Wicked Queer 41

April 4-13, 2025

Hello Gorgeous, Come in and take a look at the WQ:41 program. Tickets available NOW. See you there. xo.

Jury Award Winners

from Wicked Queer 41
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Jury Honorable Mention

from Wicked Queer 41
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Audience Awards

from Wicked Queer 41
No items found.

Best in Show Shorts

from Wicked Queer 41
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All Feature Films

from Wicked Queer 41
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024

300 Letters

in person
Lucas Santa Ana
90 min
Spanish
Argentina
2024
Jero and Tom are the young couple that everyone wants to be. On their first anniversary, Jero returns home and discovers that Tom has abandoned him, leaving a box with 300 letters as the only explanation and the ghosting as an answer. The reading proposes to Jero, a trip to the past to meet completely different Tom than what he seemed to be. Each letter sheds light on a extremely unequal relationship riddled with double intentions. And the great love story they lived seems to sink under the title of the "Jero project". But all pain comes to an end and the hope of a new love could be the cure for so much suffering.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024

A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Bloodroot

in person
Annie Laurie Medonis
78 min
English
USA
2024
In the '70s and '80s, there were over 230 feminist restaurants, cafes, and coffeehouses throughout the United States and Canada. Bloodroot, located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, is now the oldest and longest lasting of those spaces, in continuous operation for over 46 years. A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Bloodroot is a short documentary that explores this feminist, queer, vegan restaurant and bookstore, and illuminates the legacy of its pioneering proprietors, Selma Miriam and Noel Furie.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025

Assembly

in person
Rashaad Newsome
95 min
English
USA
2025
Interdisciplinary artist Rashaad Newsome embarks on a journey with a global cast of artists, vogue dancers, and ground-breaking AI to transform a historic military facility in NYC into an Afro-futurist utopia. This once-in-a-lifetime performance captured on screen investigates and re-imagines LGBTQ and Black cultural expression through fresh, decolonized minds.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024

Baby

in person
Marcelo Caetano
107 min
Portugese
Brazil
2024
After being released from a juvenile detention center, Wellington finds himself alone and adrift on the streets of São Paulo, without any contact from his parents and lacking the resources to rebuild his life. During a visit to a porn theater, he encounters Ronaldo, a mature man, who teaches him new ways of surviving. Gradually, their relationship turns into a conflicting passion, oscillating between exploitation and protection, jealousy and complicity.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2023

Black: Narratives in Boston’s Black Queer & Trans History

Director Amir Dixon & Producer Amanda Shea in person
Amir Dixon
90 min
English
USA
2023
Spotlighting the History Makers & Pioneers who have shaped community, culture & change. Hear from the trailblazing artists, activists and survivors who have made history and created spaces by defying social norms towards freedom and community. From Elites Boston's first Black Gay club founded in 1971 in Dudley to the 2020 Black Trans Resistance March. Hear their stories of survival, resistance and community.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2023

Blue Lights

in person
Lucas Santa Ana
100 min
Spanish
Argentina
2023
This emotionally charged ensemble piece unfolds during Alejandro’s 70th birthday celebration, where friends and family members gather for an unforgettable night that will redefine their relationships. As secrets surface, tensions simmer and truths emerge, Blue Lights explores the intricacies of love, los, HIV, friendship and the evolving dynamics of gay and lesbian relationships in a changing world. With stellar performances and a poignantly insightful narrative, the film offers a nuanced reflection on life’s complexities and the ties that bind us.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024

Bulletproof: A Lesbian's Guide to Surviving the Plot

in person
Regan Latimer
105 min
English
Canada
2024
Filmmaker Regan Latimer takes an insightful, immersive, and deeply personal look at Queer representation in television, and the power of the media to shape how we see ourselves. Witty, fast-paced, and laced with pop culture references, Regan journeys across North America and beyond in her quest to understand the forces that influence the stories we see on our screens. Original animation and personal anecdotes are interwoven with wide-ranging conversations with television insiders, LGBTQ+ community advocates, and people who just love to watch TV. As Latimer navigates an ever-evolving media landscape, the filmmaker learns firsthand that representation done well has the power to transform.
Filmmaker Regan Latimer takes an insightful, immersive, and deeply personal look at Queer representation in television, and the power of the media to shape how we see ourselves. Witty, fast-paced, and laced with pop culture references, Regan journeys across North America and beyond in her quest to understand the forces that influence the stories we see on our screens. Original animation and personal anecdotes are interwoven with wide-ranging conversations with television insiders, LGBTQ+ community advocates, and people who just love to watch TV. As Latimer navigates an ever-evolving media landscape, the filmmaker learns firsthand that representation done well has the power to transform.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2023

Fallen Fruit

in person
Chris Molina
90 min
English
USA
2023
A heartbroken 20-something reluctantly returns to his childhood home in Miami, where he’s forced to reevaluate his relationships in the face of a looming hurricane.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025

Heightened Scrutiny

in person
Sam Feder
85 min
English
USA
2025
From director Sam Feder and the team that brought you DISCLOSURE comes this critically timed snapshot of the state of transgender rights and justice in America. ACLU attorney Chase Strangio takes on not only the Supreme Court but also the court of public opinion, as news coverage shapes the national conversation on this flashpoint topic for our times.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025

I’m Your Venus

in person
Kimberly Reed
85 min
English
USA
2025
A moving and timely documentary following the unsolved murder of Venus Xtravaganza, star of the legendary Paris Is Burning as Venus’ two families — biological and ballroom — come together to seek answers and celebrate her legacy.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024

Memorabilia

Director Todd Verow, Producer/Actor James Kleinmann in person
Todd Verrow & Charles Lum
70 min
English
USA
2024
As an older gay man lies dying in a hospital room, he tries to remember all of his past lovers. He captured many of them on camera, but the films are disintegrating and fading away just like his memories. The script is based on stories and cruising diaries written by Charles Lum and stories written by Todd Verow. The film was shot entirely on super8 film and incorporates archival footage shot by Charles Lum in the 70s and 80s, archival footage shot by Todd Verow in the 80s and 90s, and new footage shot by Todd Verow.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025

Outerlands

Director Elena Oxman & Star Asia Kate Dillon in person
Elena Oxman
100 min
English
USA
2025
Cass (they/them) juggles jobs as a nanny, restaurant server, and party drug dealer in order to make ends meet and pay for their tiny San Francisco apartment. After a one night stand with Kalli, a co-worker they have a crush on, Cass agrees to watch her 11-year-old daughter, Ari, while she goes out of town. But as days pass without word from Kalli, Cass and Ari form a bond that spirals Cass back to their own difficult childhood and the pain they’ve been running from.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024

Pooja, Sir

in person
Deepak Rauniyar
118 min
Nepali, Hindi & Maithili
Nepal, United States & Norway
2024
When two boys are kidnapped in a border town in Nepal, Detective Inspector Pooja is sent from Kathmandu to solve the case. But when she arrives, the brewing political unrest and violent protests throw her off course, and she is forced to seek help from Mamata, a local Madhesi policewoman. By putting aside systemic discrimination and pushing through everyday misogyny, the women solve the case - but at what personal cost?
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025

Rains Over Babel

in person
Gala del Sol
110 min
Spanish
Colombia
2025
Today marks the end of Dante's contract with La Flaca, death personified. As Dante starts recalling who he was before he died, he aids Monet, a ghost desperate to return to his body before it decomposes. Caught between his orthodox upbringing and his passion for drag, Jacob faces the ultimate test as he prepares for his debut performance. But keeping secrets from his devout parents threatens to derail his dreams. To save his father's life, Timbí travels through the circles of hell accompanied by Uma, a gypsy determined to settle a bet with La Flaca to save her dying daughter's life. El Boticaro, the devil himself, and Erato, a fallen angel, act as the omniscient narrators of this world. Against this backdrop, the lives of these characters intertwine at the mythical bar Babel, one night where the living and the dead collide.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024

Reset

in person
Patricia Ryczko
95 min
Polish
Poland
2024
Set in the near future, Sonja, 41, is a dedicated housewife raising her 10-year-old daughter, Mia. She has kept her civil partnership with Adela, 27, hidden from everyone out of fear. One day, Sonja's Citizen Pass suddenly stops working, stripping away all her freedoms. Unbeknownst to her, this glitch will unveil her past, a past she desperately concealed from the state to avoid persecution as a terrorist.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025

Row of Life

in person
Soraya Simi
82 min
English
USA
2025
In 2020, Paralympic medalist and 16x Guinness World Record holder Angela Madsen attempted her final solo Ocean row - 2,400 miles from Los Angeles to Hawaii. The film is a poetic story of bravery, resilience, and love between Angela and her wife Deb - separated by a vast ocean - supporting each other's dreams despite what became the ultimate cost.
96
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024

Salomé

in person
André Antonio
118 min
Portuguese
Brazil
2024
Cecília, a successful young model, returns to Recife, her hometown, to spend Christmas with her mother. One night, a neighbour she hadn't seen for a long time, João, shows her a bottle with a mysterious and intoxicating green substance. Cecília begins to fall in love with João, but also discovers he is involved in a secret cult around the figure of Salomé, the luxurious biblical princess.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025

Sandbag Dam

in person
Cejen Cernek Canak
87 min
serbian
Croatia, Lithuania, Serbia
2025
A story about a forbidden love, set in a village threatened by the swollen rivers. Upon his return home for his father’s funeral, Slaven revives relationship with his childhood friend, a young sportsman Marko, his teenage love and the reason his father kicked him out of the house. Now tempted to reunite, they need to make peace with their own decisions and struggle against the family restrains.
97
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024

Sisters

in person
Susie Yankou
88 min
English
Canada
2024
Lou and Esther are the best of friends. They do absolutely everything together, speak their own language through inside jokes and code words, and share a dreamy curiosity about what their lives would be like had they grown up with a sister. When Lou’s father unexpectedly passes away, she discovers that she has a very real, and very chic, long-lost half-sister, Priya. As Lou begins to explore her relationship with Priya, her and Esther’s codependent bliss is rudely interrupted, creating a rift between them. As the rift threatens to grow beyond repair, Lou must learn to redefine what family is, or risk losing Esther for good.
95
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024

Some Nights I Feel Like Walking

in person
Petersen Vargas
103 min
Philippines/Singapore/Italy
2024
A band of street hustlers brave the dark corners of the Manila night time and into the outskirts of a forlorn country to fulfill their friend’s dying wish: to take his body home.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025

The Best Friend

"Open To It" Director Frank Smith in person
Allan Deberton
94 min
Portuguese
Brazil
2025
Two great friends are reunited after five years. Among so many things that have changed, the resumption of connection awakens an old feeling for which they remain unprepared.
107
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025

The Best Friend

in person
Allan Deberton
94 min
Portuguese
Brazil
2025
Two great friends are reunited after five years. Among so many things that have changed, the resumption of connection awakens an old feeling for which they remain unprepared.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024

The Brooklyn Butcher

Writer/director/actor Joshua R. Pangborn, cast and crew in person
Joshua R. Pangborn, Stuart Kiczek
105 min
English
USA
2024
Amidst the backdrop of a serial killer terrifying the city, the residents of a Brooklyn apartment building learn a new meaning of the word terror.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024

The Rebrand

"Thank You" Director Nicolle Marquez in person
Kaye Adelaide
79 min
English
Canada
2024
Nicole, an eight months-pregnant bisexual videographer is hired by a lesbian lifestyle influencer couple to film a redemption documentary after they’ve been publicly cancelled, but Nicole quickly discovers that the couple have nefarious ulterior motives.
85
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024

The Visitor

in person
Bruce LaBruce
101 min
English
UK
2024
London, today. A refugee washes up naked in a suitcase on the bank of the Thames. The enigmatic, sexually fluid stranger introduces himself to a bourgeois, upper-class family. He is invited to stay on as an employee. The Visitor soon seduces each member of the family in a series of explicit sexual encounters. He will turn their world upside down as they can redefine themselves in new, radical ways.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025

The Wedding Banquet

in person
Andrew Ahn
102 min
English
USA
2025
Frustrated with his commitment-phobic boyfriend Chris and running out of time, Min makes a proposal: a green-card marriage with their friend Angela in exchange for her partner Lee's expensive IVF. Elopement plans are upended, however, when Min's grandmother surprises them with an extravagant Korean wedding banquet.
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 1968

Theorem

Teorema

in person
Pier Paolo Pasolini
98 min
Italian
Italy
1968
A mysterious young man seduces each member of a bourgeois family. When he suddenly leaves, how will their lives change?
 min total program
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024

Trans Memoria

in person
Victoria Verseau
72 min
Swedish, English
Sweden, France
2024
Victoria looks back in time to understand her transition and what it is that defines you as a woman. Having lost a close friend she shares her pain and embodied experience with Athena and Aamina, themselves on their own journeys of transition. Together they explore who they were then and who they are today, listening to the ghosts of the past, the laughs of the present and the whispers of the future.
83
 min total program
No items found.

All Short Film Programs

from Wicked Queer 41
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM

Bad Rep

FREE

Trans and Nonbinary shorts

Filmmakers in person
106
 min total program
Get mad, get amped, and get out there. This set of stories by and about trans and nonbinary people dives into the worst (and best) types of social friction that come from experiencing capital G gender.
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM

Beyond Kinsmen – Men Searching for Love, Understanding, and Revenge

FREE

Mens Shorts Program

Filmmakers in person
93
 min total program
We’re all fumbling to connect and find ourselves. So what if there’s miscommunications, crime syndicates, murderers, and killer robots in the way? The queer men of these shorts risk everything to be seen, loved, and get the hell out of dodge.
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM

First Impressions: A Showcase of New Queer Filmmakers

FREE

Filmmakers in person
84
 min total program
First dates, forbidden friendships, impromptu funerals, and celestial matchmaking - brought to the screen by the next wave of queer filmmakers.
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM

Hearts in Motion

FREE

Short films from the Americas

in person
72
 min total program
From childhood dreams to cosmic love stories, this collection of Latinx short films pulses with queer rhythms and romances.
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM

Interwoven

FREE

Queer Muslim & SWANA Voices

Filmmakers in person
89
 min total program
A diverse tapestry of queer Muslim, Arab, and SWANA (Southwest Asian and North African) stories – from crossdressers in the 1920's Ottoman Empire to diasporic pursuits of the American Dream today, here's a collection of the multifaceted identities we weave and wear.
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM

Laugh, Cry, and Embrace the Chaos

FREE

A Collection of Unforgettable Comedy Shorts

Filmmakers in person
106
 min total program
Life and love rarely stick to the script in this wildly unpredictable collection of comedy shorts. A long-awaited revenge dinner spirals into a full-blown horror show, while a desperate couple turns to the cosmos (literally) for relationship advice. A well-intentioned job seeker takes it upon herself to “help” a possibly closeted interviewer, and a heartbroken man embarks on a drug-fueled quest to track down the real curator of his life-changing playlist. Elsewhere, an embarrassing rejection leads to an unexpected date, love blossoms on the football field, and someone’s mom pops up on a dating app—awkward. Bursting with wit, weirdness, and just the right amount of chaos, these films prove that comedy is at its best when life goes off the rails
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM

Love, Lust & Lost Causes

FREE

A Collection of International Shorts

Filmmakers in person
91
 min total program
Desire, deception, and disastrous decisions collide in this bold and unpredictable selection of international shorts. On a remote Mediterranean island, a young man risks everything for unspoken love, while in a quiet German forest, intimacy and grief intertwine in an unexpected way. A scorned ex in France attempts an unconventional act of closure, and in the UK, a trans man gets the last laugh after being forced out the back door by a closeted celebrity. Meanwhile, a hopeless romantic in Spain still believes in fate, and a struggling Belgian gym owner’s financial woes take a surprising turn when an unexpected attraction throws him into an identity crisis. From sun-drenched longing to dark humor and emotional reckonings, these stories prove that when it comes to love and lust, nothing ever goes as planned.
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM

Planting our Flag – Documentary as Perseverance

FREE

Queer Doc Shorts

Filmmakers in person
90
 min total program
Six short documentaries of people fighting like hell for their survival, meaning, and joy.
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM

Slippage: Queer Experiments In Time and Place

FREE

Filmmakers in person
79
 min total program
The past, present, and future are constantly informing and influencing one another, and are all constantly visited and revisited in the hopes of better understanding ourselves and working towards a Queer utopia. This year's experimental shorts program features 11 films that all grapple with time or place, celebrating the serene and unpleasant, the sexy and the cerebral, the emotional and the physical, in all contexts. Among these films is a shared desire to understand the places we've been, the people we've known, and the shared history that grows deeper every day. This Program is Free and Open to the Public.
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM

Uncharted Desires

FREE

Women's Shorts

Filmmakers in person
103
 min total program
In Uncharted Desires, eight dynamic short films explore the twists and turns of longing, identity, and connection—with a mix of intensity, heart, and humor. From deep yearnings to unexpected encounters, these stories capture the raw emotions that drive us, whether through quiet reflection or laugh-out-loud moments. Love, lust, and self-discovery take center stage, sometimes with awkward, hilarious, and tender results. Whether it’s the thrill of first attraction, the chaos of bad decisions, or the absurdity of desire itself, these films embrace it all. Bold, heartfelt, and often delightfully unexpected, they remind us that the path to what we want is rarely a straight line. Get ready to laugh, sigh, and feel it all
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM

Unspoken Connections

FREE

Queer Asian Stories

in person
101
 min total program
The bonds that shape our lives are quiet yet powerful, no matter whether they're between family, friends, lovers, or even strangers. Fleeting or enduring, tender or fraught, these connections reveal the comforts and tensions present in our relationships. Understanding, longing, love— These ingredients bring us together even in the most unexpected of situations.
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM

WQ:41 GTFO

FREE

Filmmakers in person
84
 min total program
Here we go again. It's our annual round up of the sexy, irreverent, hilarious, and scandalous shorts that might make your Mom blush and your Daddy say "Kehd, WTF?" It's okay they still can come watch if they're cool.
No items found.

Screenings & Events

April 4-13, 2025

SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

The Best Friend

FREE

Fri, Apr 04, 2025 @ 6:30 pm
Brattle Theater
Two great friends are reunited after five years. Among so many things that have changed, the resumption of connection awakens an old feeling for which they remain unprepared.
Allan Deberton
94
 min
Portuguese
Brazil
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Memorabilia

FREE

Fri, Apr 04, 2025 @ 9:00 pm
Brattle Theater
As an older gay man lies dying in a hospital room, he tries to remember all of his past lovers. He captured many of them on camera, but the films are disintegrating and fading away just like his memories. The script is based on stories and cruising diaries written by Charles Lum and stories written by Todd Verow. The film was shot entirely on super8 film and incorporates archival footage shot by Charles Lum in the 70s and 80s, archival footage shot by Todd Verow in the 80s and 90s, and new footage shot by Todd Verow.
Todd Verrow & Charles Lum
70
 min
English
USA
 min total program
Director Todd Verow, Producer/Actor James Kleinmann in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Bulletproof: A Lesbian's Guide to Surviving the Plot

FREE

Sat, Apr 05, 2025 @ 1:00 pm
Coolidge Corner Theater
Filmmaker Regan Latimer takes an insightful, immersive, and deeply personal look at Queer representation in television, and the power of the media to shape how we see ourselves. Witty, fast-paced, and laced with pop culture references, Regan journeys across North America and beyond in her quest to understand the forces that influence the stories we see on our screens. Original animation and personal anecdotes are interwoven with wide-ranging conversations with television insiders, LGBTQ+ community advocates, and people who just love to watch TV. As Latimer navigates an ever-evolving media landscape, the filmmaker learns firsthand that representation done well has the power to transform.
Filmmaker Regan Latimer takes an insightful, immersive, and deeply personal look at Queer representation in television, and the power of the media to shape how we see ourselves. Witty, fast-paced, and laced with pop culture references, Regan journeys across North America and beyond in her quest to understand the forces that influence the stories we see on our screens. Original animation and personal anecdotes are interwoven with wide-ranging conversations with television insiders, LGBTQ+ community advocates, and people who just love to watch TV. As Latimer navigates an ever-evolving media landscape, the filmmaker learns firsthand that representation done well has the power to transform.
Regan Latimer
105
 min
English
Canada
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Assembly

FREE

Sat, Apr 05, 2025 @ 2:00 pm
Institute of Contemporary Art
Interdisciplinary artist Rashaad Newsome embarks on a journey with a global cast of artists, vogue dancers, and ground-breaking AI to transform a historic military facility in NYC into an Afro-futurist utopia. This once-in-a-lifetime performance captured on screen investigates and re-imagines LGBTQ and Black cultural expression through fresh, decolonized minds.
Rashaad Newsome
95
 min
English
USA
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2023
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Fallen Fruit

FREE

Sat, Apr 05, 2025 @ 2:30 pm
Brattle Theater
A heartbroken 20-something reluctantly returns to his childhood home in Miami, where he’s forced to reevaluate his relationships in the face of a looming hurricane.
Chris Molina
90
 min
English
USA
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2023
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Black: Narratives in Boston’s Black Queer & Trans History

FREE

Sat, Apr 05, 2025 @ 3:00 pm
ArtsEmerson Paramount Center
Spotlighting the History Makers & Pioneers who have shaped community, culture & change. Hear from the trailblazing artists, activists and survivors who have made history and created spaces by defying social norms towards freedom and community. From Elites Boston's first Black Gay club founded in 1971 in Dudley to the 2020 Black Trans Resistance March. Hear their stories of survival, resistance and community.
Amir Dixon
90
 min
English
USA
 min total program
Director Amir Dixon & Producer Amanda Shea in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Salomé

FREE

Sat, Apr 05, 2025 @ 4:00 pm
Coolidge Corner Theater
Cecília, a successful young model, returns to Recife, her hometown, to spend Christmas with her mother. One night, a neighbour she hadn't seen for a long time, João, shows her a bottle with a mysterious and intoxicating green substance. Cecília begins to fall in love with João, but also discovers he is involved in a secret cult around the figure of Salomé, the luxurious biblical princess.
André Antonio
118
 min
Portuguese
Brazil
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

300 Letters

FREE

Sat, Apr 05, 2025 @ 6:00 pm
Brattle Theater
Jero and Tom are the young couple that everyone wants to be. On their first anniversary, Jero returns home and discovers that Tom has abandoned him, leaving a box with 300 letters as the only explanation and the ghosting as an answer. The reading proposes to Jero, a trip to the past to meet completely different Tom than what he seemed to be. Each letter sheds light on a extremely unequal relationship riddled with double intentions. And the great love story they lived seems to sink under the title of the "Jero project". But all pain comes to an end and the hope of a new love could be the cure for so much suffering.
Lucas Santa Ana
90
 min
Spanish
Argentina
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

The Visitor

FREE

Sat, Apr 05, 2025 @ 8:30 pm
Brattle Theater
London, today. A refugee washes up naked in a suitcase on the bank of the Thames. The enigmatic, sexually fluid stranger introduces himself to a bourgeois, upper-class family. He is invited to stay on as an employee. The Visitor soon seduces each member of the family in a series of explicit sexual encounters. He will turn their world upside down as they can redefine themselves in new, radical ways.
Bruce LaBruce
101
 min
English
UK
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Hearts in Motion

FREE

Short films from the Americas

Sun, Apr 06, 2025 @ 3:00 pm
ArtsEmerson Paramount Center
From childhood dreams to cosmic love stories, this collection of Latinx short films pulses with queer rhythms and romances.
 min
72
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Interwoven

FREE

Queer Muslim & SWANA Voices

Sun, Apr 06, 2025 @ 4:00 pm
Brattle Theater
A diverse tapestry of queer Muslim, Arab, and SWANA (Southwest Asian and North African) stories – from crossdressers in the 1920's Ottoman Empire to diasporic pursuits of the American Dream today, here's a collection of the multifaceted identities we weave and wear.
 min
89
 min total program
Filmmakers in person
SPOTLIGHT
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FROM
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Bad Rep

FREE

Trans and Nonbinary shorts

Sun, Apr 06, 2025 @ 4:00 pm
Coolidge Corner Theater
Get mad, get amped, and get out there. This set of stories by and about trans and nonbinary people dives into the worst (and best) types of social friction that come from experiencing capital G gender.
 min
106
 min total program
Filmmakers in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Rains Over Babel

FREE

Sun, Apr 06, 2025 @ 6:30 pm
Brattle Theater
Today marks the end of Dante's contract with La Flaca, death personified. As Dante starts recalling who he was before he died, he aids Monet, a ghost desperate to return to his body before it decomposes. Caught between his orthodox upbringing and his passion for drag, Jacob faces the ultimate test as he prepares for his debut performance. But keeping secrets from his devout parents threatens to derail his dreams. To save his father's life, Timbí travels through the circles of hell accompanied by Uma, a gypsy determined to settle a bet with La Flaca to save her dying daughter's life. El Boticaro, the devil himself, and Erato, a fallen angel, act as the omniscient narrators of this world. Against this backdrop, the lives of these characters intertwine at the mythical bar Babel, one night where the living and the dead collide.
Gala del Sol
110
 min
Spanish
Colombia
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2023
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Blue Lights

FREE

Sun, Apr 06, 2025 @ 7:00 pm
Coolidge Corner Theater
This emotionally charged ensemble piece unfolds during Alejandro’s 70th birthday celebration, where friends and family members gather for an unforgettable night that will redefine their relationships. As secrets surface, tensions simmer and truths emerge, Blue Lights explores the intricacies of love, los, HIV, friendship and the evolving dynamics of gay and lesbian relationships in a changing world. With stellar performances and a poignantly insightful narrative, the film offers a nuanced reflection on life’s complexities and the ties that bind us.
Lucas Santa Ana
100
 min
Spanish
Argentina
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Sandbag Dam

FREE

Sun, Apr 06, 2025 @ 9:00 pm
Brattle Theater
A story about a forbidden love, set in a village threatened by the swollen rivers. Upon his return home for his father’s funeral, Slaven revives relationship with his childhood friend, a young sportsman Marko, his teenage love and the reason his father kicked him out of the house. Now tempted to reunite, they need to make peace with their own decisions and struggle against the family restrains.
Cejen Cernek Canak
87
 min
serbian
Croatia, Lithuania, Serbia
97
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
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WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Trans Memoria

FREE

Mon, Apr 07, 2025 @ 6:00 pm
Brattle Theater
Victoria looks back in time to understand her transition and what it is that defines you as a woman. Having lost a close friend she shares her pain and embodied experience with Athena and Aamina, themselves on their own journeys of transition. Together they explore who they were then and who they are today, listening to the ghosts of the past, the laughs of the present and the whispers of the future.
Victoria Verseau
72
 min
Swedish, English
Sweden, France
83
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
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WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Row of Life

FREE

Mon, Apr 07, 2025 @ 7:00 pm
Coolidge Corner Theater
In 2020, Paralympic medalist and 16x Guinness World Record holder Angela Madsen attempted her final solo Ocean row - 2,400 miles from Los Angeles to Hawaii. The film is a poetic story of bravery, resilience, and love between Angela and her wife Deb - separated by a vast ocean - supporting each other's dreams despite what became the ultimate cost.
Soraya Simi
82
 min
English
USA
96
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

I’m Your Venus

FREE

Mon, Apr 07, 2025 @ 8:30 pm
Brattle Theater
A moving and timely documentary following the unsolved murder of Venus Xtravaganza, star of the legendary Paris Is Burning as Venus’ two families — biological and ballroom — come together to seek answers and celebrate her legacy.
Kimberly Reed
85
 min
English
USA
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
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WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 1968
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Theorem

FREE

Teorema

Tue, Apr 08, 2025 @ 8:30 pm
Brattle Theater
A mysterious young man seduces each member of a bourgeois family. When he suddenly leaves, how will their lives change?
Pier Paolo Pasolini
98
 min
Italian
Italy
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM
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Slippage: Queer Experiments In Time and Place

FREE

Wed, Apr 09, 2025 @ 6:00 pm
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
The past, present, and future are constantly informing and influencing one another, and are all constantly visited and revisited in the hopes of better understanding ourselves and working towards a Queer utopia. This year's experimental shorts program features 11 films that all grapple with time or place, celebrating the serene and unpleasant, the sexy and the cerebral, the emotional and the physical, in all contexts. Among these films is a shared desire to understand the places we've been, the people we've known, and the shared history that grows deeper every day. This Program is Free and Open to the Public.
 min
79
 min total program
Filmmakers in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Pooja, Sir

FREE

Wed, Apr 09, 2025 @ 6:00 pm
Brattle Theater
When two boys are kidnapped in a border town in Nepal, Detective Inspector Pooja is sent from Kathmandu to solve the case. But when she arrives, the brewing political unrest and violent protests throw her off course, and she is forced to seek help from Mamata, a local Madhesi policewoman. By putting aside systemic discrimination and pushing through everyday misogyny, the women solve the case - but at what personal cost?
Deepak Rauniyar
118
 min
Nepali, Hindi & Maithili
Nepal, United States & Norway
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

The Best Friend

FREE

Wed, Apr 09, 2025 @ 8:30 pm
Brattle Theater
Two great friends are reunited after five years. Among so many things that have changed, the resumption of connection awakens an old feeling for which they remain unprepared.
Allan Deberton
94
 min
Portuguese
Brazil
107
 min total program
"Open To It" Director Frank Smith in person
SPOTLIGHT
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WORLD PREMIERE
FROM
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Beyond Kinsmen – Men Searching for Love, Understanding, and Revenge

FREE

Mens Shorts Program

Thu, Apr 10, 2025 @ 6:30 pm
Brattle Theater
We’re all fumbling to connect and find ourselves. So what if there’s miscommunications, crime syndicates, murderers, and killer robots in the way? The queer men of these shorts risk everything to be seen, loved, and get the hell out of dodge.
 min
93
 min total program
Filmmakers in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Some Nights I Feel Like Walking

FREE

Thu, Apr 10, 2025 @ 9:00 pm
Brattle Theater
A band of street hustlers brave the dark corners of the Manila night time and into the outskirts of a forlorn country to fulfill their friend’s dying wish: to take his body home.
Petersen Vargas
103
 min
Philippines/Singapore/Italy
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Sisters

FREE

Fri, Apr 11, 2025 @ 6:30 pm
Brattle Theater
Lou and Esther are the best of friends. They do absolutely everything together, speak their own language through inside jokes and code words, and share a dreamy curiosity about what their lives would be like had they grown up with a sister. When Lou’s father unexpectedly passes away, she discovers that she has a very real, and very chic, long-lost half-sister, Priya. As Lou begins to explore her relationship with Priya, her and Esther’s codependent bliss is rudely interrupted, creating a rift between them. As the rift threatens to grow beyond repair, Lou must learn to redefine what family is, or risk losing Esther for good.
Susie Yankou
88
 min
English
Canada
95
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

The Wedding Banquet

FREE

Fri, Apr 11, 2025 @ 7:00 pm
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Frustrated with his commitment-phobic boyfriend Chris and running out of time, Min makes a proposal: a green-card marriage with their friend Angela in exchange for her partner Lee's expensive IVF. Elopement plans are upended, however, when Min's grandmother surprises them with an extravagant Korean wedding banquet.
Andrew Ahn
102
 min
English
USA
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Reset

FREE

Fri, Apr 11, 2025 @ 9:00 pm
Brattle Theater
Set in the near future, Sonja, 41, is a dedicated housewife raising her 10-year-old daughter, Mia. She has kept her civil partnership with Adela, 27, hidden from everyone out of fear. One day, Sonja's Citizen Pass suddenly stops working, stripping away all her freedoms. Unbeknownst to her, this glitch will unveil her past, a past she desperately concealed from the state to avoid persecution as a terrorist.
Patricia Ryczko
95
 min
Polish
Poland
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Planting our Flag – Documentary as Perseverance

FREE

Queer Doc Shorts

Sat, Apr 12, 2025 @ 1:00 pm
Coolidge Corner Theater
Six short documentaries of people fighting like hell for their survival, meaning, and joy.
 min
90
 min total program
Filmmakers in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Baby

FREE

Sat, Apr 12, 2025 @ 2:30 pm
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
After being released from a juvenile detention center, Wellington finds himself alone and adrift on the streets of São Paulo, without any contact from his parents and lacking the resources to rebuild his life. During a visit to a porn theater, he encounters Ronaldo, a mature man, who teaches him new ways of surviving. Gradually, their relationship turns into a conflicting passion, oscillating between exploitation and protection, jealousy and complicity.
Marcelo Caetano
107
 min
Portugese
Brazil
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
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WORLD PREMIERE
FROM
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Laugh, Cry, and Embrace the Chaos

FREE

A Collection of Unforgettable Comedy Shorts

Sat, Apr 12, 2025 @ 3:00 pm
Brattle Theater
Life and love rarely stick to the script in this wildly unpredictable collection of comedy shorts. A long-awaited revenge dinner spirals into a full-blown horror show, while a desperate couple turns to the cosmos (literally) for relationship advice. A well-intentioned job seeker takes it upon herself to “help” a possibly closeted interviewer, and a heartbroken man embarks on a drug-fueled quest to track down the real curator of his life-changing playlist. Elsewhere, an embarrassing rejection leads to an unexpected date, love blossoms on the football field, and someone’s mom pops up on a dating app—awkward. Bursting with wit, weirdness, and just the right amount of chaos, these films prove that comedy is at its best when life goes off the rails
 min
106
 min total program
Filmmakers in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Bloodroot

FREE

Sat, Apr 12, 2025 @ 4:00 pm
Coolidge Corner Theater
In the '70s and '80s, there were over 230 feminist restaurants, cafes, and coffeehouses throughout the United States and Canada. Bloodroot, located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, is now the oldest and longest lasting of those spaces, in continuous operation for over 46 years. A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Bloodroot is a short documentary that explores this feminist, queer, vegan restaurant and bookstore, and illuminates the legacy of its pioneering proprietors, Selma Miriam and Noel Furie.
Annie Laurie Medonis
78
 min
English
USA
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

The Brooklyn Butcher

FREE

Sat, Apr 12, 2025 @ 6:00 pm
Brattle Theater
Amidst the backdrop of a serial killer terrifying the city, the residents of a Brooklyn apartment building learn a new meaning of the word terror.
Joshua R. Pangborn, Stuart Kiczek
105
 min
English
USA
 min total program
Writer/director/actor Joshua R. Pangborn, cast and crew in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

First Impressions: A Showcase of New Queer Filmmakers

FREE

Sat, Apr 12, 2025 @ 7:30 pm
ArtsEmerson Paramount Center
First dates, forbidden friendships, impromptu funerals, and celestial matchmaking - brought to the screen by the next wave of queer filmmakers.
 min
84
 min total program
Filmmakers in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2024
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

The Rebrand

FREE

Sat, Apr 12, 2025 @ 8:30 pm
Brattle Theater
Nicole, an eight months-pregnant bisexual videographer is hired by a lesbian lifestyle influencer couple to film a redemption documentary after they’ve been publicly cancelled, but Nicole quickly discovers that the couple have nefarious ulterior motives.
Kaye Adelaide
79
 min
English
Canada
85
 min total program
"Thank You" Director Nicolle Marquez in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Heightened Scrutiny

FREE

Sun, Apr 13, 2025 @ 2:30 pm
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
From director Sam Feder and the team that brought you DISCLOSURE comes this critically timed snapshot of the state of transgender rights and justice in America. ACLU attorney Chase Strangio takes on not only the Supreme Court but also the court of public opinion, as news coverage shapes the national conversation on this flashpoint topic for our times.
Sam Feder
85
 min
English
USA
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Uncharted Desires

FREE

Women's Shorts

Sun, Apr 13, 2025 @ 3:00 pm
Brattle Theater
In Uncharted Desires, eight dynamic short films explore the twists and turns of longing, identity, and connection—with a mix of intensity, heart, and humor. From deep yearnings to unexpected encounters, these stories capture the raw emotions that drive us, whether through quiet reflection or laugh-out-loud moments. Love, lust, and self-discovery take center stage, sometimes with awkward, hilarious, and tender results. Whether it’s the thrill of first attraction, the chaos of bad decisions, or the absurdity of desire itself, these films embrace it all. Bold, heartfelt, and often delightfully unexpected, they remind us that the path to what we want is rarely a straight line. Get ready to laugh, sigh, and feel it all
 min
103
 min total program
Filmmakers in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Unspoken Connections

FREE

Queer Asian Stories

Sun, Apr 13, 2025 @ 3:00 pm
ArtsEmerson Paramount Center
The bonds that shape our lives are quiet yet powerful, no matter whether they're between family, friends, lovers, or even strangers. Fleeting or enduring, tender or fraught, these connections reveal the comforts and tensions present in our relationships. Understanding, longing, love— These ingredients bring us together even in the most unexpected of situations.
 min
101
 min total program
in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Love, Lust & Lost Causes

FREE

A Collection of International Shorts

Sun, Apr 13, 2025 @ 5:00 pm
Coolidge Corner Theater
Desire, deception, and disastrous decisions collide in this bold and unpredictable selection of international shorts. On a remote Mediterranean island, a young man risks everything for unspoken love, while in a quiet German forest, intimacy and grief intertwine in an unexpected way. A scorned ex in France attempts an unconventional act of closure, and in the UK, a trans man gets the last laugh after being forced out the back door by a closeted celebrity. Meanwhile, a hopeless romantic in Spain still believes in fate, and a struggling Belgian gym owner’s financial woes take a surprising turn when an unexpected attraction throws him into an identity crisis. From sun-drenched longing to dark humor and emotional reckonings, these stories prove that when it comes to love and lust, nothing ever goes as planned.
 min
91
 min total program
Filmmakers in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM 2025
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

Outerlands

FREE

Sun, Apr 13, 2025 @ 6:00 pm
Brattle Theater
Cass (they/them) juggles jobs as a nanny, restaurant server, and party drug dealer in order to make ends meet and pay for their tiny San Francisco apartment. After a one night stand with Kalli, a co-worker they have a crush on, Cass agrees to watch her 11-year-old daughter, Ari, while she goes out of town. But as days pass without word from Kalli, Cass and Ari form a bond that spirals Cass back to their own difficult childhood and the pain they’ve been running from.
Elena Oxman
100
 min
English
USA
 min total program
Director Elena Oxman & Star Asia Kate Dillon in person
SPOTLIGHT
US PREMIERE
WORLD PREMIERE
FROM
SHORT FILM PROGRAM

WQ:41 GTFO

FREE

Sun, Apr 13, 2025 @ 8:30 pm
Brattle Theater
Here we go again. It's our annual round up of the sexy, irreverent, hilarious, and scandalous shorts that might make your Mom blush and your Daddy say "Kehd, WTF?" It's okay they still can come watch if they're cool.
 min
84
 min total program
Filmmakers in person
Wicked Queer 41

Screenings & Events

April 4-13, 2025

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