Bradford Queer Film Festival

2025 Programme... 

Thursday November 20 

12:30 LUNCHTIME SHORTS @ COMMON SPACE with lunch provided! 

A Wedding To Diego
Miracle Valenzuela Everett, USA, 13:42, English & Spanish
The night before their wedding during their separate bachelorx parties, Lena and Diego have a dysfunctional phone call that leaves them wondering if they will make it down the aisle…

What’s Left Fades Away
Julia Cohen Ribeiro & Sofian Lanaro, Argentina, 15:00, Spanish
Andrea is going through an awakening of her Afro identity, which strains her relationship with her white girlfriend Valentina. She finds refuge in her new circle of black friends.

 

Under The Glitter
Paul Marques Duarte, France, 6:10, French
One winter evening, Emmanuelle steps into a countryside bar to see Olivia, her former husband now queen of the night. Under the tired neon lights, glitter sparkles and words falter.

Surprise Baby!
Zane Igbe, UK, 12:30, English
When Taye and Serena’s baby shower is hijacked into a surprise gender reveal by Serena’s mum, Taye flips the script with a reveal of their own.

 

14:00 SHORTS AT COMMON SPACE

Principessa ²
Alessandra Francesca Coratella, Italy, 6:00, Italian
It’s a fairy tale like many others where the prince may be nice, but our princess prefers his sister. Only the kiss of true love can awaken her from the wicked curse…
Warings: Unaccepting family
Positives: Change of heart

 

Acá Arriba (Up Here)
Carlos Castro, Puerto Rico, 18:39, Spanish
A week after his breakup, Venecio, decides to visit the bar he used to go to with his ex-partner. While drowning in his sorrows, he meets a young man who changes his solitary night.

 

Sleazy Tiger
James Ley, UK, 14:10, English
Hopeless but horny romantic Alan is determined to do things differently on his date with vegan hottie Blair who he thinks might be his future husband but first Alan must find the line between metaphor and reality and even reckon with his inner Alan Cumming (yes that one) on his quest to get back to his date.

Take Care
Brittany Ashley, USA, 8:00, English
A woman deliberately injures herself just to be in the care of a particular ER nurse. But when she's discharged from the hospital earlier than expected, she needs to find a new way to extend her stay.

 

17:30 - OPENING NIGHT SOCIAL @ COMMON SPACE

Join us as we raise a toast to the 3rd annual Bradford Queer Film Festival at our Festival Hub. Expect snacks, a bit of bubbly and some tone setting shorts to get us started in style

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OPENING NIGHT FEATURE PRESENTATION

19:00- PICTUREVILLE BAR OPEN

19:30- Manok @ Pictureville
Yu-jin Lee, South Korea ,122:00, Korean
Meet Manok, the owner of a South Korean lesbian bar, a local legend for sure but with a fiery temper and wavering patience. Following a generational clash with the younger community in Seoul, lesbian elder Manok retreats to her rural hometown. But she walks straight into another chaotic battle, this time with her spiteful ex-husband who is also the town’s mayor. As she navigates old wounds and finds unexpected allies, this heartwarming comedy proves that it is never too late to rewrite your homecoming story. 

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Friday November 21

12:00 LUNCHTIME SHORTS @ COMMON SPACE w/ food by Penny Moe

Bowl
John Kelbie, UK, 10:00, English
When Arthur discovers his nemesis Norma is also competing at the local Bowls tournament, old rivalries - and old memories - rise to the surface.

 

A Deslumbrante Vingança de Mara e Lady (UK Premiere)
Igor Lima, Brazil, 15:45, Portuguese
Tired of being passed over after losing out to a new queen on the block, seasoned drag artists Lady de Rosas and Mara Bens devise a dazzling plan for revenge.

 

Paula Says Hi
James C Thompson, Iceland/UK, 13:41,  English
Meet Paul/Paula, a disabled, gender fluid cosplayer. Paula lives life to the full, embracing her passion for cosplay and sci-fi conventions. Paul offers his intimate thoughts on accepting their disability and the joy of gender euphoria.

 

Golden Fingers
Chryssa Florou, France, 6:00, French
Three friends are sitting on a beach, practicing for a coming out.
 

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13:00 - SHORTS @ COMMON SPACE 

Those Who Move
Stephanie Ricci, Brazil/Portugal, 20:00, Portuguese
Over the course of one night, René navigates through her vibrant yet precarious life as a Brazilian immigrant in Lisbon.

 

After All
Chongyan Liu, France, 25:00, English & German
A therapist navigates delicate terrain, providing solace to a grieving student grappling with the suicide of a trans woman on campus.

 

14:00 - DOCUMENTARY FEATURE + SHORT @ Common Space

One Of Us
Marine Place, France, 96:00, French & English
A powerful portrayal of  the LGBTQIA+ Centre in Lille, France where dedicated volunteers coach people seeking asylum fleeing persecution because of their sexuality.

 

+ Cahā
Chak Hin Leung, UK, 9:40, English
The first encounter between two immigrants - one Indian, one Bruneian - finding an unexpected connection over a brew in a London teahouse.

 

16:00 - TRYING TO TELL YOU -  SHORTS @ COMMON SPACE 

 

Two or Three Things Before I Go
Guillaume Le Pape, France, 13:11, French
In the midst of a crowded funfair, H. isolates himself in a phone booth. He uses the coins he has left to try to reconnect with someone close from his former life.

 

& Release
Stuart Parkins, United Kingdom, 21:00, English
Cal hasn’t told his friends that he’s leaving for New York tomorrow but this party might not be right place to say…

 

Where Are You Really From?
Penny Moe, UK, 8:00, English
But really, where are you from? Where are you from? Where are you really from? Filmmaker Penny Moe doesn’t know what to respond anymore.

 

17:30- 18:30 SHORTS @ CUBBY BROCCOLI

Stephen
Jon Arnold, UK, 9:32, English
Stephen will do anything for a party. Leaving voicenotes to his boyfriend along the way, he traverses London looking for the rave.

Meat Raffle
Stuart Armstrong, UK, 14:55, English
Cumbria, 1998. Rich plots to rig his local pub’s Christmas turkey draw to prove what it means to be a real man while his son Jackson has something he needs to get off his chest. All is not as it seems…

 

Principal Boy
Maz Murray, UK, 14:00, English
A wildly fun and experimental exploration of transness and gender non-conformity through British pantos and the central character of the ‘principal boy’.

 

18:30- ANNIVERSARY FEATURE @ CUBBY BROCCOLI

My Beautiful Laundrette (40th anniversary screening) + introduction from Pratibha Parmar
Stephen Frears, UK , 98:00, English & Urdu
Omar, a young British Pakistani man, takes over the running of a dilapidated laundrette with former flame Johnny. Crackling with wit and warmth in the face of racial tensions and homophobia, it remains one of the most celebrated takedowns of Thatcher’s Britain. Do not miss this cult classic on the big screen.
With thanks to Park Circus & Cinema Rediscovered for this remastered version

 

21:30 FEATURE DOCUMENTARY & FRIDAY SOCIAL @ COMMON SPACE + FOOD!

Queer As Punk
Yihwen Chen, Malaysia/Indonesia, 90:00 English & Malay
Meet Faris, Yon and Yoyo, members of punk outfit “Shh…Diam” - Malay for “shut up!” as they flirt, vent and protest their way through Malaysia’s shifting political landscape. This unique documentary explores friendship,  self-expression, care, love and political participation with bags of charisma and a killer soundtrack to boot.

 

+ Twilight Ladies
Alexe Liebert, Alain Soldeville, France, 10:50, English
Using photography and narration this stunning documentary charts the gentrification of Bugis Street, Indonesia and the significance the area held for the transgender community from the 1950s onwards.  

This screening is followed by dancing, drinks and a party inspired by Queer as Punk! 

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SATURDAY November 23

11:00 - DOCUMENTARY FEATURE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH QUEER EAST @ BRADFORD ARTS CENTRE

We Are Here/ 我们在这里 (10th anniversary screening)
Zhao Jing, Shi Tou, China, 58:00, Mandarin
This activist documentary revisits the 1995 United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, which was hosted in Beijing and attended by 300 lesbian women from around the world; the gathering helped spearhead the birth of the queer lala movement in China. We Are Here testifies to the importance of global queer interactions.

 

12:15 ENCOUNTERS - SHORTS  AT BRADFORD ARTS CENTRE

This shorts series showcases stories featuring unexpected encounters and celebrates the power of new and surprising connections. 

Buena vida y poca vergüenza (Live large no shame)
Ana Colato, Guadalupe Sanz, Argentina, 9:00, Spanish
A young trans woman gets locked out of the apartment she's supposed to be watching and has no choice but to ask for help from the building's superintendent, leading to an unexpected encounter.

 

Proximates
Corn Baum, Germany, 15:00, German
On a deserted island in the middle of the ocean sit two Victorian houses and the infantile 68-year-old Harold takes the love of his life, the sensible Frank (70) to the verge of a nervous breakdown.

 

Thin Lines
Mickaël Yip, France , 11:43 , French
A body-conscious young man accepts an invitation on a gay dating app to be a model for a painting session.

 

Man Cured
Kyle Heiner, Johan T. Anderson, USA, 17:55, English
It’s a regular Friday evening and Lucas is on his way to his babysitting gig. Only there’s one problem: a new babysitter, Frankie, is already there, and he really sees Lucas.

 

13:30 - FILMMAKER IN FOCUS - Shorts + In Conversation with Pratibha Parmar @ BRADFORD ARTS CENTRE

 

Khush (1991)
Pratibha Parmar, UK, 24:00, English
KHUSH means ecstatic pleasure in Urdu. For South Asian lesbians and gay men in Britain, North America, and India the term captures the blissful intricacies of being queer and of color. Inspiring testimonies bridge geographical differences to locate shared experiences of isolation alongside the unremitting joys and solidarity of being “khush”.

 

Reframing AIDS (1987)
Pratibha Parmar, UK, 35:00, English
A radical response to  the politics surrounding AIDS and the media backlash felt by the lesbian and gay communities in the late 1980s. Cultural critics, activists and media commentators wrest the discussion away from the conservatives and place the focus on the experiences, feelings and activities of lesbians and gays who talk frankly about how they have been affected and how they are challenging dominant perceptions of AIDS as a ‘gay plague’.

 

Wavelengths (1997)
Pratibha Parmar, UK, 15:00, English
Mona’s girlfriend has left her with a broken heart, an empty goldfish tank, and—in her altered state—the ability to pick up other people’s conversations. Stuck in the post relationship blues, Mona just can’t seem to move on…that is until she discovers “cybersex”.

With thanks to Pratibha Parmar and Kali Films

 

15:45 TOO DESI TOO QUEER @ BRADFORD PLAYHOUSE
In collaboration with Indian Film Festival UK

Before I Do
Gitika Butto, UK, 11:00, English
On the morning of her wedding day, Mona, a British-Indian woman, questions her rushed marriage and reflects on a period of self-discovery from her past.

 

Jasmine That Blossoms in the Wild
Charandeep Das, India, 14:00, Hindi & Bengali
Love blossoms secretly between two old women at an elderly care home while the spectre of patriarchy looms large overhead. 

 

Zari
Shruti Parekh, USA, 19:00, English
Amidst preparations for her sister’s wedding in India, young American Neelu forges an unexpected connection with Zeyb, a quiet sari store clerk with a secret.

 

The Witch of Vihar Lake
Joey Kaushik, India, 15:00, Marathi
In a village near Vihar Lake, where fearsome tales of a witch keep people away, young Mitthu and his sister Ishita grow up in the shadow of dread. One fateful night unravels life-altering truths – about Ishita, himself, and the witch.

 

Poreless
Harris Doran, USA, 13:00, English
A fabulous, queer Muslim beauty entrepreneur must figure out how to compete in a Shark Tank-like product pitch contest after suffering an untimely allergic reaction.

 

Automagic

Ashok Vish, India/ France, 13:00, Kannada

On his return home, androgynous-looking Madhu attempts to seduce Ratnakar, his rickshaw driver, who is practicing celibacy in preparation for a religious pilgrimage.

 

18:00  FILM FEAST X FILMMAKER IN FOCUS @ BRADFORD PLAYHOUSE 

Nina’s Heavenly Delights (with meal by Sonia Sandhu)
Pratibha Parmar, UK, 94:00, English
When young Glaswegian cook Nina returns home for her father’s funeral after three years living in London, she reunites with  Lisa, an old childhood friend who now owns half of Nina’s late dad’s Indian restaurant, The New Taj. Together, the two lovers seek to save the restaurant from closing by conspiring to defend the national ‘Best in the West Curry Competition’ title in this charming and feisty feature from this year’s Filmmaker in Focus Pratibha Parmar.

We have commissioned the wonderful Sonia Sandhu to create meal inspired by Nina’s Heavenly Delights - all food will be vegan. This event will last for approx 3 hours including food serving time. 

Sonia Sandhu is a Bradford born & based chef and artist. Catering for retreats, gatherings and gigs, and creating edible responses as part of theatre, film and installation art shows, her plant forward menus are global-inspired, thoughtfully prepared, seasonal, and vibrant. She co-runs Edible Archives, an emerging arts company, creating multi-sensorial interventions which tell heritage stories through playful menus, sound and set.

This will be Sonia's second Film Feast event with BQFF. Sonia says "I am so excited to create a live and edible experience as part of the ‘Nina’s Heavenly Delights’ film screening. There will be spices, colour, and edible references to particular scenes to create moments we can taste together in the room as we watch the film. Expect all the heavenly delights!"

21:00-LATE  - DJ RITU @ BRADFORD PLAYHOUSE

We’re delighted to welcome international turntablist, former BBC Radio presenter, and host/producer of iconic global music show ‘A World in London’ DJ RITU to Bradford Queer Film Festival to get the party going at our Saturday Social. DJ Ritu is a co-founder of Club Kali the world’s first LGBTQ+ Bollywood night and an all around legend of the scene.

Championing marginalised music for 4 decades, Ritu is a key catalyst of the UK Asian Underground and Bhangra scenes, co-founding Outcaste Records, signing Nitin Sawhney and Badmarsh &; Shri. Ritu has toured in over 35 countries, performing at major festivals/venues such as Glastonbury, Boiler Room, Jazz Café, Boxpark, Ministry of Sound, WOMAD, We Out Here, and Roskilde. Previous radio residencies include BBC London, Kiss 100, BBC World Service, National Swedish Radio, BBC Asian Network. Ritu compiled 10 albums for the Rough Guides showcasing South Asian music. Ritu’s diverse DJ repertoire includes Soul, Disco, Motown, House, Afrobeat, and lots more. 

DJ Ritu will play in the basement bar area, the screening theatre will remain open for shorts reruns throughout the evening including a screening of our animation block which will also be available to view all weekend on a loop at Common Space.

 

Animation

In Your Eyes
Helia Gillon, France, 3:00, French
An explorer sees the life of a woman through her eyes, offering an insight into her inner world, and how memories can shape identity.

 

Alyssum
Alex King, USA, 6:26, English
Alyson is trying  to craft the perfect bouquet for her wife, Lilith. Overwhelmed by anxiety and self-doubt, she battles her inner critic. As she spirals deeper into self-doubt, she must decide: will she push forward and embrace imperfection, or will her fears consume her?

 

High Diver
Oscar Bittner, Germany, 4:58
Since early childhood, Tuan and Felix have been inseparable. As they train to become Olympic high divers, however, their budding love for each other suffers under the weight of the competition. Professional sport is a harsh business, and Tuan will sacrifice everything for it ... or will he?

 

Hot Mess
Tortor Smith, UK, 3:09, English
Hot Mess offers an insight into ADHD in a compact and creative way, highlighting the damage and anxiety that can be caused by a well-meaning, but ultimately toxic, parent.

 

Doll Searching
Felix Cheng, UK, 3:27, English
A boy enters a toy store and tries to find the perfect thing to play with, which ultimately turns out to be a doll.

 

Life on the Moon
Dirk Hornschuch, Germany, 5:56
The moon is our constant companion in life, always there to be stared at, always fascinating and mysterious. Is there life on the moon? Is it made out of cheese? What is happening on its dark side?

 

The 2007 Miss Southern Diva Pageant
Levi Maxine Johnson, USA, 4:57, English
On the night of the 2007 Miss Southern Diva Pageant, Sasha Cunt & her best friend Balls are RUNNING LATE! One dead deer, a car chase, and a gay singalong later can the two drag artists make it on time for the pageant?

 

Stardust & Camp
Jayden Van Win, Australia, 12:00, English
A wandering cosmonaut interviews artworks in an abstract art gallery, talking about queerness, identity and the artistic process. 

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SUNDAY November 24

11:00-11:40 - NEUROQUEER @ COMMON SPACE ( + Coffee and Pastries)

Take a screen break and step into the world of Neuroqueer, a brand new commission by artists Theatre With Legs.

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12:00 - FILMMAKER IN FOCUS @ CUBBY BROCCOLI

Brimful of Asia
Pratibha Parmar, UK, 24:00, English
This riveting documentary explores the explosion of 2nd Generation South Asian talent in mainstream British culture in the late 1990’s and features musicians Talvin Singh, Asian Dub Foundation and Cornershop as well as fashion designers and writers.

Following this screening Pratibha will be in conversation with designer Zain Ali of ZN:ALI 

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13:15 SHORTS @ CUBBY BROCCOLI 

 

HERE
Lilly Zhuang, UK, 24:16, English
An unlikely romance between Kaden and Lucas, two teenagers resigned to work the East Riding strawberry fields over the Summer, is threatened by the shame and violence of being discovered.

 

IUS of Time
Roberto F. Canuto, Xiaoxi Xu, Spain, 25:00, Spanish
In an Asturian village, a stormy past and an uncertain future intertwine in an encounter between two lost and lonely souls.

 

Wild Oats
Rosa Duncan, UK, 7:42, English
Rhona, a shy teenager stuck on her family’s farm, has a secret: she’s head-over-heels infatuated with celebrity crush Céline. Between endless chores, an overbearing father who can’t stay out of her room, and the chaotic interruptions of barnyard animals, Rhona can barely find a moment of privacy to explore her budding desires.

A Filmmaker Q&A will follow this screening block.

 

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15:00 - GO YOUR OWN WAY - SHORTS @ CUBBY BROCCOLI

This series of shorts celebrates stories of defiance, resistance and going against the status quo.

 

Queering the Museum
Frederick Shelbourne, Lucy Andia, UK, 2:49, English
Amongst the galleries of the Fitzwilliam Museum, performance artist and bodybuilder Jake Wood toys with the homoeroticism undercurrents in Greek statuary and Olympic imagery of the 1920s, transforming the exhibition objects into unwitting participants.

 

Wilgefortis' Prayer
Ronnie Danaher, UK, 6:10, English
Inspired by Madonna’s Like a Prayer, Leeds’ queer scene, donk music, and purgatory, Wilgefortis' Prayer explores the legendary Saint Wilgefortis, who grew a beard to avoid marrying a much older king.

 

Shame (عيب)
Hadi Moussally, Lebanon, 4:27 , Arabic
In the 19th century, in the Levant region, Salma Zahore, along with her parents and neighbors, participated in a photoshoot using a long exposure technique. At the end of it, Salma decided to take off her coat, revealing her body. Unaware of the chaos this gesture could cause within her circle, she did not know it could lead to shame (عيب).

 

We’ll Go Down In History
Cameron Richards, Charlie Tidmas, UK, 25:00 , English
Step into the world of TRUK United, a grassroots, proudly trans football club. Filmed over two years, it captures the team’s highs and lows on and off the pitch as they create a safe haven for their community in the face of rising transphobia.

 

Coffee Grapefruit Cacao
Dominique Preusse, France, 23:32 , French
Samuel used to be with Laetitia before she left him for Gaëlle. Today he’s been invited to their home as they try to start a new kind of family together.

 

The Martial Forest
J Triangular, Colombia/ Taiwan, 8:27,Mandarin Chinese, Yue Chinese (Cantonese)
In a dystopian future, exiled Kung Fu master Big Sister 13 leads a gang of trans and queer fighters who reclaim a forgotten zone and transform it into the Martial Forest—a secret training ground where care is as powerful as combat.

 

Bury Your Gays
Charlotte Serena Cooper, UK, 20:00, English
Grace can’t understand why every role she lands ends in her untimely death… Now, trapped in a genre-hopping battle for survival, Grace has one mission: do not die.

 

16:45- THIRTY FLIRTY & THRIVING @ CUBBY BROCCOLI
Each year we celebrate a classic feature turning 30 that we believe doesn't get enough time on the big screen. This year’s film is….

 

The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love (30th anniversary)
Maria Maggenti, USA, 94:00, English
Randy - Laurel Holloman (The L Word) - a rebellious tomboy from a working-class background, falls for Evie - Nicola Ari Parker (& Just Like That), a wealthy, popular girl, in a love story full of sweetness, self-discovery and the recitation of Walt Whitman verse. Maria Maggenti’s indie gem, with its raw charm and unpolished energy, captures first love’s exhilaration and awkwardness, offering a refreshingly joyful take on the coming of age genre.

+LOVHER
Sophie Sattler, Germany, 9:39, English
What happens when love blurs the lines within the confines of friendship? Charlie grapples with this dilemma one fateful night as she goes to a party with her friends Patty and Sam. Charlie finds herself irresistibly drawn to her close friend Sam, igniting a well of emotions within her.

 

19:30 CLOSING FILM @ COMMON SPACE + CLOSING MEAL & DRINKS 

nanekawâsis
Conor McNally, so-called Canada, 80:00, English

A generous and affirming documentary celebrating the acclaimed nêhiyaw artist, George Littlechild, as he invites audiences into his storied 40 plus year long career. Using archival footage and newly filmed 16mm interviews, the film provides never before heard insights about his life and work. As a Two-Spirited person, and 60s scoop survivor, Littlechild’s artwork draws from a unique perspective of pain, joy and exemplary merit. 

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