black queer web series will have its world bow and a duo of Australian series TOUCH will have its festival premiere & TRIPLE OH! its Canadian Premiere. French series SPLIT written and directed by feminist author Iris Brey, starring Alma Jodorowsky from Blue Is the Warmest Colour will have its first screening to a Canadian audience at the fest.
With 10 shorts programs this year, there are so many wonderful films to watch. The Coast is Queer program features local films made by and featuring artists in our neighbourhood, like Rose Butch, Romi Kim (SKIM), and Persephone Estradiol (jaye simpson). THE BIRDHOUSE, a film that centres the titular queer and trans-run event space and the untold labour and love poured into creating a haven beyond physical walls from director Romi Kim will screen amongst other notable films including: DRAG IS FOR EVERYONE a film that reflects on the support, pride, and joy fostered at the Carousel Theatre’s Drag Camp from filmmakers David Ng and Jen Sungshine (Love Intersections). 12 ANGRY LESBIANS from Patrice Leung, Gabriel Souza Nunes’ PASSIFLORA, Olivia Marie Golosky’s PÎĶÎWÎ, lisa g’s ARTIST / AUTIST and DIRT PRIDE from Christina Rosetti will also play.
For the first time ever, the Vancouver Queer Film Festival’s dates will fall within the school year and will bring programming specifically to youth and school groups with The Future is Queer: Youth Programs co-presented by Out In Schools and The Cinematheque, two days of FREE youth programs that will increase young people’s access to transformative 2SLGBTQIA+ stories and support educators in building core competencies in many related subject areas. Troublemakers 8.0, the intergenerational film project returns to the big screen for the eighth year! Reel Youth and Out On Screen present four new films by youth filmmakers documenting the lives of local queer elders who inspire us through art and advocacy. This screening will be followed by a Q&A with the youth filmmakers.
The 2024 Festival programme was curated by VQFF Artistic Director Charlie Hidalgo; Senior Programmers Daniel Crooke and Kathleen Mullen; Programmers Cole Forrest, Laura Arboleda, and Syriah Bailey; Associate Programmers Alayna Y, Chelsea Birks, Gavin K Somers, Jasmine “Audder” Monton, Lu Linares, Maria Cecilia Saba, Seán Maheux Galway; and Programming Consultant Shayna Maci Warner.
VQFF would also like to thank its generous partners for their support, including lead partner RBC Royal Bank; screening partners UBCP/ACTRA and the Canadian Media Producers Association, BC Producers Branch; signature partner Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association; premiere partners Canada Media Fund, Rogers, Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada and Telefilm Canada; exclusive media partner CBC Vancouver; transportation partner Modo; exclusive technical partner 24 Frames Digital Films; festival funders Canada Council For the Arts, Government of Canada, City of Vancouver, Creative BC, and British Columbia Arts Council; and festival supporters bed, Miller Titerle + Company, Gayvan.com, IATSE Local 891, Western Media Group, James Goodman, Squirrel Friendz, and Twin Sails Brewing.
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MORE INFORMATION:
The full programme lineup for VQFF 2024 can be found on the website now.
Tickets and passes are on sale now, with sliding scale pricing starting at just $7.
Media Kit can be downloaded here.
More info and Festival images at the VQFF Press & Media page and on The Future is Queer.
About Out On Screen
Out On Screen is a charitable organization that illuminates, celebrates, and transforms 2SLGBTQIA+ lives through film, education, and dialogue. We pursue our mission with two core programs: The annual Vancouver Queer Festival celebrates and promotes authentic authorship and representation that uplifts, empowers, and furthers the liberty, culture, and justice of 2SLGBTQIA+ people. The award-winning Out In Schools program brings age-appropriate 2SLGBTQIA+ cinema into school classrooms and communities across BC to combat homophobia, transphobia, and bullying, and to provide the language and tools for inclusion. Out On Screen is proud to be a leading organization working to create an equitable society where 2SLGBTQIA+ people are respected, valued, and protected across all our intersections of identity.
www.outonscreen.com / Instagram / Facebook / X / #VQFF2024
Media Requests:
Nicola Pender, Pender PR
m: 604.617.4807 / nicola@penderpr.com
penderpr.com / @penderpr
VQFF FEATURE FILM PROGRAM:
For the lineup of all the Short Films playing at VQFF and the entire 2024 program visit www.queerfilmfestival.ca.
The complete list of feature films and episodic debuts are included below.
BONUS TRACK, BC Premiere (Centrepiece Presentation)
Julia Jackman | United Kingdom | 2023 | 98 min English with captions
Daydreaming through class every day about crafting his big radio hit—with the failing grades to show for it, 16-year-old songwriter George longs to break free of his parent’s expectations and the small English town they call home. Inspiration arrives when Max, the son of a world-famous rockstar, enrolls in George’s school and recognizes the megawatt talent hidden behind George’s teenage awkwardness. As their friendship deepens and their creative collaboration blossoms, George and Max are thrust into the spotlight while navigating the complexities of a possible first love.
LAYLA, Canadian Premiere (Closing Night Presentation)
Amrou Al-Kadhi | United Kingdom | 2024 100 min | English and Arabic with English subtitles
Drag liberation and sparkling self-expression turn the beat up loud in this joyful, exhilarating crowd-pleaser which premiered in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition of this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Making their feature debut with raise-your-voice realness, director Amrou Al-Kadhi channels their experiences in the east London queer scene into the unforgettable saga of Layla: an up-and- coming Palestinian drag queen lighting up local clubs with impressive creativity. Featuring a colourful community of artists and everyday queer superstars, Layla’s life off-stage takes a surprising direction when they start a love affair with a young corporate professional.
EXTREMELY UNIQUE DYNAMIC, BC Premiere Harrison Xu, Ivan Leung, Katherine Dudas | United States | 2024 | 67 min | English with captions | BC Premiere
With relentless comedic timing and a contagious sense of discovery, Xu and Leung play Ryan and Daniel, a pair of twenty-something Asian American creatives in Los Angeles determined to make a movie reflecting their experiences as best friends where one happens to be gay and the other, straight. Invigorated by their desire to bust taboos and blend genres, they battle their low-budget limitations (on and off the screen) to craft a hilarious, heartfelt expression of their titular extremely unique dynamic.
IF I DIE, IT’LL BE OF JOY (SI JE MEURS, CE SERA DE JOIE), BC Premiere Alexis Taillant | France | 2024 | 80 min | French with English subtitles
As GreyPride in Paris approaches, three rabble- rousers contemplate and advocate for their right as older adults to recognition, love, and sexual liberation. This beautifully filmed and inspiring documentary follows 81-year-old Micheline, brimming with sexual desire and looking for ways to express it; 70-year-old Francis, a feisty anti-ageism activist; and 68-year-old Yves, seeking love and companionship. The three set out to revolutionize senior living, challenge stereotypes, and combat discrimination through a collective effort to debunk preconceived notions of sex, love, and aging.
THE SUMMER WITH CARMEN (TO KALOKAIRI TIS KARMEN), Canadian Premiere Zacharias Mavroeidis | Greece | 2023 | 106 min Greek with English subtitles
The setting: The rocky, sun-kissed shores of a gay nude beach perched above the Mediterranean Sea in Athens, Greece. Our heroes: Best friends and former actors-turned-aspiring filmmakers Demos and Nikitas. Their objective: Finally crack their feature screenplay, a steamy autofiction about the highs and lows of their flings, family drama, and dog-sitting escapades of two summers earlier.
WHAT A FEELING, BC Premiere
Kat Rohrer | Austria | 2024 | 110 min | German with English subtitles
A chance encounter at a lesbian bar brings two women leading strikingly different lives together in this winning romantic comedy.
“You can dance right through your life” is the mantra of free-spirited, unattached Fa (Proschat Madani, Cuckoo), whose charm and popularity with women are well-established. She runs her own carpentry business and cares for her aging Iranian mother, who doesn’t know Fa is a lesbian. Marie Theres (Caroline Peters, Walk on Water) is a successful but slightly uptight doctor whose conventional life is upended when her husband of 20 years abruptly asks for a divorce. The two women could not be more different…or more attracted to each other. Each will have to break free from the confines they have built for themselves if they truly want to be happy.
DESIRE LINES, BC Premiere
Jules Rosskam | United States | 2024 | 83 min English with captions
Winner of the NEXT Special Jury Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, director Jules Rosskam cracks open a portal with his liberating exploration of transmasculine sexuality that blends narrative and documentary forms. Within the halls of a vast queer archive, trans Iranian- American scholar Ahmad mines for a historical answer to his question: Is his gender identity at odds with his sexual desire for other men? Guided by a charismatic research assistant played by Theo Germaine (The Politician), Ahmad’s journey takes a turn when the archive transforms into a time-traveling gay bathhouse of erotic discovery. From here, Rosskam weaves together illuminating archival treasures and thrillingly candid interviews featuring trans men sharing their intimate odysseys of hooking up with cis gay men. Rosskam’s dynamic approach flips the script to create a sexier, more authentic, and bountifully gay film.
BULLETPROOF: A LESBIAN’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING THE PLOT, BC Premiere
Regan Latimer | Canada | 2024 | 105 min | English with captions
Every time a lesbian character dies on TV is a stake through the heart for director Regan Latimer. Latimer embarks on a cross-country quest to uncover why Hollywood keeps “burying their gays.” Exploring how and why there are a disproportionate number of lesbian deaths in media, Latimer interviews TV writers and executives, queer community members, and fans to unravel this troubling phenomenon. Featuring enlightening conversations with industry insiders, this insightful, funny, and personal hybrid documentary captures the crucial role of queer media representation while following Latimer’s journey of self-discovery and the powerful impact of seeing oneself on screen. Queer fandom is fighting back–join our media revolution!
RENT FREE, Canadian Premiere
Fernando Andrés | United States | 2024 | 93 min English with captions
After a misguided seduction leaves them broke and without an apartment, aging millennials Ben and Jordan (played by charismatic duo Jacob Roberts and David Treviño) launch a social experiment to spend an entire year living “rent- free” by couch-surfing with friends, family, and strangers in a rapidly changing Austin, Texas. Collaborators Fernando Andrés and Tyler Rugh follow up their winning Three Headed Beast (VQFF ’23) with this renegade character-driven comedy tackling contemporary issues of rising rent, urban instability, and the tech-sector takeover of everyday life, and the nuances of queer male friendship.
SISTERS, BC Premiere
Susie Yankou | United States, Canada | 2024 88 min | English and Farsi with English subtitles
Singer-songwriter Lou (Susie Yankou) and stand-up comedian Esther (Sarah Khasrovi) are inseparable best friends. They share everything from inside jokes to a deep curiosity about what it would be like to have a sister. Their codependent bliss is shattered when Lou’s father unexpectedly passes away, and Priya (Kausar Mohammed), a long-lost, very stylish half-sister, shows up to his funeral. As Lou explores her relationship with Priya, the newfound connection disrupts her bond with Esther and creates a growing rift. Facing the potential loss of her closest friend, Lou must navigate this complex new dynamic and redefine what family truly means.
VERA AND THE PLEASURE OF OTHERS (VERA Y EL PLACER DE LOS OTROS), Canadian Premiere
Romina Tamburello, Federico Actis | Argentina 2023 | 103 min | Spanish with English subtitles
In this erotic coming-of-age comedy 17-year-old Vera steals keys from her real estate agent mother to run a secret business renting out an apartment to her classmates who need a place to get intimate. Bored by the banal routine of high school and volleyball practice, she discovers a thrilling outlet in her side hustle as she covertly eavesdrops on her clients’ most private moments. Listening to other people’s pleasure unexpectedly allows Vera to gain an understanding of her own desires. However, just as she begins to develop a sexual appetite of her own, Vera’s pleasure gets interrupted.
THIS IS BALLROOM (SALÃO DE BAILE), Canadian Premiere
Juru, Vitã | Brazil | 2024 | 92 min | Portuguese and English with English subtitles
Ballroom filmmakers Juru and Vitã explore Rio de Janeiro’s unique Ballroom scene and House culture. For this ambitious project, the filmmakers organized a special event inviting Rio’s top Ballroom artists, representing 11 Houses from the city centre and beyond. Led by prominent 2SLGBTQIA+ Afro-Brazilian performers, the Houses serve as life-affirming chosen families for the queer, trans, and nonbinary people of this tight community. Mixing elements of local traditions, popular culture, and North American influences, Rio’s Ballroom artists cook up their unique flavours of voguing, performance, music, fashion and dance. Infused in their artistry are the lived experiences of a resilient community pushing back against a racist, patriarchal state.
PRIDE VS. PREJUDICE: THE DELWIN VRIEND STORY, BC Premiere
Darrin Hagen | Canada | 2024 | 80 min | English with captions
In 1991, Delwin Vriend was fired from his teaching position at a Christian college in Edmonton for being gay. An unlikely hero, Vriend found himself at the centre of a pivotal point in history. The case of Vriend v. Alberta, fought all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, challenged homophobic discrimination and expanded LGBTQ+ rights in Canadian workplaces.
A HOUSE IS NOT A DISCO, BC Premiere
Brian J. Smith | United States | 2024 | 90 min English with captions
Fire Island comes alive in director Brian J. Smith’s loving portrait of the legendary gay hotspot and the makeshift community that travels by ferry every summer to call it home. Filmed with a warm sense of place and an eye toward its gorgeous natural environment, this documentary thrusts the viewer into the fun, euphoria, and kinship that ripple throughout the iconic Pines. Through on-the-fly interviews with its memorable inhabitants and rich observational insights that illuminate its charm, Smith evokes the island’s half-century of history as a queer haven while also exploring the possibilities for its more inclusive future. For those whose calendars aren’t complete without an annual jaunt to this New York paradise or those who’ve always wished to visit: climb aboard and bask in Fire Island’s glow.
LESVIA, BC Premiere
Tzeli Hadjidimitriou | Greece | 2024 | 78 min | Greek, English, French, and Italian with English subtitles
The Greek island of Lesbos, the birthplace of Sappho, has long been a pilgrimage destination for lesbians worldwide. For decades, lesbian native director Tzeli Hadjidimitriou has documented the lives of locals and the annual gatherings of lesbians on Eressos’ beaches. Using archival film, photos, and personal diaries, Tzeli delves into the evolving relationships, struggles, and connections between the local Greek and these lesbian communities. Lesvia weaves Sappho’s poetry and legacy with Lesbos’ unique culture, capturing a fascinating group of people who all feel a deep connection to this island.
YOUNG HEARTS, BC Premiere
Anthony Schatteman | Belgium, Netherlands 2024 | 99 min | German, English, French, and Dutch with English subtitles
In an idyllic countryside town in Belgium, young Alex moves in next door to Elias, a popular 14-year-old with a fun-loving family. Excited about the new kid in town, Elias soon becomes fast friends with Alex, even making a trip into the city to meet some of Alex’s family who run the local drag club. When Alex reveals he has dated boys before, Elias realizes he likes Alex more than just a friend, throwing him into a crisis of identity. Elias must find out if he can be as free in his own sexuality and desires as Alex seems to be.
FRAGMENTS OF A LIFE LOVED (FRAMMENTI DI UN PERCORSO AMOROSO), BC Premiere
Chloé Barreau | Italy | 2023 | 95 min | French and Italian with English subtitles
When you look back at your relationships, do you ever wonder why you had amazing sex with some lovers and not others? Or why you ended up with some partners long-term while others flitted in and out of your life?
Since she was 16 years old living between Paris and Rome, director Chloé Barreau has been photographing, filming, and collecting mementos from every woman and man she has ever loved. This fascinating documentary unfolds through candid interviews with her exes, from fleeting one-night stands to enduring relationships.
CARNAGE FOR CHRISTMAS, BC Premiere
Alice Maio Mackay | Australia | 2024 | 70 min English with captions
Santa slays in Australian wunderkind Alice Maio Mackay’s latest handmade horror delight. Her fifth feature in three years, this inventive slasher flick follows true-crime podcaster Lola as she returns to her conservative hometown for the first time since transitioning—just in time for the terrifying resurrection of a red suit-wearing urban legend with an axe to grind. As the body count rises and the killer circles closer, Lola’s ragtag team of queer and trans compatriots— complete with one totally wicked drag queen— must band together to rip the mask off this psychopath and take him down once and for all. Eye-popping colour and razor-sharp editing from new collaborator Vera Drew (The People’s Joker) fuels the playful nightmare flair of this exhilarating celebration of community power. Mackay’s infectious visual imagination proves that, when it comes to battling bigotry through pure cinematic force, this 19-year-old trans filmmaker is out for blood.
A MOTHER APART, BC Premiere
Laurie Townshend | Canada | 2024 | 89 min English and German with English subtitles
Powerhouse Jamaican-American poet and LGBTQ+ activist Staceyann Chin embarks on a deeply personal journey to uncover the mysterious past of her elusive mother, Hazel—a woman whose absence has shaped Staceyann’s poetry, politics, and bond with her daughter, Zuri. Traveling from Brooklyn to Montreal, Cologne to Jamaica, Staceyann navigates a complex emotional landscape as she grapples with Hazel’s choices. She must also balance her enduring childhood pain with the profound joy of motherhood.
THE ASTRONAUT LOVERS (LOS AMANTES ASTRONAUTAS), Canadian Premiere
Marco Berger | Argentina | 2024 | 116 min Spanish with English subtitles
When Pedro returns to Argentina for an extended vacation at his family home by the sea, he’s greeted by familiar faces and the promise of a leisurely, drama-free summer with friends. One afternoon on the beach, he runs into Maxi, a flirtatious but foolhardy—and straight—friend from the past who expresses an unrelenting curiosity about the easygoing Pedro’s sexuality as a gay man. Sparks fly as they fall into a surprising rhythm of mutual interest in spite of—or perhaps because of—this line in the sand. So when Maxi asks Pedro to play-act as his new boyfriend to rile up his ex-girlfriend, Pedro goes along with it…
PARADISE IS BURNING (PARADISET BRINNER), BC Premiere
Mika Gustafson | Sweden | 2023 | 108 min Swedish with English subtitles
Thrumming with the rough-and-tumble spirit of youth in rebellion, director Mika Gustafson’s film captures the turbulence of growing up without a safety net among the margins of working- class Sweden. Scraping by with ingenuity, sisters Laura (sixteen), Mira (twelve), and Steffi (seven) look after themselves in a council house with no guardian in sight. When social services comes knocking, Laura must find an adult willing to impersonate their mother to keep her family together. Her journey ignites a spark of self- discovery as the wild rituals of adolescence give way to the rush of a first crush.
UNUSUALLY NORMAL, BC Premiere
Colette Johnson Vosberg | Canada | 2024 98 min | English with captions
Meet Canada’s gayest family! Unusually Normal follows three generations of women in the Ford family, all of whom are gay. Director Colette Johnson-Vosberg got the opportunity of a lifetime when Karen Ford reached out and opened the doors to her home and her family’s extraordinary story.
THROUPLE, Canadian Premiere
Greyson Horst | United States | 2024 | 90 min English with captions
Injecting a welcome dose of polyamorous desire to the landscape of contemporary gay romance, director Greyson Horst crafts a comedy of unexpected connection on the road to self- discovery. Aimless and stuck in an artistic rut, lonely singer-songwriter Michael (played by actor-screenwriter Michael Doshier) can’t seem to find his lane in either life or love. One fateful night while attending a friend’s show, his luck turns as he strikes up a conversation with Georgie and Connor, a friendly—and newly open—married couple. As Michael quickly falls into bed with the couple, both his creativity and the possibility of romance soar.
LIFE IS NOT A COMPETITION, BUT I’M WINNING, Canadian Premiere
Julia Fuhr Mann | Germany | 2023 | 79 min German and English with English subtitles
If history is written by the victors, where does that leave those who were never allowed to be part of the game? In this powerful documentary, a collective of queer athletes enters the Olympic Stadium in Athens to honour those who were excluded from standing on the podium. They meet Amanda Reiter, a trans marathon runner battling the prejudices of sports organizers, and Annet Negesa, an 800-metre runner pressured by international sports federations to undergo hormone-altering surgery. Together, the athletes create a radical utopia to challenge the rigid gender rules of competitive sports and envision a more inclusive future.
ROOKIE, BC Premiere
Samantha Lee | Philippines | 2023 | 95 min Tagalog and English with English subtitles
Ace’s first day at her new Manila high school is one she’ll never forget. As she awkwardly navigates the unfamiliar surroundings, she finds herself reluctantly joining the volleyball team. Jana, the team captain, perceives Ace as a threat, sparking an immediate rivalry. But, little by little, they discover that love and hate are two sides of the same coin and find themselves admitting their attraction to each other.
ALL SHALL BE WELL (從今以後), BC Premiere
Ray Yeung | Hong Kong | 2024 | 93 min | Chinese with English subtitles
Long-term couple Pat and Angie have lived happily in their beautiful Hong Kong flat for decades, surrounded by family and friends who delight in their lively dinner parties. Pat’s sudden death changes everything in a split second. As Pat hasn’t left a will, her once seemingly supportive family now wrests control from Angie, leveraging Hong Kong law against her to make all the decisions and arrangements. Angie desperately wants to fight for Pat’s wishes and turns to her community of queer friends for support as she navigates not only her grief but also the impending loss of her home.
PERFECT ENDINGS (13 SENTIMENTOS), Canadian Premiere
Daniel Ribeiro | Brazil | 2024 | 100 min Portuguese with English subtitles
Guaranteed to get your heart pumping, the latest from Teddy Award-winner Daniel Ribeiro (crowd-pleasing favourite The Way He Looks, VQFF Opening Gala ‘14) pulses to the beat of a hot and heavy summer in the city. Fresh off a breakup from a long-term relationship and ready for a rebound, aspiring Brazilian filmmaker João battles writer’s block while diving headfirst into hookup apps in search of a spark, on and off the page, for his sexy new screenplay. He discovers a surprising fusion of both passions when he begins directing amateur erotic films, uncovering how art can imitate life and vice versa. Surrounded by supportive, fun-loving friends, João endeavours to put the pen down and surrender to self-discovery.
LOVE & REVOLUTION (TE ESTOY AMANDO LOCAMENTE), Canadian Premiere
Alejandro Marín | Spain | 2023 | 106 min | Spanish with English subtitles
Nominated for five Goya awards, Spanish filmmaking’s highest honour, and winner of one, this fist-pumping period drama from director Alejandro Marín thrusts audiences into the budding gay rights movement flooding the streets of 1977 Seville. Coming of age in a time of criminalized homosexuality and stifled free speech, teenage brainiac Miguel lives in the city with his adoring single mother Reme, a hardworking widow whose fierce love for her son guides her every step. When Miguel’s increasingly visible queerness lands him in the crosshairs of the state, Reme unexpectedly finds herself linking arms with a community of queer activists to ensure his safety.
VQFF EPISODIC PROGRAM:
NOVELETTE IS TRYING, World Premiere
Giselle Miller | Canada | 2024 | 100 min | English with captions
Vancouver’s first Black queer web series introduces Novelette, a cynical, anti-social, and newly single bisexual woman who reluctantly takes on a roommate to help with the rent on her East Van apartment. At first, the extroverted, outspoken Audre seems like the wrong choice. But, although their personalities clash, Audre’s boldness soon rubs off on Novelette in the best way, encouraging her to dive back into the dating pool. The world premiere screening launches the first five episodes of this ten-part comedy series from local filmmaker Giselle Miller, who writes and directs from her own experiences of identity and belonging in Vancouver.
KIN., BC Premiere
Justin Ducharme, Theo Jean Cuthand | Canada 2023 | 34 min | English with captions
This five-part scripted series is an honest and comedic exploration of the contemporary, urban queer and trans Indigenous experience following a group of friends and their social-media- engrossed lives. Exploring romance, identity, and belonging with an all-Indigenous cast and crew, KIN. offers a realistic window into the lives of Indigenous queer and trans people and the complexities they face as they come of age. This BC Premiere is a hometown celebration and a showcase of KIN.’s powerhouse on-screen talent.
SPLIT, Canadian Premiere
Iris Brey | France | 2023 | 111 min | French with English subtitles
Written and directed by feminist author Iris Brey, this French miniseries is a refreshing narrative about unexpected connections, intimate relationships, and sexual fluidity.
Stunt double Anna (Alma Jodorowsky, Blue Is the Warmest Colour) is intrigued by her latest assignment as a stand-in for charismatic star Eve (Jehnny Beth, Anatomy of a Fall). Anna has been content in her long-term relationship with Natan, who is the cinematographer on set. As desire grows between Anna and Eve, leading to a secret rendezvous in the dressing room and visits to the countryside, their relationship becomes harder and harder to keep hidden.
TOUCH, Festival Premiere
Monique Terry, Abby Gallaway | Australia | 2024 | 55 min | English with captions
Fiercely competitive Cameron (Diana Popovska) seeks revenge on her cheating ex-girlfriend by beating her in the local touch-football competition. But when she catches feelings for her new teammate Angie, Cameron has to keep her plan a secret in order to win the competition…and Angie’s love.
TRIPLE OH!, Canadian Premiere
Poppy Stockell | Australia | 2023 | 42 min | English with captions
Queer dramatic rom-com Triple Oh! follows the lives of two ambulance paramedics, Tayls (Brooke Satchwell) and Cate (Tahlee Fereday), as they get to grips on life, death, and each other.
The beloved festival will showcase 97 projects from 25 countries this September
VANCOUVER, BC (July 29, 2024) – The Vancouver Queer Film Festival (VQFF) has announced select highlights from their 36th annual festival lineup. From September 11-22, 2024, audiences can catch 97 films from 25 countries, with 28 features, 5 series debuts, 64 short films, 8 world premieres, 3 international premieres, 6 North American premieres, and 28 Canadian Premieres among the selections. The Festival will include a programme with international film and episodic content authored by 2SLGBTQIA+ creators and centred on 2SLGBTQIA+ protagonists. The Festival will also feature parties, performances from local and international artists, post-screening Q&As with filmmakers, and industry events. Some films will be available to stream online within BC and there will be encore screenings of festival favourites.
Kicking off the festival, VQFF’s Opening Presentation: Closer will feature a collection of short films that highlight the solidarity and brilliance of our diverse queer community. The lineup includes the Canadian premiere of Tom Stuart’s GOOD BOY (UK) starring Ben Whishaw (Skyfall) as a desperate man preparing to rob a bank, when his overly supportive mother and an unexpected encounter with his family doctor derail his plans. Also featured is Ella May Sahlman’s romantic comedy GREAT CANYON (US) starring Johnny Sibilly (Hacks) as a gay man who navigates a whirlwind of anxieties and insecurities on a first date. The screenings will be followed by a Q&A with special guests and the Opening Night Party all taking place at the Vancouver Playhouse and FREE to attend with tickets to the Opening Presentation screening. VQFF is proud to have many visiting artists this year including Johnny Sibilly, best known for roles in Hacks, Pose and Queer as Folk.
“Cultural change always precedes political change. Culture is power, it shapes who we are and sets the terms of the world we live in,” says Charlie Hidalgo, Artistic Director, Out On Screen. “This year VQFF features a remarkable lineup of queer and trans stories centering our joy and collective power. Our goal with this programme is to evoke laughter, emotion, and a call to action. We hope the festival will bring us together and inspire us to come closer to our authentic selves, closer to one another, and closer to our collective liberation.”
VQFF is thrilled to announce that this year’s Closing Presentation will be the Canadian Premiere of LAYLA, a narrative feature film which premiered in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Making their feature debut with raise-your-voice realness, director Amrou Al-Kadhi channels their experiences in the east London queer scene into the unforgettable saga of LAYLA: an up-and-coming Palestinian drag queen (played by newcomer Bilal Hasna) lighting up local clubs with impressive creativity. The Closing Night Party will be hosted at The Birdhouse post-screening, FREE to those with tickets to the Closing Presentation.
One of this year’s Special Presentations in the Episodic Program is the world premiere of the first Vancouver Black queer web series NOVELETTE IS TRYING (Canada) from writer/director Giselle Miller who was inspired by her own experiences of identity and belonging in the city of Vancouver. The festival will screen the first five episodes of the never-before-seen series following Novelette, a cynical, anti-social, bisexual woman who finds herself newly single at age 30, and reluctantly decides to take on a roommate to help with the rent on her East Van apartment. At first, inviting the extroverted, outspoken Audre seems like the wrong choice; it may have been a mistake. But, although their personalities clash, Audre’s boldness and lack of boundaries soon rub off on Novelette in the best way, encouraging her to put herself back into the dating pool.
Notable titles in the features lineup include the British Columbia Premiere of documentary BULLETPROOF: A LESBIAN’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING THE PLOT (Canada), from director Regan Latimer who embarks on a cross-country quest to uncover why Hollywood keeps “burying their gays.” Exploring how and why there are a disproportionate number of lesbian deaths in media. Another highlight is the Vancouver premiere of Anthony Schatteman’s YOUNG HEARTS (Belgium, Netherlands), which has received much praise from around the globe since its debut in Berlin and Cannes this year. The narrative debut is a giddy ode to teenagehood with its winsome and warm-hearted exploration of fierce young love.
Other festival highlights include the Curated Shorts Program: T4T. This impressive collection of shorts by trans and non-binary storytellers centers the trans experience with captivating characters, inspiring perspectives, and an uplifting tone. T4T features five films that offer a glimpse into the magical world of trans identity, love, and power. THE ROBBERS (Austria), directed by Isa Schieche, is just one of the amazing films featured in this shorts program. The film follows three trans women who meet in a country house to plan a robbery. In order to create a false trail, they must disguise themselves as men, pushing their emotional and physical limits. The film is an insightful social commentary about gender performance. The Curated Shorts Programs will also include the return of the homegrown talent showcase The Coast is Queer which will be announced in full with the entire VQFF lineup.
VQFF is also pleased to announce its continued partnership with Lead Partner RBC Royal Bank. “As proud supporters of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, we are thrilled to continue our commitment as the lead partner of the Vancouver Queer Film Festival this year,” says Martin Thibodeau, Regional President, British Columbia, RBC Royal Bank. “We know that showcasing and celebrating the work and stories from diverse voices, has an impact within our local communities.” The Narrative Change Award, which launched at VQFF in 2023, made possible with RBC’s support, returns this year with a $5,000 CAD cash prize that will honour a storyteller whose work overturns outdated narratives, inspires change and expands the perception of 2SLGBTQIA+ identities.
New this year is VQFF’s partnership with the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival (VLAFF), which includes co-presented programs on VQFF’s opening weekend which is VLAFF’s closing weekend. As a part of this crossover there will be 1 shorts program, 2 features, and a party. Highlights from this new partnership include the Canadian premiere of feature film VERA AND THE PLEASURE OF OTHERS (Argentina) and EL PAISA (US), an award-winning short film that played at Cannes.
For the first time ever, the Vancouver Queer Film Festival’s dates will fall within the school year. We are thrilled to introduce The Future is Queer: Youth Programs at VQFF co-presented by Out In Schools and The Cinematheque, two days of FREE youth programs that will increase young people’s access to transformative 2SLGBTQIA+ stories and support educators in building core competencies in many related subject areas.
The 2024 Festival programme was curated by VQFF Artistic Director Charlie Hidalgo; Senior Programmers Daniel Crooke and Kathleen Mullen; Programmers Cole Forrest, Laura Arboleda, and Syriah Bailey; Associate Programmers Alayna Y, Chelsea Birks, Gavin K Somers, Jasmine “Audder” Monton, Lu Linares, Maria Cecilia Saba, Seán Maheux Galway; and Programming Consultant Shayna Maci Warner.
VQFF would also like to thank its generous partners for their support, including lead partner RBC Royal Bank; screening partners UBCP/ACTRA and the Canadian Media Producers Association, BC Producers Branch; signature partner Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association; premiere partners Canada Media Fund, Rogers, Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada and Telefilm Canada; exclusive media partner CBC Vancouver; transportation partner Modo; exclusive technical partner 24 Frames Digital Films; festival funders Canada Council For the Arts, Government of Canada, City of Vancouver, Creative BC, and British Columbia Arts Council; and festival supporters bed, Miller Titerle + Company, Gayvan.com, IATSE Local 891, Western Media Group, James Goodman, Squirrel Friendz, and Twin Sails Brewing.
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MORE INFORMATION:
Media Kit can be downloaded here.
Passes to VQFF are on sale now
More info and Festival images at the VQFF Press & Media page and on The Future is Queer.
For ticketing details, including sliding scale pricing beginning at just $7, The complete festival lineup will be announced August 12, 2024. www.queerfilmfestival.ca
About Out On Screen
Out On Screen is a charitable organization that illuminates, celebrates, and transforms 2SLGBTQIA+ lives through film, education, and dialogue. We pursue our mission with two core programs: The annual Vancouver Queer Festival celebrates and promotes authentic authorship and representation that uplifts, empowers, and furthers the liberty, culture, and justice of 2SLGBTQIA+ people. The award-winning Out In Schools program brings age-appropriate 2SLGBTQIA+ cinema into school classrooms and communities across BC to combat homophobia, transphobia, and bullying, and to provide the language and tools for inclusion. Out On Screen is proud to be a leading organization working to create an equitable society where 2SLGBTQIA+ people are respected, valued, and protected across all our intersections of identity.
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Nicola Pender, Pender PR
m: 604.617.4807 / nicola@penderpr.com
penderpr.com / @penderpr
The 2023 Annual Report for the Vancouver Out On Screen Film & Video Society.
Vancouver, June 3, 2024 – Out On Screen, a leading organization dedicated to 2SLGBTQIA+ media arts and education, is pleased to announce Eli Morris is the new Executive Director, effective June 3, 2024.
Morris joined Out On Screen in May 2023 as the Deputy Executive Director and has stepped into the role of Interim Executive Director in the last two months since the departure of former Executive Director Brandon Yan.
They previously served as the Executive Director of GEMS Vancouver, where they spearheaded the organization’s name change from Women in Film and Television Vancouver to be more inclusive of trans and nonbinary people and reflect the organization’s mission to foster gender equity in the screen-based media industry.
Morris’s experience spans film production, marketing, education, and arts administration. They served as production manager of the award-winning queer coming-of-age film Golden Delicious (2022) directed by Jason Karman. They hold a Master of Arts in Public Relations and Advertising from the University of New South Wales (Australia).
For the last year, I’ve had the privilege of working with an all-queer and trans team at Out On Screen. As a trans and nonbinary person, I have never felt so safe in a workplace. I am humbled to have this opportunity to create more spaces like this for other people in our community,” said Morris.
“To be honest, it is not an easy time to be doing this work. The political and economic forecast is bleak. The Out In Schools team, in particular, is facing increasing hostility and reduced funding opportunities. It is even more important that we remain unwavering in our commitment to provide 2SLGBTQIA+ people—especially kids and teens in schools—with the positive representations and affirming messages we all need and deserve.”
The Board of Directors selected Morris after a nationwide search supported by recruitment firm GerardSearch. Board Chair Christopher Hallamore said:
“The hiring committee, which consisted of board members and staff, sought a candidate to lead us through our next chapter as we live into our new 2023-2026 Strategic Plan. We are so fortunate not only to have someone with deep connections to the local filmmaking community and experience in arts and education non-profits, but also to have witnessed firsthand Eli’s collaborative, transparent, and courageous leadership style over the past year. Out On Screen believes in developing and nurturing our people, and it’s a point of pride to be able to promote a member of our team. I am immensely optimistic for Out On Screen’s future with Eli at the helm.”
The upcoming 36th annual Vancouver Queer Film Festival will take place September 11-22, 2024. Out On Screen is now accepting bookings for school groups in a new youth film screening program at VQFF titled The Future is Queer, in collaboration with The Cinematheque.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
media@outonscreen.com
About Out On Screen
Out On Screen is a charitable organization that illuminates, celebrates, and transforms 2SLGBTQIA+ lives through film, education, and dialogue. We pursue our mission with two core programs: The annual Vancouver Queer Film Festival celebrates and promotes authentic authorship and representation that uplifts, empowers, and furthers the liberty, culture, and justice of 2SLGBTQIA+ people. The award-winning Out In Schools program brings age-appropriate 2SLGBTQIA+ cinema into school classrooms and communities across BC to combat homophobia, transphobia, and bullying, and to provide the language and tools for inclusion. Out On Screen is proud to be a leading organization working to create an equitable society where 2SLGBTQIA+ people are respected, valued, and protected across all our intersections of identity. www.outonscreen.com
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Out On Screen commits to the international call by Palestinians for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) and specifically to adhere to the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) guidelines.
The BDS movement works to end international support for Israel’s oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law.
In keeping with PACBI guidelines, Out On Screen will not collaborate with Israeli cultural or academic institutions and will not present or support cultural products commissioned by an official Israeli body or that serve to promote or normalize Israel’s occupation of Palestine. This is also in line with the Liberatory Demand from Queers in Palestine of November 2023.
Learn more about PACBI guidelines at bdsmovement.net/pacbi
Out On Screen’s support for Palestine and rejection of Israeli occupation, settler-colonialism, and apartheid is a direct extension of our vision for an equitable society where 2SLGBTQIA+ people are respected, valued, and protected across all our intersections of identity.
We reject all forms of racism, including anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism, anti-semitism, Islamophobia, and any form of discrimination against individuals on the basis of their identity, including ability, citizenship, race, religion, gender, and sexuality.
We encourage you to learn more about PACBI guidelines, which focus on boycotting institutions and organizations–rather than targeting individuals–that are complicit in Israel’s systemic oppression of Palestinians.
Out On Screen rejects pinkwashing and homonationalism in any context. We fundamentally oppose the practice of using cultural products like film to promote and normalize occupation, settler-colonialism, and apartheid.
This commitment will create more rigour in our processes and practices, and ensure this work continues in future.
The Out On Screen team will receive training to evaluate film entries in a nuanced and critical manner that complies with PACBI guidelines and aligns with the Vancouver Queer Film Festival’s curatorial focus on authentic stories centering 2SLGBTQIA+ experiences.
