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QueerCine Film Festival
Thursday, 30 April 2026 until Saturday, 02 May 2026
Welcome to QueerCine, the dynamic international film festival dedicated to celebrating the rich tapestry of LGBTQ+ stories from around the globe. At QueerCine, we believe that everyone is a little bit queer, and our festival provides a safe and inclusive space for audiences to revel in the diversity of human experience.
Join us as we shine a spotlight on marginalized identities and elevate queer perspectives on our screens. QueerCine offers a kaleidoscope of cinematic treasures waiting to be discovered. Expect to be deeply moved and inspired by the personal creations of filmmakers from all corners of the world. But QueerCine is more than just entertainment—it's an invitation to engage, connect, and celebrate our shared humanity. Together, let's celebrate queerness in all its forms and forge connections that transcend borders and boundaries. QueerCine is more than a festival—it's a vibrant community united by our love for cinema and our commitment to amplifying diverse voices. We can't wait to welcome you to the QueerCine International Film Festival!
Awards:
Best Narrative Feature Film
Best Narrative Short Film
Best New Voice
Best Documentary Short Film
Best Experimental Film
Best Underground Film
Best Super Short Film
Best Poetry Film
Best Dance Film
Best Music Video
THE TARKOVSKI GRANT
All selected filmmakers will receive The Tarkovski Grant, a film festival submission fee waiver package with an average value of about $500. This not only saves you a lot of money, but it also recognizes your work as something to watch for during the selection procedure, making a selection with another partner film festival more likely - but of course, never guaranteed. The Tarkovski Grant supports hundreds of filmmakers each year in their challenging journeys as independent filmmakers, by promoting existing films, no matter the genre, style or length. The Tarkovski Grant is supported by film festivals from all over the world. Find out more here: www.thetarkovskigrant.org.
DISTRIBUTION OPPORTUNITY
You'll have the opportunity to have your film included in the main collection of our streaming partner www.whush.com for a period of one year. Whush.com is available worldwide, on desktop, mobile, tablet and smart TV. There’s no rights fee provided, but in return you’ll receive a free subscription to the service for the period of one year. You keep the right to cancel the agreement at any time. As it’s a non-exclusive deal you keep all the rights to your film and are able to make similar distribution agreements with other companies. As an added bonus, every month Whush.com gives away 500 USD to the filmmaker whose film was the most popular!
FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO VIDEOMAKER
In an added effort to support new and emerging filmmakers, our festival will offer a free year of access to Videomaker's digital magazine to all filmmakers submitting their work. More information: www.videomaker.com.
FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO WHUSH.COM
All selected filmmakers will receive a free subscription to Whush.com for 3 months. Whush.com is a streaming service that has teamed up with over 20 film festivals worldwide, exclusively streaming official selections during the festival period. More information: www.whush.com.
EXPOSURE
One of the biggest hurdles in an independent filmmaker's journey, is getting noticed. With thousands of filmmakers out there trying to get exposure it's hard to stand out. Share your story with Final Cut Magazine, whether it be a press release on a new selection, project, winning an award, a one-on-one interview, ...
Kilometer 9 or since when do you stop to look at the city (Colombia) by Mika Nivola
On a December night, the sound of motorcycles and fireworks fills the streets of Medellín, as the improbable connection between two young men from almost opposite worlds unfolds through a conversation that lays them bare, along with the labyrinthine streets they wander. Both face the constant threat of death and oblivion; at every stop, they pause to observe the city, holding on to that fleeting moment amidst the uncertainty.
Running time: 00:17:40
2026 films...
Xylella fastidiosa (France) by Thomas Colineau
Simon works in a garden center in the south of France, alongside his mother, who is as kind as she is overbearing. When he is ghosted by Corentin, he is confronted with his loneliness. In the wondrous atmosphere of the greenhouse, where chatty plants echo his thoughts, he converses with another absence that helps him move forward: Hyacinth, an imagined adult who resembles him and understands him without the need for explanation. Xylella fastidiosa is a tribute to an entire generation decimated by HIV/AIDS, leaving a void in its wake.
Running time: 00:21:39
Forbidden Soul (Pakistan) by Baidar Bakhat
Set in the aftermath of Pakistan’s Transgender Act of 2018 and the backlash from religious authorities, the film follows Maina, a member of the eunuch community who survives by performing at weddings and births. Struggling with faith, identity, and belonging, she becomes emotionally attached to a cleric whose online sermons condemn her way of life. As their worlds collide, Maina confronts questions of religion, love, and acceptance, while her mentor fears the consequences of her growing attachment. Caught between tradition, belief, and personal longing, Maina must navigate a society that denies her place—both in this world and the next.
Running time: 00:28:49
Cinderella's Glass Slippers (Greece) by Flora Fousteri
In the year 2077, global warming has driven up mortality rates, mental disorders, and violence. Those who are not wealthy enough to migrate to the Moon remain on Earth, struggling to get by — among them Lou, a young former actress who has turned her caravan into a food stand. When a mysterious girl with honey-colored eyes appears, eating whole tomatoes while obsessively staring at the Moon, Lou’s life begins to change.
Running time: 00:14:54
Newborn (Mexico) by Alejandro Zuno
A couple faces a heart-wrenching decision when their baby is born with both male and female features: he pushes for immediate surgery, while she, moved by intersex voices, begins to question medical protocols, gender norms, and herself.
Running time: 01:44:00
In The Middle (Iran) by Saba Khatami
"In the Middle" is a short dance film captured in the streets of Tehran and London, exploring the emotional experience of living between two worlds. In Tehran, where dance is prohibited, movement becomes an act of quiet resistance—a gesture of freedom within restriction. In London, dance is free, but this freedom can feel anonymous and isolating. The film traces a dialogue of the body with two cities, capturing how it navigates urban spaces and reflects the tension between belonging and dislocation. Through shifting cityscapes and expressive movement, it explores the internal push and pull of being caught between past and present, home and elsewhere. It is a personal reflection on what it means to exist “in between,” where nothing fully fits, but everything leaves a mark.
Running time: 00:08:00
Clam Diving for Beginners (Germany) by Clara Marshall
Coach “Daddy” trains a late-blooming lesbian, Carmen, before her big date.
Running time: 00:18:45
Stimulants & Empathogens (Poland) by Mateusz Pacewicz
Antek (18), a a closeted teenage gay from a wealthy family, invites a drug dealer - Kuba (18) - he has a hopeless crush on - to his villa under the pretext of another drug transaction. However, he does not know that Kuba has a mission that he received from his superiors - his Father and his Brother. The dealer's family suspects that Antek resells their mephedrone at a profit at his school, so Kuba is supposed to investigate the situation. The story begins as a romantic comedy of errors, turns into a social satire to end, after various adventures, with an emotional plot twist.
Running time: 00:25:00
Blind Canvas (Iran) by Sepand Rezazadeh
Danial, a talented and skilled painter, tries to overcome his depression and find peace by returning to painting. He hopes reconnecting with his art will help him regain a sense of normalcy and improve his situation. However, the difficulties of life and the pressures of his surroundings constantly push him closer to the edge.
Running time: 00:21:54
Basilisk (Germany) by Carsten Saeger, Zuzanna Krysta
Four people meet. Their voices tell each other about the loss they have experienced, discrimination, the resistance they have overcome and the strength and courage they have gained from it. The roots of a tree in the water provide solace, its strong bark becomes an armour. The rustling of leaves joins the flapping of the wings of an imaginary magical animal that stands by their side. Hands touching the encrusted landscape of a former open-cast potash mine. The legend of the Basilisk of Halle was once told near this wounded landscape. The creature blocked the town's salt well when the salt workers refused to give their share of the exploitation of nature to the poor.
Running time: 00:14:12