The 33rd annual Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival, set to take place both in-person and virtually from May 25th to June 4th, 2023, will showcase 107 films from 30 countries, including 33 feature films, and 7 world premieres.

The festival opens with the Canadian Premiere of acclaimed filmmaker Ira Sachs’ French romantic drama Passages, which premiered earlier this year at Sundance. The drama about three people caught in a love triangle marked by passion, jealousy, and narcissism stars Franz Rogowski, Ben Whishaw, and Adele Exarchopoulos.

Closing the festival will be the World Premiere of a fantastical summer romance with a big musical heart, Glitter & Doom by Tom Gustafson, which is a love story told through the song lyrics by the Indigo Girls and features Alex Diaz, Missy Pyle, Tig Notaro, Alan Cammish and Lea DeLaria, along with the Indigo Girls themselves.

This year’s RE:Focus Gala selection is the Sundance Next Audience Award and Berlin Panorama Audience Award winner, Kokomo City by Grammy-nominated artist, D. Smith. Through laughter and conversation, D. Smith captures an unapologetic and unfiltered look into the lives of four Black transgender sex workers. The documentary also features a unique and exhilarating soundtrack that matches the film’s striking black and white visuals.

Inside Out’s Centerpiece Gala will host the World Premiere of Canadian documentary, Supporting Our Selves, directed by Lulu Wei. The documentary is a moving exploration of more than four decades of the Toronto-based philanthropic organization, Community One Foundation, which continues to support the needs of the 2SLGTBQ+ communities.

Highlights from the Special Presentations lineup include the Canadian premieres of Ally Pankiw’s I Used To Be Funny and Georgia Oakley’s Blue Jean. Fresh from its SXSW Grand Jury Nomination, I Used To Be Funny features Rachel Sennott (Shiva Baby), Olga Petsa, Jason Jones, Dani Kind, and Ennis Esmer. The Canadian writer-director’s debut feature is about an au pair and aspiring stand-up comic, struggling with PTSD, who must decide if she wants to join the search for a missing teen she used to nanny. Blue Jean is a story about a gym teacher living a double life in Thatcher’s England. It comes to Inside Out after winning Venice’s Giornate Degli Autori’s People’s Choice, Best Lead Performance for star Rosy McEwen at the British Independent Film Awards, as well as multiple BAFTA nominations, including Outstanding Debut for Oakley.

Other notable festival titles include the World Premieres of Loveleen Kaur’s music documentary Leilani’s Fortune, which follows queer, immigrant Ethiopian-Eritrean artist Witch Prophet as she navigates newfound momentum in the music industry; and Ian Gabriel’s Runs In The Family, a heartfelt dramedy about a father-son road trip across South Africa. Inside Out will also host the Canadian premiere of MUTT, which played at the Berlin and Sundance festivals earlier this year to critical acclaim, and focuses on a trans character as they adjust into their new life and identity.

Additional festival highlights include the Canadian premieres of 20,000 Species of Bees by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren. The Berlin Guild Film Prize winner is the story of a young child and her path to discover her identity alongside her mother and the women in her family; and All The Colours Of The World Are Between Black And White, the Teddy Award winner by Nigeria’s Babtunde Apalowo about a delivery driver in Lagos whose quiet life is disrupted by a friendly, easy-going photographer.

Inside Out will also host a special 20th Anniversary screening of Richard Linklater’s School of Rock, starring Jack Black, with cast member Rivkah Reyes in attendance (who also has a film they wrote, GIANNA, playing at the festival).

The full 2023 festival selections include:

OPENING GALA

PASSAGES, directed by Ira Sachs (France/Narrative)
The latest work by acclaimed filmmaker Ira Sachs starring Ben Whishaw, Franz Rogowski and Adele Excharpouplo, is a tale about two men who wonder if their crumbling marriage can survive when one of them has an affair with a woman.

CLOSING GALA

GLITTER & DOOM, director by Tom Gustafson (USA/Narrative)
When carefree Glitter and aspiring musician Doom meet it is love at first sight but they have only 29 days to discover if their love will last. Told through song lyrics by the Indigo Girls, the romance features some of their greatest hits, including the iconic anthem “Closer to Fine.” The film stars Alex Diaz, Alan Cammish, Lea DeLaria, Missi Pyle, Tig Notaro, and the Indigo Girls themselves.

RE:FOCUS GALA

KOKOMO CITY, directed by D. Smith (USA/Documentary)
Through conversation and laughter, Grammy nominated artist D. Smith presents a vibrant portrait of four black transgender sex workers in New York and Georgia who reflect on belonging and identity within the Black community and beyond.

CENTREPIECE GALA

SUPPORTING OUR SELVES, directed by Lulu Wei (Canada/Documentary)
A moving exploration of more than four decades of activism, told through the lens of the Toronto-based philanthropic organization, Community One Foundation. What started as a predominantly white, middle-class collective redefined itself during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s and ’90s and continues to adapt today to better meet the needs of our Toronto communities.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

I USED TO BE FUNNY, directed by Ally Pankiw (Canada/Narrative)
An au pair and aspiring stand-up comedian, struggling with PTSD, must decide to join the search for a missing teenage girl she used to nanny as she tries to recover from her trauma and get back on stage.

BLUE JEAN, directed by Georgia Oakley (UK/Narrative)
Jean, a gym teacher, struggling to live her life openly under Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government faces a crisis with the arrival of a new student that challenges Jean to her core.

PREMIERES

20,000 SPECIES OF BEES (20.000 ESPECIES DE ABEJAS), directed by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren (Spain / Narrative)
An eight-year-old child struggles with identity, her birth name feels very wrong, and her nickname Cocó doesn’t feel quite right either. During a summer among the beehives, she explores her name and identity alongside her mother and the women of her family.

OPPONENT (MOTSTANDAREN), directed by Milad Alami (Sweden/Narrative)
Iman and his family were forced to flee Iran and end up in northern Sweden. To protect his family he joins a local wrestling club. However, one sparring partner in particular ignites old feelings and Iman must choose between his own desires and the safety of his family.

RUNS IN THE FAMILY, directed by Ian Gabriel (South Africa/Narrative)
Former scam artist Varun and his trans drag performer son, River, embark on a road trip across South Africa. As River worries about missing Her Majesty’s Drag Competition and the opportunity to win the prize money to pay for his top surgery, secrets bubble to the surface and the duo’s relationship will be tested like never before.

SISI & I (SIS & ICH), directed by Frauke Finsterwalder (Germany, Switzerland, Austria/ Narrative)
Countess Irma finds Empress Sisi in Greece, away from the etiquette of the court. They live in freedom, but no matter how much Irma and Sisi resist, in the end they are left with only one fatal path that will bind them together forever.

ICONS

COMMITMENT TO LIFE, directed by Jeffrey Schwarz (USA / Documentary)
Hollywood played a critical role in the battle against HIV/AIDS as doctors, movie stars, studio moguls and activists came together to change the path of the epidemic and how the world saw it.

HUMMINGBIRDS, directed by Silvia Del Carmen Castaños and Estefania ‘Beba” Contreras (USA/ Documentary)
Filmmakers and activists Silvia Del Carmen Castaños and Estefanía “Beba” Contreras are coming of age in Laredo, Texas. Stuck in an immigration process with the threat of deportation for their families, they boldly refuse to be scared into submission and spend their days planning protest actions while expressing themselves with music, poetry, and art, creating magic in everyday moments.

IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?, directed by Ella Glendining (UK/Documentary)
Filmmaker Ella Glendining was born with a very rare disability. Using intimate video diary entries, conversations with similarly bodied people and doctors treating her condition, Ella explored what it takes to love oneself fiercely despite the pervasiveness of ableism.

IT’S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL, directed by Alexandria Bambach (USA/Documentary)
Amy Ray and Emily Saliers began performing together in high school as queer friends who never expected to make it big. Against all odds, they broke through in the 1980s, maintaining musical careers on their own terms with an unwavering commitment to progressive politics and queer rights.

LEILANI’S FORTUNE, directed by Loveleen Kaur (Canada/Documentary)
An intimate journey with queer, immigrant, Ethiopian-Eritrean artist Witch Prophet, as she navigates newfound momentum in the music industry. After a decade of making music she is now receiving critical acclaim and nominations, finally getting the validation and support she needs to embark on the creation of the album of her prophecies.

SPOTLIGHT ON CANADA

A QUEER’S GUIDE TO SPIRITUAL LIVING, directed by Ari Conrad Birch and Michal Heuston (Canada/Documentary)
The lives of four queer folks from various religions meet at the intersection of faith and queerness – Summeiya, the genderfluid founder of Queer Muslim Network Toronto, Juliana, a bisexual teacher and former Baptist Christian, Vaibhav, a gay Hindu dancer, and Ari, a trans Coptic Orthodox drag artist.

BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND, directed by Trevor Anderson (Canada/Narrative)
Robin’s arrival at a small-town Alberta middle-school causes a stir because the students aren’t sure of Robin’s gender. When Robin becomes friends with Trevor, the school bully, their friendship is put to the test when they are both attracted to Izzy.

BLOOM ROOM, directed by Tristen Sutherland, Yasmijn Nicolle, Christian Anderson, Sochima Nwakaeze, Ajahnis Charley (Canada/Series)
This six-episode series follows a group of Black millennials in an online community who love plants. As the group becomes entangled in each other’s lives, they find purpose in caretaking for their plants and their budding relationships.

GOLDEN DELICIOUS, directed by Jason Karman (Canada/Narrative)
Everyone wants something from high school senior Jake. But it’s not until Aleks, an openly gay teen with a love for basketball, moves in across the street that Jake begins to struggle with his own desires. To get closer to Aleks, Jake devotes himself to making the basketball team – only to realize it’s not basketball he really wants.

SOMETHING YOU SAID LAST NIGHT, directed by Luis de Filippis (Canada, Switzerland/Narrative)
Ren reluctantly accompanies her very Italian family on a beach resort holiday. As Ren navigates a resort not suited to her trans identity and coped with her parents’ loving yet overbearing nature, she tries to balance the yearning for independence and the need to rely even more on her family’s support.

THIS PLACE, directed by V.T. Nayani (Canada/Narrative)
Kawenniióhstha leaves her community of Kahnawà:ke for Toronto and to find her Iranian father, who she has never met. Malai is a Tamil woman dealing with her father’s terminal illness and trying to decide what her future should look like. The women meet by chance but form an intense attraction and bond as they navigate complex issues of identity and family.

INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE

A PLACE OF OUR OWN (EK JAGAH APNI), directed by Ektara Collective (India/Narrative)
Trans women Laila and Roshni are looking for housing after they are evicted from their rental. As their search continues, it transcends physical spaces and biological bonds, and as new friendships blossom, help arrives from unexpected places.

ALL THE COLOURS OF THE WORLD ARE BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE, directed by Babatunde Apalowo (Nigeria/Narrative)
Bambino is a delivery driver in Lagos, living a quiet life but when he meets Bawa, a friendly and easygoing photographer, something clicks. But in a country where homosexuality is illegal and taboo, Bambino doesn’t know what to do with their connection; judging by the life choices of his friend Ifeyinwa, the options seem limited.

ALMAMULA, directed by Juan Sebastian Torales (France, Argentina, Italy/Narrative)
After being gay bashed by local boys, Nino’s family moves to their country home. Nino is forced to attend confirmation class and is warned not to enter a nearby forest or risk being captured by the Almamula, a mythic creature that takes away those who commit carnal sins. But he is pulled to explore the forest and find out if the Almamula is real.

BIG BOYS, directed by Corey Sherman (USA/Narrative)
Jamie’s dream camping trip is ruined before it even begins when he finds out that his beloved cousin is bringing her new boyfriend. Jamie’s initial jealousy of the competent and confident Dan quickly turns into a friendship as the weekend progresses, and Jamie comes to terms with who he is.

MUTT, directed by Vuk Lungulov-Klotz (USA/Narrative
Over the course of a single hectic day in New York City, three people from Feña’s past are thrust back into his life after he lost since transitioning – his relationships with his father, his younger half-sister, and his ex-boyfriend – all while tackling the day-to-day challenges of living life in-between.

NARROW PATH TO HAPPINESS, directed by Kata Olah (Hungary, USA/Narrative)
A young Romani couple living in a remote village in Hungary have a very big dream: to make a musical based on their lives so they go to Budapest where they can live more openly. But, they must return to their village for one final reckoning, hoping to finally find the inspiration to write their own happy ending.

NORWEGIAN DREAMS, directed by Levi Igor Devold (Norway, Poland, Germany/Narrative)
Robert travels from Poland to begin work in a salmon processing plant off the Trøndelag coast in Norway. He begins spending time with colleague, and aspiring drag queen, Ivar. When a strike breaks out, his loyalty to his fellow workers is tested.

QUEENDOM, directed by Agniia Galdanova (USA/Documentary)
Gena, an artist from a small town in Russia, dresses in otherworldly costumes and protests on the streets of Moscow. She stages radical performances in public, which becomes a new form of art and activism and puts her life in danger.

SPECIAL 20th ANNIVERSARY SCREENING: SCHOOL OF ROCK, directed by Richard Linklater (USA/Narrative)
Fired from his band, down and out rockstar Dewey Finn (Jack Black) is desperate for work and takes a job as a substitute music teacher at an uptight private school where his attitude and hijinks have a powerful effect on his students.
Special guest, Rivkah Reyes (Katie), will be in attendance to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Mike White and Richard Linklater’s classic comedy.

THE VENUS EFFECT (VENUSEFFEKTEN), directed by Anna Emma Haudal (Denmark/Narrative)
Responsible and level-headed Liv believes she has her whole life figured out but cracks begin to show in her stable and simple life the arrival of eccentric artist Andrea. As the two women grow closer Liv’s life is thrown off course and she must contend with a breakup, a divorce, and an identity crisis that jeopardizes her shot at a happy life with the woman she loves.

WOLF AND DOG (LOBO E CAO), directed by Claudia Varejao (Portugal, France/Narrative)
Friends Ana and Luis were born on the island of São Miguel. Both have been expected to fit into the lives that have been laid out for them. But watching Luis push back against his father’s expectations, Ana begins to question the world around her.

SHORTS PROGRAM: LOCAL HEROES

ADORE, directed by Beth Warrian (Canada)
Luci, a queer Peruvian Canadian woman, gives her beloved nephew the Christmas gift of his dreams: a beautiful sequined dress.

A LETTER FROM THE ASHES, directed by Raghed Charabaty (Canada)
A rough and raw letter on what it means to lose love at the expense of finding freedom. This short film is an essay on love, anger and fraud.

COLLECTIVE RESISTANCE, directed by Isak Vaillancourt (Canada)
Told from the perspectives of 2SLGBTQ+ Afro-Indigenous leaders and activists, this short documentary reimagines new possibilities in the relationship between Blackness and Indigeneity, which is rooted in solidarity and joy.

INSTA GAY, directed by Simon Paluck (Canada)
A millennial Torontonian is left reeling after breaking-up with a popular gay influencer.

LALA GOTHICFISH, directed by Angelina Nayyar (Canada)
Set against the backdrop of a city undergoing rapid gentrification, a Toronto teenager struggles to save a youth rave scene plagued by substance use and over-policing.

SEPTEMBER 10th, directed by Tasneem Nanji (Canada)
Two queer Muslim Women, one in Toronto and one in New York, navigate love, family, and connection the night before 9/11.

SHEDDING, directed by Tziara Reyes (Canada)
This short documentary follows an individual’s journey of shaving their head for the first time; exploring the complex relationship between hair and identity.

THRIVING: A DISSOCIATED REVERIE, directed by Nicole Bazuin (Canada)
A surrealist exploration of dissociative identity disorder (DID) based on the lived experience of a Black, nonbinary, disabled artist and former sex worker.

SHORTS PROGRAM: STORIES WE TELL

13 EGGS, directed by TJ Cuthand (Canada)
Over a four-year period, filmmaker TJ Cuthand collects footage capturing his experience of trying to make a baby.

MAGIC IN PLAIN SIGHT, directed by Paige Gratland (Canada)
A portrait of self-taught seamstress Brenna Bezanson, a change-maker whose creations of custom women’s clothing challenge capitalist and patriarchal ideals.

ONCE IN A RED MOON, directed by Yi Shi (Canada)
As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, a lonesome young Chinese immigrant finds comfort in a whirlwind romance with a mysterious hometown queer crush.

PLANT DADDY, directed by James Cooper (Canada)
After rescuing an abandoned potted plant,Phil spirals into an absurd plant obsession to avoid visiting his father on his deathbed.

SKILL (Kalã), directed by Arshad Khan (Canada)
A South Asian mother finds herself immersed in a profound state of mourning after discovering that her beloved son is gay.

TABANCA, directed by Lauren Marsden (Canada)
Marlinn is a genderqueer Trinidadian woman suffering through a wet Vancouver winter and missing Carnival season back home, that is until they discover the power of masquerade is within them.

THE LEFT HAND (LA MAIN GAUCHE), directed by Maxime Robin (Canada)
Young Maxime’s mother starts worrying about him when his 2nd grade teacher declares him “abnormal.”

THE YEAR LONG BOULDER, directed by Brielle LeBlanc (Canada)
Crushed by unrequited love, a young queer poet finally reckons with their own emotional baggage – make that a boulder.

SHORTS PROGRAM: BOLD

CATCHING SPIRITS, directed by Vanessa Beletic (USA)
Destiny has been told since childhood she has seizures when she dances. When she’s challenged to face her fear and dance, Destiny makes a decision that could reveal a secret she doesn’t yet understand.

CODE SWITCH, directed by Davis Alexander James, Mx. Roti (USA)
Code Switch follows a Black trans person as they navigate the barbershop, illuminating the complexity and dynamism of gender expression.

FINDING THE LIGHT, directed by Brandon Haynes (USA)
The story of Donna Hylton and her project ‘A Little Piece of Light,’ a nonprofit focused on supporting black women and LGBTQ+ individuals in the prison system.

HOUSE OF TULIP, directed by Cydney Tucker (USA)
House of Tulip follows two Black trans activists as they run for office and work to build Louisiana’s first housing refuge for trans and gender non-conforming residents.

SCARING WOMEN AT NIGHT, directed by Karimah Zakia Issa (Canada)
Two strangers are scared on a late walk home. As they try to escape one another, their worlds collide at an intersection, forcing them to question who they’re afraid of and why.

UNLESS WE DANCE, directed by Hanz Rippe Gabriele, Fernanda Pineda Palencia (Colombia)
A portrait of dance as the greatest expression of shielding the Afro community in Quibdó. A tribute to their act of resilience and to all the lives that have been lost along the way.

SHORTS PROGRAM: CENTER STAGE

BETTER AT TEXTING, directed by Mary Galloway (Canada)
Trinity – a radical, Indigenous, feminist – and Addison – a devout, Black Mormon – are forced to work together on a school project and discover they have more in common than they thought.

CRUSHED, directed by Ella Rocca (Switzerland)
Dealing with their own obsessive crushes, Ella Rocca researches what to do about it.

EL DANCE OFF, directed by Nicolás Keller Sarmiento (Argentina)
By a gas station in rural Argentina, a broken-hearted drag queen helps young Ernesto find the courage to follow his dreams.

EVAN EVER AFTER, directed by Ariel Mahler, Radha Mehta (USA)
This short documentary explores the journey of Florida’s first transgender Homecoming Queen, Evan Bialosuknia.

FURSONA, directed by Aly Labbé-Hervieux (Canada)
Fursona is an incursion into the universe of Aly, a member of the Furry community.

GORDITX, directed by Malik Ever (USA)
With her summer camp golf tournament looming, outcast Ursula hopes to win and prove her worth with the help of Chef Cormac, the transmasculine former ladies golf pro.

TO ALL THAT WE ARE, directed by Kristian Cahatol (Canada)
Two non-binary young adults embark on a dream-like journey of self-discovery and acceptance as they navigate the complexities of love and identity.

WHEREVER YOU ARE, WHEREVER I AM, directed by Kay Chan (Canada)
A pair of Two-Spirit Métis-Chinese youth soften a deer hide together, revealing a story about belonging and honouring your full self and ancestry, no matter where you are.

WORD BY WORD, directed by Lourdes Miere (Canada)
Word by Word is a short documentary following the creative journey of Robyn Sidhu, a spoken word poet.

SHORTS PROGRAM: CLOSER TO FINE

BUTCH UP!, directed by Yu-jin Lee (South Korea)
After a breakup, Mi-hae, the lead singer of an indie band, cannot bring herself to sing the band’s most popular song, “Oppa’s Girl.”

FUNNY FACE, directed by Jude Hope Harris (USA/)
When country singer Randy travels to take care of his sister Sophie, who is recovering from facial feminization surgery, he meets her girlfriend Morgan for the first time.

I AM HOME, directed by Kymon Greyhorse (USA)
As time goes on and the world around us shifts, we adapt and change. Although we might look different, deep down we are still the same. We are made from Mother Earth – mud, wood, love, and patience.

HOUSE OF WHORESHIP, directed by Holly Laura Bates (Australia)
When Violet, a suburban brothel worker returns to work after enduring a breakup, she is confronted by her recent ex-girlfriend hustling the same shift.

SOAP, directed by Lulu Wei (Canada)
Inspired by past heartbreaks and present friendship, this short find two queer best friends going on a romantic getaway after being dumped.

TRANSENDERS, directed by Diane Russo Cheng (USA)
An intimate look into the nonprofit skateboarding organization Skate Like A Girl, as seen through the eyes of Alexa, a trans woman skateboarder and mentor.

YA BENTI, directed by Anissa Allali (France)
Sabrina is about to marry Younes, a wedding that’s everything for her mother and grandmother. But the day before the ceremony, Sabrina steps back.

SHORTS PROGRAM: JOKING

DILATING FOR MAXIMUM RESULTS, directed by Nyala Moon (USA)
A whack, irreverent comedy about a Black trans woman who tries to dilate, after four years of not dilating, to hook-up IRL with her online boyfriend.

GIANNA, directed by Kait Schuster (USA)
Gina, a Filipina Gemini who is just doing her best, takes the advice of her sliding scale therapist to spend a day with her inner saboteur. Enter Gianna.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE BAY, directed by Judith Kanatahawi Schuyler (Canada)
After a year living in a very straight New Zealand beach town, First Nations lesbian Tallulah can stand it no longer – she’s going back to Toronto where the rainbows fly. Or is she?

REJOICE IN THE LAMB, directed by Will Carington, Courtney Bush, Jake Goicoechea (USA)
A late-night conversation with an oracle launches a young Brooklyn woman on a quest to slay a vampire.

SAY UNCLE, directed by James Cooper (Canada)
After being estranged for almost a decade, former best friends Jake and Drew reunite so Drew can ask Jake the age-old queer question…can I have your sperm to make a baby?

TESTING, directed by Andy Reid (Canada)
When a young gay man suspects he has an STI, he goes in for testing and discovers the older man he recently slept with is a doctor at the clinic.

TROY, directed by Mike Donahue (USA)
Troy has loud sex. Troy has loud sex 24/7. Troy shares a wall with Thea and Charlie. Troy is ruining their lives…or is he saving them?

SHORTS PROGRAM: LET IT BE ME

BEAR (NALLE), directed by Jimi Vall Peterson (Sweden)
When the inexperienced, 24-year-old Elias is reunited with his cuddly, talking childhood teddy bear, a passionate relationship is re-awakened.

FARLAQUES, directed by Julien Cadieux (Canada)
An Acadian country road and beautiful beach attract more than just tourists.

HE WATCHES, directed by Joshua Conkel (United States)
Tom has his boyfriend Mikey move in and what initially seems like domestic bliss gives way to creeping dread as a malevolent spirit makes itself known.

KRUSH THE WRESTLER, directed by Alex Megaro (United States)
Exploring the innate intimacy of submission wrestling, a lifelong wrestler turns his talents into an on-demand fetish video service.

NOTHING SPECIAL, directed by Mikko Mäkelä (UK/Finland)
A filmmaker’s and a moviegoer’s ideas of cinematic romance are put to the test during a one-night stand that turns emotional.

PIPES, directed by: Kilian Feusi, Jessica Meier, Sujanth Ravichandran (Switzerland)
Bob the plumber is hired to fix a broken pipe and to his surprise finds himself inside a gay fetish club.

SAFE WORD, directed by Christopher Cunetto (United States)
Cesar, an emotionally stunted masochist, must confront his self-loathing after his dom, Bear, reinterprets the rules of their game.

STATE OF MIND, directed by Donald C. Shorter Jr. (United States)
State of Mind highlights the intimacy and beauty found through the experience of power exchange in BDSM/leather/fetish/kink.

SHORTS PROGRAM: SOMETHING REAL

9th FLOOR TO THE RIGHT, directed by Andrea Romano (France)
Lorenzo prepares to receive Marvin for the first time but when he shows up at his door with a guest, Lorenzo doesn’t dare say no.

AN EIGHTH OF HIM, directed by Levi Eddie Aluede (UK)
Stoic drug dealer Kadell begins spending more time with one of his new buyers, leading to self-reflection as they form a deep and unexpected bond.

CHRISTOPHER AT SEA, directed by Tom CJ Brown (France)
After checking in as a passenger onboard a cargo ship, Christopher begins to question his sanity and his perception of time.

I GET SO SAD SOMETIMES, directed by Trishtan Tala Perez (Philippines)
In the town of Pagadian, a gay teenager eagerly waits for a mature man to reveal his face after developing an anonymous sexual relationship with him online.

THE DALLES, directed by Angalis Field (USA)
When a handsome cyclist passes through and asks for directions to a local cruising site, Cam takes it as an invitation to follow him.

WILL YOU LOOK AT ME, directed by Shuli Huang (China)
A young Chinese filmmaker returns to his hometown and engages in an overdue conversation with his mother, leading them on a quest for acceptance and love.

YOU CAN STAY OVER (IF YOU WANT), directed by Zach Siegel (USA)
After a hookup, John and Alex test the limits of what’s TMI.

SHORTS PROGRAM: SORROW AND JOY

APAYAUQ, directed by Zeppelin Zeerip (United States)
Apayauq Reitan’s journey to become the first out transgender woman to complete the legendary Iditarod sled dog race.

AS YOU ARE, directed by Daisy Friedman (USA)
When an interabled queer couple spends the night together for the first time, they must confront their complex relationships with desire, sexuality, and bodily autonomy.

ESPERANZA, directed by Shruti Parekh (USA)
When an immigrant taxi driver in upstate New York takes an undocumented couple to the Canadian border, they find themselves at odds.

IT’S A DATE, directed by Nadia Parfan (Ukraine)
A car races at breakneck speed through Kyiv at dawn. This contemporary remake of the French short film C’était un rendez-vous captures the heightened emotions caused by the war.

MY FIERCE AUNT BIANCA, directed by María José Maldonado (USA)
While planning a birthday party for her late aunt Bianca, María José Maldonado revisits the past in order to celebrate and correct Bianca’s legacy.

UNTITLED MOVIE, directed by Annie Brennen (USA)
Zoe is making a movie about a woman who is making a movie. In it, her character must kiss a woman.

YOUNG MOM, directed by Cecilia Delgado (Brazil)
A young Latinx woman kidnaps the child she nannies to satisfy her girlfriend’s desire to start a family.

SHORTS PROGRAM: THRIVE

ALWAYS, ASIFA, directed by Shiva Raichandani (UK)
As Asifa prepares to finally undergo gender affirmation surgery, the disabled trans activist – who is also Britain’s first out Muslim drag queen – reflects on her life.

BIGGER ON THE INSIDE, directed by Angelo Madsen Minax (USA)
Through snowy stargazing, flirting with guys on dating apps, taking ketamine (or not), and watching YouTube lecture videos, outer and inner space collapse.

CUPID INTO TRANSMUTATION, directed by Spndex (Netherlands)
Caesar, a trans camboy on the run from his traumatic past, is shocked when his body starts to violently morph and transform beyond all recognition.

GOLDEN VOICE, directed by Mars Verrone (USA)
Forty years after the Khmer Rouge regime, a transgender man returns to the village where he survived the genocide.

GORDITX, directed by Malik Ever (USA)
With her summer camp golf tournament looming, outcast Ursula hopes to win and prove her worth with the help of Chef Cormac, the transmasculine former ladies golf pro.

HERE, HOPEFULLY, directed by Hao Zhou (United States)
Zee, a nonbinary aspiring nurse from China, strives to build a gender-affirming life in rural Iowa.

VIRTUAL GIRL, directed by Connie Glachan (Canada)
Aqua Venus provides a personalised fever dream to help YOU discover what being a woman means!

YES, GODDESS, directed by Randa Jarrar (USA)
A group of queer femmes and their lovers gather at a kink party for the first time since 2019.