VANCOUVER, BC (September 29, 2025) –  The Vancouver Queer Film Festival (VQFF) is pleased to announce the esteemed group of 2025 Award recipients. $62,350 CAD in cash and in-kind prizes will be distributed to 2SLGBTQIA+ filmmakers.

This year’s People’s Choice Awards winners include:

The Canadian Feature winner is REALLY HAPPY SOMEDAY directed by J Stevens, who will receive a $2,500 cash prize supported by Canada Media Fund (CMF).

The Canadian Short winner is ORGANZA’S REVENGE directed by Walter Scott, who will receive a $2,500 in-kind prize in post-production services from Elemental Post.

The International Feature winner is BETWEEN GOODBYES (USA) directed by Jota Mun.

The International Short winner is DIE BULLY DIE (Australia) directed by Nathan Lacey and Nick Lacey.

The winning team of the inaugural VQFF Pitch Competition are Peihwen J. Tai, Hannah Yang, and Ronald Lee for their short film pitch PRETTY BOY$ about a K-pop inspired boy band with two closeted members who fall for each other, forcing them to confront the exploitative machinery of the industry and their need for freedom. The judges were award-winning Indigenous (Cree-Métis) director and screenwriter Asia Youngman and Co-founder & Chief Content Officer for Revry TV Christopher J. Rodriguez. The winning project and team will receive a $17,000 in-kind prize package supported by Lark Productions, K & K Casting, Cracked Compass Media, as well as mentorship opportunities and a public screening as an official selection of a future VQFF.

As previously announced on Opening night of the Festival, the highest accolades this year include:

The inaugural Matriarch of the Year (MOTY) Award winner is Sonya Ballantyne (she/they), a Swampy Cree writer, filmmaker, and speaker based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The MOTY Award, introduced by new Artistic Director Mary Galloway, honors an Indigiqueer or Two Spirit (2S) Matriarchal leader in film and television across Turtle Island who has made a significant impact on Indigenous and 2SLGBTQIA+ storytelling. Nominated by community members and selected by a committee of Indigiqueer filmmakers, including Artistic Director Mary Galloway, Tristin Greyeyes, and Olivia Brooks, the winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize and $2,500 in-kind publicity package from Pender PR to amplify their positive impact and support their work.

Galloway presented the award on Opening night on September 11, 2025 and said:

“Sonya has always dared to imagine beyond the limitations the world tried to place on her. She has grown into a creative force who writes Indigenous women and girls not as relics of the past, but as heroes of our present and our future. In doing so, she shows us all that not only do we exist—but that we thrive, we lead, and we belong in every story, every genre, every universe.”

The Narrative Change Award winner is director Rheanna Toy for her feature directorial debut A PLACE WHERE I BELONG, a local documentary spotlighting the challenges of queer and trans individuals with intellectual disabilities. 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. This year’s jurors were actor-activist Rain Dove and festival programmer Lu Linares of Inside Out. A PLACE WHERE I BELONG is the first Canadian and local film to win the Narrative Change Award since its inception in 2023.

The jury also recognized BETWEEN GOODBYES with an honourable mention in this category.

Dove presented the award on Opening night on September 11, 2025 and said:

“Led by a director who, like the subjects of this outstanding documentary, never gave up, A PLACE WHERE I BELONG is a profound testament to resilience and community. At its core, it calls on all of us, within the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and beyond, to recognize the urgent work still needed to ensure that every single member of our communities are valued and supported. With care and deep understanding, Rheanna Toy introduces us to Amyn, Alison, Lyle, Noah, Peter, and Brian, members of Connecting Queer Communities (CQC), and takes us on an incredibly honest, tender, and at times eye-opening journey through their lives as they navigate belonging and connection.

“A PLACE WHERE I BELONG shines an essential light on the unique struggles at the intersection of disability and 2SLGBTQIA+ justice. Toy’s debut feature is both a moving portrait of the queer disabled community in Vancouver and the visual representation of our collective truth: all of us, or none of us.”

The Gerry Brunet Memorial Award: Best British Columbia Short winner is director Jess McLeod for their directorial debut DTF?, a comedy short about a struggling writer who ends up on a date with his former English professor. The Gerry Brunet Memorial Award was established in 1997 in recognition of Brunet, a lifelong contributor to the arts and an early board member of Out On Screen. The award includes a $2,850 cash prize and mentorship opportunities from the Directors Guild of Canada BC, a $20,000 camera package prize from Keslow Camera, and a $5,000 gear package prize from Cinelease. This award was determined by an expert jury of local filmmakers, Brianne Nord-Stewart, Jason Karman, and Kent Donguines.

Nord-Stewart presented the award on Opening night on September 11, 2025 and said:

“The jury was charmed by Jess McLeod’s DTF?, a film buzzing with youthful energy and a humour that felt both fresh and deeply connected to the moment. Comedy is no easy feat, yet this one balanced wit and heart while not shying away from an honest, playful depiction of intimacy.”

Out In Schools, VQFF’s award-winning sibling education program, has acquired six films that screened at VQFF 2025 to add to our Film Catalogue. These films will be available online to educators starting in the fall 2025 semester with lesson plans and other teaching tools. They will additionally be screened within Out In Schools presentations in schools and communities across BC in the 2025-2026 school year.

Loud and Cleo (Cléo se fait des films) (Belgium) dir. by Tallulah Farquhar
Embers of Queer Joy (Canada) dir. By Mary Galloway
With Love, Lottie (Australia) dir. by Lily Drummond
Immature (Taiwan, Netherlands) dir. by Eddy Wu
Becoming Ruby (Canada) dir. by Quan Luong
Wait, Wait, Now! (New Zealand) dir. by Ramon Te Wake

We expect to confirm the acquisition of additional films from VQFF 2025 for the Out In Schools film catalogue in the coming weeks.

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MORE INFORMATION:
Download our Media Kit
Photos from VQFF 2025 are now available on Flickr.
Browse the full program: www.queerfilmfestival.ca
Bios for all participating industry guests and visiting artists HERE and headshots HERE.

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For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
media@outonscreen.com

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About Out On Screen

Out 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

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/queerfilmfest
Instagram: https://instagram.com/queerfilmfest

Vancouver, BC (September 9, 2025) – The Vancouver Queer Film Festival (VQFF) has announced over 150 artists and special guests who will be in attendance this year, including filmmakers, performers, panelists, hosts, award jurors, and pitch competition finalists. The 37th annual edition of VQFF will take place in person September 11-21, 2025, and online September 22-28, 2025, with screenings, parties, industry panels, Q&As, and networking socials.

Filmmakers, and Special Guests in Attendance:

Actor and multi-disciplinary artist Vico Ortiz (Our Flag Means Death, Sex Lives of College Girls) will be in attendance throughout as the Festival’s “Hosting Hottie Festival Darling”, hosting, moderating Q&As, and performing in their drag king persona. Other notable names in attendance include actor Lea Delaria (Orange is the New Black) for the world premiere of the short film OLD DYKES, alongside director-writer Ezra Rose; and actor Johnny Wu (Joy Ride) with director Jason Sakaki for the BC Premiere of short RAMEN BOYS.

Local directors in attendance with feature films include: director-writer Panta Mosleh (Eternity, TIFF 2025) with the world premiere of PRIDE & PRAYER, a deeply personal documentary on Mosleh’s queerness and Muslim faith; filmmaker Rheanna Toy with the world premiere of documentary A PLACE WHERE I BELONG that follows people with intellectual disabilities connecting with each other and the broader queer community; and Anishnaabe filmmaker and theatre artist Corey Payette with the hometown premiere of musical-drama STARWALKER.

Additional local directors in attendance with World Premiere short films include: director and winner of the 2023 Gerry Brunet Memorial Award for Best BC Short, Lauren Marsden (THE PALACE); Ana AJ Jimenez (JEEZ LOUISE); Eva Grant (FOREST ECHOES), Lizzy DeVita and Marceline Hugot (I TURN GRILLS ON); also screening are local filmmakers King Louie Palomo (QUEEN MOTHER (INANG REYNA); Rosie Choo Pidcock (SORRY FOR YOUR COST); Charlene R Moore (CONFLUENCE); Jess McLeod (DTF?); Jackie Hoffart (The Reveal).

International artists in attendance include: Emmy-award-winning American producer Samantha Wender and documentary editor Sasha Perry of this year’s Centrepiece Presentation: JUST KIDS; German directors Isis Rampf and Juan Bermudez (WHERE YOU FIND ME (OBEN OHNE)); American documentary filmmaker Courtney Hermann (OUTLIERS AND OUTLAWS); Emmy-nominated filmmaker Jota Mun (BETWEEN GOODBYES). Special guest Debra K Madsen will be in attendance for the screening and Q&A of ROW OF LIFE about her late wife, Paralympian medalist Angela Madsen’s fatal attempt to row unassisted from Los Angeles to Hawai’i.

Awards Jurors:

The jurors for the Narrative Change Award are actor and model Rain Dove  and Toronto-based festival programmer Lu Linares (Inside Out Film Festival). This award comes with a $5,000 cash prize and honours 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 jurors for the Gerry Brunet Memorial Award for Best British Columbia Short are three celebrated, award-winning local queer filmmakers: Jason Karman (Golden Delicious), Kent Donguines (This Ink Runs Deep,  Kalinga (Care)), and Brianne Nord-Stewart (The Dangers of Online Dating).

The newly introduced Matriarch of the Year (MOTY) Award will be selected from nominations by a committee of Indigiqueer filmmakers, including Artistic Director Mary Galloway, Tristin Greyeyes, and Olivia Brooks.

These three juried awards will be announced and presented at the Opening Presentation: Then. Now. Forever. on the evening of September 11, 2025, and are generously supported by Pender PR, Directors Guild of Canada – BC, Keslow Camera, and Cinelease. Additional Audience Choice Awards will be selected by audience vote and announced after the Festival.

Industry Panelists & Pitch Competition Finalists:

Funding Your Project panelists include representatives from major Canadian funding bodies: Mathew Parry (Creative BC), Shirley Vercruysse (National Film Board), Janine Steele (Canada Media Fund), Meghna Haldar (Telefilm), Christina Willings (Telus Storyhive), and Georgina Chaplin (Telus Storyhive). Selling Your Project panelists include the co-founders of queer streaming platform Revry TV: CEO and producer Damian Pelliccione and Chief Content Officer Christopher J. Rodriguez; and Cole Vandale, Métis filmmaker and executive of Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN).

The five finalist projects for the inaugural VQFF Pitch Competition are as follows. Each team will pitch their projects to a live audience and the judges, which include award-winning Indigenous (Cree-Métis) director and screenwriter Asia Youngman, and Co-founder & Chief Content Officer for Revry TV Christopher J. Rodriguez. The winning project and team will receive a prize package supported by Lark Productions, K & K Casting, Crack Compass Media, as well as mentorship opportunities and a public screening as an official selection of a future VQFF.

Pretty Boy$ (Peihwen J. Tai, Hannah Yang, Ronald Lee) – short film

Logline: In the glittering but suffocating world of a K-pop-inspired boy band, two closeted idols in their late 20s struggle between desire and survival when they fall for each other, forcing them to confront the exploitative machinery of the industry and their need for freedom.

Astronomical Bodies (Melanie Jones, Kristyn Stilling) – short film

Logline: Nonbinary passenger Petra is adrift in an escape pod with no propulsion capabilities. As time passes and ship rations start to run out, Petra must convince the onboard AI to ignore its programming in order to die peacefully.

Orpheus (Helen Shen, Xintong Hong) – short film

Logline: Orpheus is an experimental sci-fi surrounding a young physicist in a future world, embarking on a journey to bring her late wife back from death through cross-dimensional travel.

Vigil (Lora Campbell) – proof of concept for a feature film

Logline: Vigil is an intimate, naturalistic short film exploring grief, chosen family, and the painful transition into orphanhood as a transgender child estranged from bio fam.

Aking Parol (My Lantern) (King Louie Palomo, Paean “Yap” Sabangan) – short film

Logline: In 1994, in a close-knit Filipino-Canadian community, a young boy’s painstakingly crafted Christmas parol transforms from a beacon of welcome into a ritual of release when the father he awaits fails, once again, to return home.

Performers:

Two Indigenous ensembles, the Indigenous women musical ensemble M’Girl and the award-winning all-Indigenous burlesque troupe Virago Nation Burlesque, will kick off the Opening night program with live performances at the Vancouver Playhouse on Thursday, September 11th.

Canada’s Drag Race S4 star and legendary local Two-Spirit drag queen Jaylene Tyme will perform alongside fellow drag artists Whore-ia Estefan and Amanda Peters at the world premiere of A PLACE WHERE I BELONG on Sunday, September 14th, the latter–who goes by Peter out of drag–is also a subject of the film.

The Opening Weekend Party: FUEGO/FOGO at The Birdhouse on Saturday, September 13th, co-presented with the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival will feature performances from Vico Ortiz, Salseo Queer Dance, additional drag and vogueing performances, and DJ sets from DJ Millie Wissar and DJ Sopresa. The Closing Weekend Party at the Birdhouse on Saturday, September 20th will feature a live music performance from Tahltan and Tlingit musician Edzi’u, drag performances from Velvet Ryder and Vico Ortiz, and DJ sets from DJ O Show and Binky. Ortiz will also be hosting.

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MORE INFORMATION:
Download our Media Kit
Browse the full program: www.queerfilmfestival.ca
All individual tickets are sliding scale from $7-$21.
Passes and tickets are on sale now. Festival Pass is available at $100 (accessible pricing) or $195 (regular price). Select films will be available to stream online within BC.

Bios for all participating industry guests and visiting artists HERE and headshots HERE.

Digital Pass is $100

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For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
media@outonscreen.com
Apply for Media Accreditation 

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About Out On Screen

Out 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

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/queerfilmfest
Instagram: https://instagram.com/queerfilmfest

Out On Screen regretfully announces the departure of Gavin K Somers (they/them) from their role as Education Director, effective August 14, 2025.

Gavin first joined Out On Screen over ten years ago as a facilitator for the Out In Schools program in 2014. They later served as Program Coordinator and Manager, before becoming Education Director in 2020. Prior to the pandemic, Gavin worked with several cohorts of dedicated staff and facilitators to grow the Out In Schools program to reach every school district in British Columbia; expand and customize presentations to youth in Grades 5 and up, educators, support staff, and parents; and establish Out In Schools as a trusted and quality educational institution in the province.

As Education Director, Gavin stewarded the Out In Schools programs through the early pandemic and transitioned the program to virtual delivery for the first time in early 2020. After returning from parental leave in early 2023, Gavin led a major update of the Out In Schools curriculum, moving it away from a prior focus on 2SLGBTQIA+ language and terminology to an inquiry-based learning approach that encourages open-ended reflection and understanding of gender and sexuality. In 2024, Gavin was instrumental in launching and curating The Future is Queer, a series of free, dedicated school group and youth screenings at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival in collaboration with The Cinematheque. They have also built and stewarded key relationships with the Aune Foundation, the McGrane Pearson Foundation, and many other supporters of the Out In Schools program.

In the face of escalated attacks in recent years on trans and queer people and specifically against Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity education, Gavin has led important public advocacy and education work through coalition-building and a series of press releases and media appearances, including leading up to the most recent provincial election in fall 2024.

Hear from Gavin about their time at Out On Screen:

“I am humbled by the lessons I’ve learned and the ways I’ve grown alongside the Out In Schools program over the past decade. From delivering workshops to working closely with queer and trans youth, supporting community events, and being part of the film festival, every experience has left a mark on me.

One of the greatest honours has been nurturing several cohorts of Out In Schools facilitators—watching 2SLGBTQIA+ youth grow confidently into themselves and go on to pursue careers as counselors, social workers, educators, researchers, and advocates. Many have shared that their time with OIS gave them the skills and courage to show up as their full, authentic selves—and I couldn’t be prouder of the ripple effect this work continues to have.

I truly believe in the leadership of Danny Lybbert and Lydia Alemu (Out In Schools’ Program Manager and Program Coordinator, respectively), and have full confidence that they will carry this program forward with the care, creativity, and conviction it deserves. Out On Screen’s mission—to illuminate, celebrate and transform 2SLGBTQIA+ lives through film, education, and dialogue—feels more urgent than ever.

This work has never happened in isolation. It relies on the continued support of our allies: partner organizations, donors, educators, and policymakers. If we are to build a world where queer and trans youth not only survive but thrive, we need you alongside us—championing this work every step of the way.

I often say that Out In Schools doesn’t just impact the youth in classrooms—it shapes those of us who deliver it, and everyone we go on to meet. What happens between worlds changes all the worlds. Through this process, we move together toward collective liberation.”

On behalf of the staff and board of Out On Screen, we sincerely thank Gavin for all their years of dedicated service to the local 2SLGBTQIA+ community and our province’s educators, parents, and youth, and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.

VANCOUVER, BC August 14, 2025 — The Vancouver Queer Film Festival (VQFF) has announced the entire lineup for their 37th annual edition, which will take place in person September 11-21, 2025 and online September 22-28, 2025. The program features 100 films from 25 countries centering 2SLGBTQIA+ creators and stories, including 12 world premieres, 6 international premieres, 7 North American premieres, and 21 Canadian premieres across 26 features and 74 short films. The Festival will also feature parties, performances, post-screening Q&As with filmmakers and special guests, and an exciting new slate of industry events. 

Led by new Artistic Director Mary Galloway, the Festival will kick off with the Opening Presentation: Then. Now. Forever., an electrifying collection of 7 short films from across 2SLGBTQIA+ communities that celebrate queer past, present, and futures.

“Stories are medicine,” says Galloway. “This year’s program honours our past and makes space for the queer and trans voices rising now. It’s about who we are, how we got here, and where we are going.”

This year signals a pivotal shift in leadership with Galloway, a Cowichan filmmaker, at the helm as the Festival’s first Indigenous and Indigiqueer Artistic Director. Under Galloway’s direction, VQFF shifts to an Indigenized vision that highlights Two Spirit and Indigiqueer stories and artists. The 2025 Festival artwork is designed by Vancouver-based Cowichan artist Charlene Johnny, blending traditional Coast Salish art with contemporary queer and Indigenous symbolism. Galloway introduces the new Matriarch of the Year Award (MOTY Award) honouring an Indigiqueer or Two Spirit (2S) Matriarchal leader in the film and television industry across Turtle Island who has made a significant impact on Indigenous and 2SLGBTQIA+ storytelling with a $5,000 cash prize. VQFF also proudly presents the hometown premiere of the Indigenous feature-length musical drama STARWALKER directed by Corey Payette, about an Indigiqueer Two Spirit call boy finding family and identity through drag. VQFF’s commitments to uplifting and championing Indigenous stories and voices are woven throughout the Festival experience, which takes place on the unceded, ancestral lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.

This year’s Centrepiece Presentation: JUST KIDS is a timely and powerful documentary about three families living in states that have banned gender-affirming care. Directed by documentarian and journalist Gianna Toboni and featuring Jacklyn Toboni (The L Word: Generation Q), JUST KIDS exposes the inhumane politicization of trans healthcare and its devastating impacts on trans youth and their families.

This year’s program includes 4 feature film world premieres: local documentary A PLACE WHERE I BELONG about a group of people fighting for queer disabled rights directed by Rheanna Toy; queer Muslim filmmaker and actor Pantah Mosleh’s (Eternity) deeply personal documentary PRIDE & PRAYER; sapphic French drama AMANTES directed by Caroline Fournier; and of LA filmmaker Maritza Navarro’s ANOTHER TAKE which exposes a broken film industry. Eight short films will also world premiere, including two films in annual local shorts program The Coast is Queer: Lauren Marsden’s THE PALACE and Ana AJ Jimenez’s JEEZ LOUISE. 

The Festival’s Closing Presentation: FOUR MOTHERS from Darren Thornton, is a heartwarming and moving Irish comedy and the Winner of the Audience Award at the BFI London Film Festival, about a gay novelist who is saddled with the care of his friends’ eccentric, strong-willed mothers over Pride weekend.

Actor and activist Vico Ortiz (Our Flag Means Death, The Sex Lives of College Girls) will be in attendance throughout the festival, moderating several post-screening Q&As with filmmakers and special guests, as well as performing as their drag king persona. Other familiar faces in this year’s program include Elliot Page and Laverne Cox in documentary HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY about trans civil rights attorney Chase Strangio’s fight for gender-affirming care at the Supreme Court; Lea DeLaria (Orange Is the New Black) in feature drama OUTERLANDS and the short OLD DYKES; Asia Kate Dillon (Billions, Orange Is the New Black) in OUTERLANDS; comedians Murray Hill, James Tom, Roz Hernandez and others in WE ARE PAT; comedian Vic Michaelis (Dropout TV) in the opening narrative short DANDELION; and beloved local stars including artist Phranc and business owner Burcu in their respective short documentaries PHRANC: THE BUTCH CLOSET and BURCU’S ANGELS.

This year’s Festival boasts an array of exciting new Industry programs and initiatives, including the inaugural VQFF Pitch Competition, which is accepting applicants now until August 17, 2025. Special guests from the hit sapphic horror show Yellowjackets will feature in the panel “Eat You(r Heart) Out: Queer Horror with Yellowjackets”. VQFF will also offer 1:1 Industry Speed-Dating; panels with major Canadian film funding bodies (“Funding Your Project”) and Canada’s largest networks, broadcasters, and streaming platforms (“Selling Your Project”); and several industry networking socials. VQFF is once again offering a limited number of free all-access industry passes to equity-deserving and emerging 2SLGBTQIA+ filmmakers and students, as well as free ticketing for self-identified Indigenous folks.

VQFF has once again partnered with the Vancouver Latin American Film Festival (September 4-14, 2025) to co-present a queer Latine shorts program (“Through Our Kaleidoscope”) and the Opening Weekend Party: Fuego Fogo on September 13, 2025. VQFF is also bringing back The Future is Queer: Youth Programs co-presented by our sibling program Out In Schools and The Cinematheque, which includes two days of FREE youth programs and school-group screenings aimed at increasing young people’s access to transformative 2SLGBTQIA+ stories.

The 2025 Festival program was curated by Artistic Director Mary Galloway; programmers Cole Forrest, Kathleen Mullen, Layla Cameron, and Syriah Bailey; VQFF Program Coordinator Maiya Dexel. The Future is Queer: Youth Programs at VQFF was curated with additional support from outgoing Education Director Gavin K Somers, Out In Schools Program Manager Danny Lybbert, and Chelsea Birk (Learning and Outreach Director at The Cinematheque).

MORE INFORMATION:
Download our Media Kit
Browse the full program: www.queerfilmfestival.ca
All individual tickets are sliding scale from $7-$21.
Passes and tickets are on sale now.
Festival Pass is available at $100 (accessible pricing) or $195 (regular price). Select films will be available to stream online within BC.
Digital Pass is $100

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For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
media@outonscreen.com
Apply for Media Accreditation

–

About Out On Screen

Out 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

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/queerfilmfest
Instagram: https://instagram.com/queerfilmfest

The 37th annual Vancouver Queer Film Festival takes place September 11-21, 2025 (online Sept 22-28) and will feature 100 bold, beautiful films from 25 countries. Led by new Artistic Director Mary Galloway (she/they), this year’s programme is a vibrant celebration of 2SLGBTQIA+ presence and ways of being—past, present, and future. Our lineup proudly affirms: we have always existed–then, now, forever.

“As a Cowichan woman and the first Indigenous Artistic Director at Out On Screen, it is my honour to lead with an Indigenized vision—one that centres Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer, and matriarchal voices; uplifts our communities; and acknowledges the unceded lands on which we gather. From our Festival artwork by Charlene Johnny, to a new Matriarch Of The Year Award, to the many Indigenous stories and films highlighted across the entire programme: these commitments are woven throughout the Festival experience.” – Mary Galloway, Artistic Director

VQFF 2025’s creative artwork was conceptualized and illustrated by Charlene Johnny (she/her), a Coast Salish artist based in Vancouver, from the Quw’utsun Tribes. Her interdisciplinary practice spans graphic design, murals, traditional jewelry, and weaving. She blends ancestral teachings with contemporary expression. Through public art and community projects, she creates spaces for cultural connection, resistance, and storytelling.

Artist Statement

“This piece brings together traditional Coast Salish art forms with contemporary symbolism to honour Indigiqueer, queer, and Two-Spirit identities. A central raven carries sweetgrass, a medicine of connection, ceremony, and healing, while a yellow sun radiates warmth and life. Below, a canoe of paddlers reflects the strength of community and introspection. Figures with varied silhouettes represent the fluidity and diversity of our stories. Cedar and sage frame the image, grounding it in our medicines and mirroring the spirit of reflection central to both cinema and cultural resurgence. Layered with Pride-inspired colour and meaning, the artwork is a celebration of transformation, kinship, and joy.” – Charlene Johnny

Out On Screen would additionally like to thank Chase Gray who consulted on this project, and our designers at CoEffect Creative who assisted with art direction and adapted Charlene’s work across numerous formats.

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The 37th annual Vancouver Queer Film Festival takes place September 11-21, 2025 in person (online Sept 22-28) with film screenings, industry events, parties, and more. The full programme and ticket sales launch on August 14, 2025.

Sign up to receive Festival Updates directly in your inbox!

Out On Screen was founded on the basic idea that our stories hold power. Our stories hold the power to find hope in challenging times. Our stories hold the power to help us imagine a better future. Our stories hold the power to create change within ourselves and the world we all share.

This past year, our work bringing our stories to the big screen and communities across the province has felt more urgent and impactful than ever. We have focussed our efforts across our programs on building up our 2SLGBTQIA+ community from within and fostering empathy and understanding in our allies.

We are proud to share a snapshot of the impact we have had on community and culture the 2025 Out On Screen Impact Report.

Just a few highlights from this report include:

• 52% of all VQFF attendees attended for free.
• 36% of Out In Schools’s school presentations were delivered outside the Greater Vancouver Area.
• 129 volunteers contributed 1,432 volunteer hours of their time to support our programs.
• Our work received local, national, and industry press coverage through 99 pieces of media, including CBC, Georgia Straight, Vancouver Sun, Playback, and The Hollywood Reporter.

Download the 2025 Out On Screen Impact Report.

The 2024 Annual Report for the Vancouver Out On Screen Film & Video Society.

In honour of IDAHOBIT, Out In Schools Program Manager Danny Lybbert (he/they) reflects on what it means to be a true ally.

International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) on May 17, 2025 is a day where we are called to stand up against anti-2SLGBTQIA+ violence and bigotry.

In past years, we have celebrated great achievements in the fight for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights around the world on IDAHOBIT. Unfortunately, we are now seeing these landmark achievements being rolled back in Canada and internationally. For so many of us, it feels like the safety of our community is hanging in the balance. We need our allies, now more than ever. 

At a recent presentation, a teacher and I were discussing how the current political climate has been impacting local schools, youth, and educators. She told me how she was noticing some of her colleagues–who used to be proud allies and supporters of queer inclusion–weren’t showing up for their queer and trans students anymore. And she isn’t the only one–we have heard from many educators across BC that they are battling a wave of anti-queer and anti-trans sentiment from parents, administrators, and fellow educators. Queer educators are feeling frustrated and unheard in their efforts to advocate for their queer students, and some are scared to bring up queer topics in classrooms for fear of being accused of “indoctrination.”

It’s easy to celebrate IDAHOBIT when things are going well.

We know from our work that it is hard to be an ally right now, especially in the education system. Educators in BC, already overworked and underpaid, are now under constant scrutiny from parents when it comes to queer and trans topics. As 2SLGBTQIA+ identities are being politicized in the media and used as divisive talking points, real harm is coming to regular people and youth in our communities. Youth and educators alike deserve to feel safe and supported in schools. They deserve to feel supported by their communities for all parts of their identities.

 Allyship is never easy, and it isn’t meant to be. 

“Being an ally” is more than a statement of your beliefs. It requires going out of your way to advocate for and support the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. It requires action, especially when it feels easier to look away.

Today, we want to celebrate the educators, administrators, parents, and youth who continue to fight for inclusion and safety in their communities. We meet so many of you in our work across BC, and we see how you are actively fighting against a tide of ignorance and fear.

Allyship and acceptance is contagious.

At Out In Schools, we believe that when we see examples of others living as their fullest selves, it inspires others to do the same, regardless of your gender identity or sexuality. And when we see other people choose empathy and understanding over fear and ignorance, it inspires acceptance in ourselves, too.

We are proud to support our allies in schools across BC through our work.

I’m Lydia, my pronouns are she/they, and I’m the Program Coordinator at Out In Schools. I’m also a nature documentarian, animal lover, and storyteller. I am passionate about empowering folks to narrate their stories in their own voice. This is how my journey brought me to Out In Schools, and why our work with youth is so personal and important to me.

I was born and raised in Treaty 6 territory traditionally stewarded by the Cree, Dene, Blackfoot, Saulteaux and Nakota Sioux peoples. Growing up as a queer person of colour, I’ve been nervous to open up to my community about my sexuality. There are very few queer Black characters in mainstream media, and their narratives tend to be about being rejected by their family and community. While these experiences are very real, they don’t offer a lot to folks who already feel isolated and hopeless. 

It’s a scary and lonely place to be—to feel like I must hide a core part of myself from my family and culture. It doesn’t help that folks of colour are also marginalized in queer communities. Youth of colour have told me that they felt seen for who they are, for the first time during an Out In Schools presentation. You have the power to gift a life-changing experience to 2SLGBTQIA+ youth. Start a monthly donation of $25 today to support Out In Schools!

While I struggled with my sense of belonging, I found joy and solace working with animals. At one point, I had a job training sea turtles: I would dive, handle turtles, do presentations with them, and get them to stay in place in front of a human audience. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! I’ll never forget the wonder of being in nature and realizing I’m a part of it, tangled up in the beautifully messy tree of life. 

It was my work with animals that led me to becoming a facilitator with Out In Schools several years ago. I wanted to use my skills working with youth to connect with young 2SLGBTQIA+ folks—particularly racialized kids—and help them navigate an environment that can be so confusing and hostile. When I’m presenting to youth, I always emphasize that there is no ‘correct’ way to be queer. Just like the natural world, our queerness is made up of unique stories, roads less traveled, and marvelous possibilities.

That is why I believe in Out In Schools’ work. We use films and stories by queer people to show youth that they can explore their identities without feeling ashamed or alone. Our stories are powerful—they imagine a better world into being. These are your stories, too, and they can change the lives of 2SLGBTQIA+ youth. Help us bring empowering queer content to schools and communities across BC by donating $100 today!

But it’s not just 2SLBTQIA+ youth who need our support. Last week, the Out In Schools team visited students and educators in Prince George. Educators there told us they were frustrated with the political atmosphere in the community, and felt a lack of support from administrators and colleagues. One queer educator expressed a palpable sense of fear. This is consistent with what we’ve heard from queer educators across BC: they are increasingly afraid to be seen by administrators, students, and parents as ‘pushing an agenda,’ often just by virtue of being who they are.

The cost to bring Out In Schools to one rural community is around $12,500—the amount a fellow dedicated donor has challenged you to match. With your help, we can fund up to two rural tours, and reach communities that need our presence the most. Double your impact by donating today!

Your support means the world to queer and trans youth, who deserve to see their stories—your stories—on screen. I’m so glad you are here. 

In solidarity,
Lydia Alemu (she/they)
Out In Schools Program Coordinator

Content warning: The post discusses religious trauma and institutional discrimination against trans youth.

My name is Tea, I use she/they pronouns, and I’m here with my mom Michelle (she/her). We’re so excited to introduce ourselves to you today, on the International Day of Pink: a day to speak out against discrimination and bullying directed at 2SLGBTQIA+ youth. 

As longtime supporters, we’re thrilled to announce the launch of Out In Schools’ Spring Fundraising Campaign 2025! A generous donor has pledged to match your donations for up to $12,500 until the end of April, doubling your impact. The work that Out In Schools does—making classrooms safer for queer and trans youth—is deeply personal to us. Our goal is to raise $25,000 this spring to support this program.

This is the story of how Out In Schools changed our lives.

We are a mixed-race family from Ladner, BC. I was assigned male at birth, but as a kid, I always preferred dolls to action figures. I was obsessed with fantasy and mythical creatures in general. I especially loved Monster High dolls—so chic, ghoulish, and unique—and skipping around in my mermaid tails and fairy wings! 

At some point, I began attending a Catholic elementary school, where we had to wear gendered uniforms. It made me realize just how uncomfortable I was being perceived as a boy. I would spend recesses in the back of the field, sitting alone and daydreaming about walking through school with long, flowing hair reaching all the way down to my uniform skirt.

Transgender youth like me deserve to feel safe and seen in our schools. Any donation you make today will be doubled to support Out In Schools in providing knowledge, safety, and connection to 2SLGBTQIA+ youth across BC. 

One summer, our family decided to try something out: I would go to summer camps with my new name and use she/her pronouns. I wore my hair in dreadlocks down to my shoulders, I dressed however I wanted, and, in this new environment, no one questioned any of it. For the first time in my life, I actually felt comfortable in my body—it was like finally coming home after a long trip.

That fall, our family expressed to my school that I would be attending class as a girl. The school responded with a letter from their lawyer. They demanded that I get assessed by religious practitioners and Catholic doctors. I wasn’t allowed to wear the girls’ uniform. One of the school’s pastors—an adult I trusted and our family was close to—sat me down and told me that my transition was against God’s wishes.

I spent a lot of that year crying and heartbroken. I was starting to believe that my dream—to be known as who I truly am—would never happen. 

After months of jumping through hoops, we decided enough was enough. I left the school, and our family filed a human rights complaint against them. 

Around that time, I saw my first Out In Schools presentation. I was amazed by the films the facilitators showed us: they were so different from all the sensationalized stories of despair that I’d gotten used to seeing in mainstream media. Instead, these films depicted queer youth as complex, willful humans. They captured both the nuances and wholeness of our identities. 

A wave of relief and recognition washed over me during that presentation. I was struck by the brilliance of a powerful story—a mirror that reflected all of my humanity back to me. Do you believe that 2SLGBTQIA+ kids deserve to see themselves represented authentically? Will you give $30, $50, or even $100 to help Out In Schools bring uplifting queer content to schools across BC?

I also got to know some of the amazing facilitators who work with Out In Schools. It’s incredible how their warmth opens up the classroom and invites everyone in. The energy they bring is so valuable, especially for trans and queer youth who don’t have access to information and support. When a youth makes a personal connection to an adult who shares their identities, it makes us feel like that could be us, too. A switch flips on: I can have a community, and I’m going to be okay!

Fostering hope and safety in the lives of trans and queer youth: this is what Out In Schools does best. It’s the only program of its kind in BC to create a non-judgmental space for all kids to ask questions and get insight into the big, beautiful world of gender and sexuality. This is the kind of work that creates cultural change, that builds connection and empathy across differences.

If you’re feeling anxious and scared, I am too—we don’t know what the federal election will bring. By the time we find out, it may already be too late. Trans and queer youth deserve to know that we’ll have their backs no matter who comes into power. This month, every donation you make will be matched dollar for dollar up to $12,500, so that 2SLGBTQIA+ youth can continue to access life-affirming resources provided by Out In Schools. 

The time to act is now. Join us to keep Out In Schools in schools!

In solidarity,
Tea (she/they) and Michelle (she/her)
Out In Schools supporters