Watch Party: Queer Scotland Shorts
2020-10-18 17:00 - 19:00 UTC
We are always proud to present some of the astonishing queer filmmaking made by local talent. This year features meditation on the queer body and its owner’s cultural history, the potential for zine culture to assist in the recovery from mental health difficulties, being censored when writing LGBTQ characters, living as a gay man in the era of 1950s McCarthyism, feminist sci-fi baby-making adventures, love on the mind of an admirer, and Deaf identities.
The screening will be followed by a filmmaker Q&A. There will be an award for Best Scottish Short voted for online by audiences.

Tickets are on a sliding scale of FREE, £2, £4, £6, or £8. To book, click the button below. You can book a ticket up to one hour before the start time. We will send out a Zoom link for the event to ticket holders a day or two beforehand.

ACCESS
This screening has an age recommendation of N/C 15+.
The films have Arabic and English audio with English language captions. BSL interpretation, live captioning, and live audio description are provided for the event. We will send instructions on how to access the live AD to all ticket holders before the event. Contact us by emailing info@sqiff.org if you would like any more information about live AD during the Festival.
The films will be around 1 hour long with a brief introduction at the start and a 30 minute Q&A.
Content notes: discussion of homophobia, misogyny, ableism, mental health issues, and suicide; depiction of homophobia, nudity, grief, and death.

The films in SQIFF Shorts: Queer Scotland include some abrasive sound effects.

We have a limited access fund to assist people with no or limited internet access to attend the Festival. If you would like to take this up, please contact info@sqiff.org.
If you have any questions about accessibility at SQIFF 2020, please contact info@sqiff.org.
Tickets
Tickets for most live events are on a sliding scale of FREE, £2, £4, £6, or £8. Our sliding scale allows you to choose what to pay based on what you feel you can afford. No evidence or proof of circumstances is required. If you can afford to pay more, we really appreciate it as we rely on this income to pay queer people fairly for their work and keep the festival going.
PROGRAMME
Saturnrania (5m)
Dir: Holly McLean, Country: UK, Year: 2019, Language/s: English
A feminist sci-fi adventure documentary following an experimental physicist on her quest to have a baby.
The Fabric of You (11m)
Dir: Josephine Lohoar Self, Country: UK, Year: 2019, Language/s: English
Set in the Bronx, in the era of 1950s McCarthyism, everybody wants to look the same. Michael a gay, twenty-something-year old mouse, hides his true identity while he works as a tailor.
When Isaac enters the shop one day he offers the escapism and love Michael craves. In Michael’s confined apartment, he becomes tormented by the memories of Isaac’s tragic death. Michael’s memories and flashbacks are triggered when he notices Isaac’s jacket draped on the back of a chair. Haunted by the solace Isaac once offered, he struggles to come to terms with his loss.
Let My Body Speak (10m)
Dir: Madonna Adib, Country: UK, Year: 2020, Language/s: Arabic
This documentary is a personal and intimate journey exploring the repression experienced by the filmmaker during her childhood when she faced sexual control in a Damascus also experiencing a growing socio-political repression in the late 80s and early 90s. Through the creative use of family archive in Damascus mixed with current footage of her body she reconstructs the pain of the past absorbed by her body.
What is Wrong with Her? (7m)
Dir: Leah Francisco, Country: UK, Year: 2020, Language/s: BSL and English
Leah finds life and identity by moving past other people’s labels in this British Sign Language poem travelling through time and space. Produced by Solar Bear Theatre company through their digital arts programme, Solar Flares.
Zine There Done That (8m)
Dir: Fergus Cruickshank, Ana Hine, Country: UK, Year: 2019, Language/s: English
As Ana recovers from a serious mental health breakdown, she discovers the potential for zines to rebuild her life and rediscover her voice. This intimate documentary is captured on an eclectic mix of formats to mirror the delicate piecing together of Ana and her connection to the underground mental health zine community in the UK. A tender, creative, and ultimately empowering look at how art can bring people together to take ownership of their lives.
Be Seen (2m)
Dir: Sophie Stone, Country: UK, Year: 2020, Language/s: BSL
Love fully explored in the mind of the admirer. Produced by Solar Bear Theatre company through their digital short programme, Solar Snaps.
All the reasons behind a kiss (3m)
Dir: Aimie Willemse, Country: UK, Year: 2020, Language/s: English
A theatre student gets rebuked for writing LGBTQ+ characters in her zombie apocalypse play as “following the latest trend”, however it turns out, she has a personal reason to do so.
Real Boy (11m)
Dir: Jamie Rea, Country: UK, Year: 2020, Language/s: BSL
All the parts of life from the smallest atom to the meaning of life converge and form into a feeling of completeness within Joe. We share in this journey. Produced by Solar Bear Theatre company through their digital arts programme, Solar Flares.

SQIFF 2021 Opening Night Shorts SOLD OUT
2021-10-06 18:30 - 20:15 UTC | Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD, United Kingdom
**Please note this event is now sold out – we may be able to release more tickets nearer the screening**
Our festival opens this year with the first of our 2021 Scottish Shorts programmes, including multiple works giving a taster of the many themes to expect from the festival.
Featuring a poetic film in British Sign Language (Affirmation #6), selections from queer Black artists from Fringe of Colour (Ixwa Blue, Space 2: We’ve Come A Long Way, black queer nature poem for khadijah (and all of us)), sweet musings on trans life in Glasgow (You can run), and lots more. We hope that there will be something for everyone in our multifaceted queer community on our opening night.
Curated by Nat Lall. We hope to welcome several of the filmmakers for a Q&A. All ticket holders are invited to join us for a drink at CCA after the screening.

Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £2, £4, £6, or £8. To book, click the button below or call the CCA Box Office on 0141 352 4900.

ACCESS
This screening has an age recommendation of N/C 12+.
English and Portuguese audio with English language captions. BSL-English interpretation by Lisa Li and live captioning by Louisa McDaid provided for the intro and Q&A.
Audio description available. Headsets available at the cinema entrance.

The films are 60 minutes long with opening night speeches at the start and a Q&A afterwards.
We have an Audience Access Fund for travel and internet data top-up costs. If you would like to take this up, please contact info@sqiff.org.
If you have any questions about accessibility at SQIFF 2021, please contact info@sqiff.org.
Audio Description Credits for short film ixwa blue:
Performed by Sri Gordon, written by Elizabeth Capot, QC by Stephen Christopher, Production and Sound Engineering by Stephen Kellner
Audio Description Credits for short film Space 2:
Performed by Sri Gordon, written by Elizabeth Capot, QC by Stephen Christopher, Production and Sound Engineering by Stephen Kellner

A New Chapter Begins
2021-10-09 18:30 - 20:00 UTC | Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD, United Kingdom
SQIFF is proud to present a showcase of films from deaf filmmakers telling stories of love, understanding, and courage. In each of these short films, we see human beings reaching out to connect with one another through sign language, endeavouring to discover not only themselves but a larger truth. We are reminded in the journey of each character and story that love is not limited to the words we speak but is greater than ourselves and transcends the language we use.
Curated by Jamie Rea. We are happy to be joined by filmmakers Teresa Garratty and David Ellington for a Q&A after the films.
The Q&A for this event will be live-streamed online and open to all. The shorts programme will also be available to rent online from SQIFF’s Vimeo on Demand channel 2 to 10 October.
Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £2, £4, £6, or £8. To book, click the button below or call the CCA Box Office on 0141 352 4900.

ACCESS
This screening has an age recommendation of N/C 18+.
English and French audio and British and American Sign Language with English language captions. BSL-English interpretation by Catherine King, Yvonne Strain, Katy Smillie, and Lisa Li and live captioning by Louisa McDaid for intro and Q&A.

53 minutes long with a Q&A afterwards.
We have an Audience Access Fund for travel and internet data top-up costs. If you would like to take this up, please contact info@sqiff.org.
If you have any questions about accessibility at SQIFF 2021, please contact info@sqiff.org.

Poetics of the Visual SOLD OUT
2021-10-09 20:45 - 22:15 UTC | Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD, United Kingdom
**Please note this event is now sold out – we may be able to release more tickets nearer the screening. CCA Box Office are operating a waiting list for sold out events – please contact them directly to be added to this!**
An evening of visually striking films that offer us a space to explore what it is to be a human being through a visual poetic medium. Each work uses a diverse way to express ideas of human feelings, thoughts, and voices in beautiful and startling ways. Dialogues, monologues, and poetry fill this programme. Featuring Em Johrden’s poetic documentary on trans folks’ relationship with their own bodies and identities focusing on aspects of euphoria and joy in it belongs to me.
Curated by Jamie Rea.
Followed by a conversation about the ideas raised in the screening.
Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £2, £4, £6, or £8. To book, click the button below or call the CCA Box Office on 0141 352 4900.

ACCESS
This screening has an age recommendation of N/C 18+.
English audio and British Sign Language with English language captions. BSL-English interpretation by Catherine King and Yvonne Strain and live captioning by Louisa McDaid for intro and post-film conversation.
Audio description available. Headsets available at the cinema entrance.
54 minutes long with a post-film conversation.
We have an Audience Access Fund for travel and internet data top-up costs. If you would like to take this up, please contact info@sqiff.org.
If you have any questions about accessibility at SQIFF 2021, please contact info@sqiff.org.

Workshop: Unlocking Your Imagination with Joe Dunn
2021-10-10 15:00 - 17:00 UTC | Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD, United Kingdom
Artist Joe Dunn hosts a workshop on exploring creativity and identity through the art of collages and getting messy and creative with tee shirts! No restrictions on imagination. Attendees can bring their own materials along such as newspapers, magazines, or old books, and any art supplies they wish to use. There will also be materials provided.
Curated by Jamie Rea. The workshop will be in BSL with BSL-English interpretation and live captioning available. Please note the workshop prioritises deaf and hard of hearing participants.
Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £2, £4, £6, or £8. To book, click the button below or call the CCA Box Office on 0141 352 4900.

ACCESS
Ages 16+.
BSL-English interpretation by Yvonne Strain and David Allan and live captioning provided.
120 minutes long.
We have an Audience Access Fund for travel and internet data top-up costs. If you would like to take this up, please contact info@sqiff.org.
If you have any questions about accessibility at SQIFF 2021, please contact info@sqiff.org.

Workshop: d/Deaf approaches to Filmmaking with Jamie Rea
2022-10-21 12:00 - 14:00 UTC | Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD, United Kingdom
Artist Jamie Rea hosts a workshop on d/Deaf approaches to filmmaking, creating a networking experience for deaf and hard of hearing queer filmmakers of all levels of expertise. This session will be used to discuss intersectional identities and their influence in filmmaking. All materials will be provided.
The workshop will be in BSL with BSL-English interpretation, and live captioning as well as induction loop available. Please note the workshop prioritises deaf and hard of hearing participants.
Supported by Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, and funded by Screen Scotland and National Lottery funding from the BFI.
Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £2, £4, £6, £8, or £10. To book, click the button below or call the CCA Box Office on 0141 352 4900.

Accessibility:
Live Captioning
Induction Loop
BSL-English Interpreter
Wheelchair Accessible
Quiet Space in the Intermedia Lab at the CCA
Audience Travel and Access Fund
If you would like to discuss any access needs, please get in touch with us at info@sqiff.org.

Are you into emotional edging?
2023-09-27 15:30 - 17:30 UTC | Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD, United Kingdom
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Join us for a journey of conscious and unconscious thoughts. This screening features distinct experimental shorts made by trans and non-binary people that focuses on the varied ways our community tell stories of forming and navigating relationships, both digitally and in real life.
The films in this programme utilise archival footage, found footage, digital glitch, chemical abstraction, digital animation, layered imagery, and direct animation to explore the telling of our stories.
Milo Clenshaw will be hosting a panel discussion after the screening with special guests Hogan Seidel, director of The Backside of God, and Jamie Crewe, director of A Luxury.
Curated by Indigo Korres.

Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £2, £4, £6, £8, or £10. To book, click here or call the CCA Box Office on 0141 352 4900.

A Luxury (2021, Dir. Jamie Crewe): A film commssioned by Edinburgh International Book Festival, 2021, in response to Shola Von Reinhold’s novel LOTE (2020). Made in homage to Curtis Harrington’s film The Wormwood Star (1956), a portrait of the artist Cameron, the film finds Shola in the attic of Preston Hall, Midlothian, undergoing a transportation. A section of LOTE is read over churning abstract liquids, and finally an escape.
A Trans with a Movie Camera (2018, Dir. Frances Damian Arpaia): A non-narrative cine-essay that collaboratively explores the potentials for trans-feminine representation in film.
The Backside of God (2020, Dir. Hogan Seidel): The Backside of God is an experimental documentary utilizing archival footage, digital glitch, chemical abstraction, and direct animation to explore the intricacies of the artist’s relationship with their familial, religious, and queer identity.
Bigger on the Inside (2022, Dir. Angelo Madsen Minax): From an isolated wooded cabin a trans man star gazes, scruff chats with guys, watches youtube tutorials, takes drugs, and lies about taking drugs – feeling his way through a cosmology of embodiment. Relative to the immensity of longing, the bodily insides become both portal and lens through which to probe the porousness between interior and exterior, the micro and macro. Nudes and landscapes are equally erotic, as Eros is an issue of boundaries: When i desire you, a part of me is gone.

ACCESSIBLITY
Content Warnings:

Discussion of transphobia, misogyny, religious views, homophobia, emotional edging, mental health, sex;
Depiction of masturbation, sex.

Access Notes:

Glitchy imagery

This screening has an age recommendation of N/C 16+.
61 minutes long with a Q&A after the screening.
English, Latin, Portuguese, and Vietnamese audio and screens with English language captions. BSL-English interpretation and live captioning provided.
Audio description available for the film. Headsets available at the cinema entrance.
We have an Audience Access Fund for travel. If you would like to take this up, please visit the access desk at the entrance of the CCA, or contact by emailing info@sqiff.org.
You can find out more information about accessibility at SQIFF 2023 here. If you have any questions about accessibility at SQIFF 2023, please get in touch with us at info@sqiff.org or by phone on 07873 331 036.
We ask that you wear a mask if possible and please don’t attend the screening if you have any symptoms of Covid-19 or have been in recent contact with a confirmed case. FFP2 masks will be available for free around the building.
Image: from Bigger on the Inside (2022, Dir. Angelo Madsen Minax)

Building Community with LGBT Unity
2023-09-29 12:30 - 14:00 UTC | Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD, United Kingdom
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In the summer of 2023, SQIFF and LGBT Unity hosted filmmaking workshops for queer asylum seekers and refugees. The workshops were facilitated by filmmakers Campbell X and Ambroise of Paradax Period, and focused on not only storytelling, filming and editing, but also building community and creating accessible ways to make films.
In this screening, we bring you all the shorts made during this workshop series, followed by a small Q&A where Campbell X and Ambroise talk about this process with some of the participants.
Presented in partnership with LGBT Unity Scotland, a community-led group providing essential support to LGBTQIA+ refugees, asylum seekers, and other migrants.

Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £2, £4, £6, £8, or £10. To book, click here or call the CCA Box Office on 0141 352 4900.

ACCESSIBLITY
Content Warnings:

Depiction of date rape drug, being outed, drug use, alcohol use, suicide attempt;
Discussion of persecution, transphobia, abuse, assault, homophobia, conversion therapy, mental health issues.

This screening has an age recommendation of N/C 16+.
30 minutes long and a Q&A after the screening.
English and Portuguese audio and screens with English language captions. BSL-English interpretation and live captioning provided for the intro and panel discussion.
We have an Audience Access Fund for travel. If you would like to take this up, please visit the access desk at the entrance of the CCA, or contact info@sqiff.org.
You can find out more information about accessibility at SQIFF 2023 here. If you have any questions about accessibility at SQIFF 2023, please get in touch with us at info@sqiff.org or by phone on 07873 331 036.
We ask that you wear a mask if possible and please don’t attend the screening if you have any symptoms of Covid-19 or have been in recent contact with a confirmed case. FFP2 masks will be available for free around the building.
Image: from SQIFF x LGBT Unity

Come Back to the 5 and Dime, Jimmy Dean Jimmy Dean with TGirlsonFilm
2023-09-29 15:00 - 17:00 UTC | Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD, United Kingdom
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Five girlies reunite at a five-and-dime for the 20th anniversary of James Dean’s death. They all gossip and process where life has led them over a cup of coffee, the film features five female leads, one of which is Cher and another is a glamorous transexual. Based on a play and directed by Robert Altman, this is trans director Kristiene Clarke’s favourite trans representation.
Curated by Jaye Hudson. Presented with TGirlsonFilm and Introduction by Kristiene Clarke.

Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £2, £4, £6, £8, or £10. To book, click here or call the CCA Box Office on 0141 352 4900.

ACCESSIBLITY
Content Warnings:

Depiction of transmisogyny, ableism, outdated language and sexism.

This screening has an age recommendation of BBFC 15.
109 minutes long.
English audio and screens with English language captions. BSL-English interpretation and live captioning provided.
Audio description available for the film. Headsets available at the cinema entrance.
We have an Audience Access Fund for travel. If you would like to take this up, please visit the access desk at the entrance of the CCA, or contact info@sqiff.org.
You can find out more information about accessibility at SQIFF 2023 here. If you have any questions about accessibility at SQIFF 2023, please get in touch with us at info@sqiff.org or by phone on 07873 331 036.
We ask that you wear a mask if possible and please don’t attend the screening if you have any symptoms of Covid-19 or have been in recent contact with a confirmed case. FFP2 masks will be available for free around the building.
Image: from Come Back to the 5 and Dime, Jimmy Dean Jimmy Dean (1982, Dir. Robert Altman)

Animation Now
2023-09-29 18:00 - 20:00 UTC | Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD, United Kingdom
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‘Animation Now’ celebrates a new generation of queer animators. The programme includes both 2D and 3D animation in the form of narrative shorts, experimental art film and an immersive game walkthrough.
The screening starts with the heartfelt 3D animation Dear Nana telling the story of the narrator’s late grandmother who was a supportive figure throughout their life. Clotilde follows in a stop-motion animated medium and provides a playful light-hearted moment in the programme.
The screening ends with a panel featuring some of the filmmakers in the programme on the newest wave of digital animation. Expect talk of gaming-inspired filmmaking.
Curated by Nat Lall.

Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £2, £4, £6, £8, or £10. To book, click here or call the CCA Box Office on 0141 352 4900.

Dear Nana (2023, Dir. Han Nguyen): Dear Nana is a deeply personal work that reflects my own childhood memory of living as a queer kid in a small, conservative town in North Central Coast, Vietnam. It is made in memory of my maternal grandmother who passed away in 2011. She was the first person to teach me that there is no shame in being myself and doing whatever makes me happy instead of trying to conform to the norm and doing what is expected of me. This work is both about remembering her and reassuring myself that she would still be supportive of me now that I have come so far in my journey of self-expression. The film also features aspects of Vietnamese culture, such as the tradition to venerate our ancestors and pray for their blessings.
Clotilde (2023, Dir. Maria João Lourenço): In a planet where reproduction is mandatory in the daily life of its inhabitants, there is an alien who just wishes to pleasure herself.
White-Haired Witch and Black-Haired Witch (2023, Dir. Yini Yang): In a distant corner of the universe, amidst flowers, vines, and an endless expanse of crimson water, numerous placentas float. One of the placentas connects two fetuses, and in a flash of lightning, the placenta is divided into two halves. From one of the halves, a white-haired witch grows gradually, longing to find the other half of the fetus but unable to locate it. Consequently, it gives birth to a black-haired witch from its own body to coexist. One day, the black-haired witch embarks on a journey, leaving behind a letter documenting its travels for the white-haired witch. While waiting, the white-haired witch finds answers and returns to the primordial dream.
Living with It (2023, Dir. Holly Summerson): Perfectionist Lee (Annabelle Davis) must adapt to the imperfect reality of living with an illness – brought to life as a chaotic supernatural flatmate – Bug (Lawrence Chaney). Accepting the long-term effects of illness – and making the best of an imperfect situation – are explored through the relationship between two dysfunctional flatmates in this dark comedy animated short.
Coming Out Autistic (2023, Dir. Steven Fraser): Coming out Autistic is a short animated documentary that explores the experience of telling the world that you are autistic when you also identify as LGBTQ+. Queer coming out stories are well documented, but the occurrence of telling friends, family, co-workers and strangers that you are autistic is less explored. Parallels with queer experiences are investigated and a wide range of individuals are interviewed to express the array of feelings and reactions that are encountered.
Desire’s Exhibition (2023, Dir. Salmo Pagão): With the aim of finding Desire, so-and-so performs a ritual to go down in the depths of himself. There he came across an exhibition of Desire’s works which had until then haunted his dreams and non-dreams in land. It is important to him confront the works, recognize them, and rise with crucial answers.
A mother’s love for her baby (2022, Dirs. Éiméar McClay & Cat McClay): Using a combination of 3D animation and experimental prose, A mother’s love for her baby explores the corruption and conditions endemic in the Magdalene Laundries and mother and baby homes run by the Catholic church in Ireland throughout the 20th century. Influenced by Saidiya Hartman’s concept of “critical fabulation” – the use of storytelling to fill the gaps left in historical records – the film advocates for a bottom-up form of historiography: centring historically marginalised voices of Irish women and critiquing the structures of power that (re)produce their dispossession.
Junior & The Kid (2023, Dir. Dani Wasserman): Junior & The Kid is a sparse retelling of a fictional love affair between an unnamed western cowboy and 90s baseball superstar and heartthrob Ken Griffey Jr.
Where the Mouth is (Machinima Version) (2022, Dir. Benjamiin Hall): Set in the Saxon-era archipelago once where Oxford now stands, “Where the Mouth” is (re)builds Oxfordshire as an interactive world outside of time, leaping off from the collections of the public Museum of Oxford. You are let loose in the swampy terrain to observe the local tradition of ‘beating the bounds’ – marking parish boundary stones with a stick in order to embed them in the memory of the town’s residents. The mouth of that collective memory has issued many truths, half-truths, desires, cries, anecdotes, apocryphal stories, and tiny reminders of a future from the past.
Originally commissioned by the Museum of Oxford and Digital Artist Residency, with later support from Bloomberg New Contemporaries Digital Fellowships; Soundtrack by Peter Talisman (Slugabed and Samuel Organ) as mixed from their 2021 album ‘Lord of the Harvest’; Movement/ motion capture performance by Anya Sirina; Special thanks to Tom Milnes.
Patches (2021, Dir. Georgie Athanasopoulos): Outcast due to physical differences, a lonely little boy in the 1920’s makes an unlikely friend and finds belonging through sacrifice.
The Prince’s Dilemma (2023, Dir. Devin Rowe): The film follows Prince Philip, who longing to be with a prince of his own, must decide to follow the traditional tale expected of him or forge his own happily ever after.

ACCESSIBLITY
Content Warnings:

Discussion of living with a chronic illness;
Depictions of animated genitalia, animated masturbation.

This screening has an age recommendation of N/C 16+.
74 minutes long with a Q&A after the screening.
English, Latin, Portuguese, and Vietnamese audio and screens with English language captions. BSL-English interpretation and live captioning provided for the intro and panel discussion.
We have an Audience Access Fund for travel. If you would like to take this up, please visit the access desk at the entrance of the CCA, or contact by emailing info@sqiff.org.
You can find out more information about accessibility at SQIFF 2023 here. If you have any questions about accessibility at SQIFF 2023, please get in touch with us at info@sqiff.org or by phone on 07873 331 036.
We ask that you wear a mask if possible and please don’t attend the screening if you have any symptoms of Covid-19 or have been in recent contact with a confirmed case. FFP2 masks will be available for free around the building.
Image: from Coming Out Autistic (2023, Dir. Steven Fraser)

Queer East Presents: Peafowl 공작새
2023-09-29 21:00 - 23:00 UTC | Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD, United Kingdom
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Shin-myung is a transgender woman and dancer who competes in waacking. Having cut ties with her family and rural hometown, Shin-myung seeks various ways to fund her gender reassignment surgery. But one day, she is informed that her estranged father, a master of Nongak folk music, has died. He stipulated that Shin-myung can receive her inheritance money if she returns to the village and performs a traditional drum dance, as part of his memorial rituals. Unwilling to yield to her intolerant father’s posthumous demands, the unapologetic Shin-myung is forced to reluctantly reconnect with her past while staying true to herself. Driven by an empowering vision of trans identity, this assured debut feature from Byun Sung-bin contemplates the possibilities – and limits – of forgiveness.
Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £2, £4, £6, £8, or £10. To book, click here or call the CCA Box Office on 0141 352 4900.

ACCESSIBLITY
This screening has an age recommendation of N/C 16+.
115 minutes long.
Korean audio with English language captions. BSL-English interpretation and live captioning provided.
We have an Audience Access Fund for travel. If you would like to take this up, please visit the access desk at the entrance of the CCA, or contact info@sqiff.org.
You can find out more information about accessibility at SQIFF 2023 here. If you have any questions about accessibility at SQIFF 2023, please get in touch with us at info@sqiff.org or by phone on 07873 331 036.
We ask that you wear a mask if possible and please don’t attend the screening if you have any symptoms of Covid-19 or have been in recent contact with a confirmed case. FFP2 masks will be available for free around the building.
Image: from Peafowl 공작새 (2022, Dir. Byun Sung-bin)

Not Quite That
2023-09-30 12:30 - 14:30 UTC | Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD, United Kingdom
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‘Not Quite That’ follows 57-year-old Sarah, a butch lesbian predisposed to breast cancer.
Sarah discusses the implications of a mastectomy as a butch presenting person. She contemplates if people would perceive her as transmasculine and how that would make her feel.
Her long-term close friends listen attentively and help her process the situation. The love and support shared by this group of old friends is heartwarming. A feel-good film for sure.
This film is followed by two shorts. Director Leo Torre of The Ship of Theseus will join us to chat about short filmmaking and the importance of queer/trans friendships.
Curated by Nat Lall.

Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £2, £4, £6, £8, or £10. To book, click here or call the CCA Box Office on 0141 352 4900.

Not Quite That (2022, Dir. Ali Grant): Might a genetic mutation be the very thing that allows this nice Jewish butch lesbian to be fully seen at last? Meet Sarah, 57. Lesbian? For sure. Jewish? Yes and no. Mother? In all but one sense. Trans? No, just often mistaken as such. Breast cancer survivor? Well, that’s the plan, the survival bit, but without the cancer or the breasts. Not Quite That is an intimate and insightful exploration of how we are seen, how we see ourselves, and why it matters.
The Ship Of Theseus (2022, Dir. Leo Torre): A creative trans self-documentary video exploring themes of early transition and gender rebirth using themes of mythology and the sea.
Patricia in the Dark (2023, Dir. Laura Hartley): Born into a world where the word ‘transgender’ didn’t exist, 95-year-old Patricia spent most of her life longing for love and acceptance but too afraid to reveal her true self.

ACCESSIBLITY
Content Warnings:

Discussion of cancer diagnosis, surgery, gender dysphoria, body image, transphobia;
Depictions of pregnancy, nudity, drains, hospitalisation.

This screening has an age recommendation of N/C 16+.
60 minutes long with Q&A after the screening.
English and French audio with English language captions. BSL-English interpretation and live captioning provided.
Audio description available for the film. Headsets available at the cinema entrance.
We have an Audience Access Fund for travel. If you would like to take this up, please visit the access desk at the entrance of the CCA, or contact info@sqiff.org.
You can find out more information about accessibility at SQIFF 2023 here. If you have any questions about accessibility at SQIFF 2023, please get in touch with us at info@sqiff.org or by phone on 07873 331 036.
We ask that you wear a mask if possible and please don’t attend the screening if you have any symptoms of Covid-19 or have been in recent contact with a confirmed case. FFP2 masks will be available for free around the building.
Image: from Not Quite That (2022, Dir. Ali Grant)

Queerventures with Kendal Mountain Events
2023-09-30 15:00 - 17:00 UTC | Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD, United Kingdom
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Kendal Mountain Festival is one of the UK’s longest running Adventure Film Festivals. Their programming goes far beyond the stereotypical adventurer, reaching out to individuals whose narratives are often overlooked. As part of this they have proudly curated a film programme of Queer-led films to stand in solidarity with the local LGBTQIA+ community and ensure that everyone sees themselves represented in the adventure world.
The event will be hosted by one of the Kendal Mountain team, Emily Lyons who will guide you through films that will transport you all over the world and showcase a multitude of folk from the community, from those getting outdoors everyday and people at the top of their game.
Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £2, £4, £6, £8, or £10. To book, click here or call the CCA Box Office on 0141 352 4900.

I am a Fellrunner (2020, Dirs. Jessie Leong & Julie Carter): Fell running is more than a sport – it is part of an identity. Through the evocation of a poem, ‘I am a Fellrunner,’ explores the way in which one woman is defined as a fellrunner in the place where she belongs.
Fragments Choisis (2022, Dir. Alicia Cenci): In the mountains, she is Elisabeth the skier, in the streets, she is Elisabeth the activist. She lives her two lives very separately and makes sure those two sides do not interfere with each other.
Until the day she becomes world freeride champion. The activist then meets the sportswoman when Elisabeth decides to use her title and the attention around it to come out publicly.
Eden (2021, Dir. Charlie Bush): Eden Elgeti was part way through her male to female transition when she realised she wanted biological children in the future. Told she was now unable to produce fertile sperm after the hormone treatments, a medical practitioner suggested there was a very small chance cold water might help reverse the effects and so she started extreme cold water swimming.
Venture Out (2020, Dirs. Jamie DiNicola, Matthew Mikkelsen & Palmer Morse): Venture Out is a story of overcoming odds, the power of resilience, and ultimately, the ever-lasting effects of LGBTQ community building. The Venture Out Project, founded by Perry Cohen, is a non profit organisation that brings LGBTQ folks together outdoors on wilderness trips. In sharing Perry’s story, and hearing from the other TVOP participants, we get a glimpse into the healing qualities of nature and life-saving community bonds that are being forged as a result of Perry’s work.
Ascension (2023, Dirs. Emma Crome & Matt Pycroft): Elite climber Alex Johnson has attempted to climb the iconic boulder The Swarm, California, for a decade. Not succeeding breaks her down into self-reflection where she finally accepts her sexuality.
Big Things to Come (2022): One of Europe’s leading adventure photographers, Hamish Frost lives twin lives. In Ascension, we explore the side of himself he has kept hidden from the outdoor community. A story of confidence and connection and a reminder of the importance of diversity in the great outdoors.

ACCESSIBLITY
Content Warnings:

Discussion of mental health, fertility, suicide, depression, eating disorder, mental health, bullying, homophobia.

This screening has an age recommendation of N/C 16+.
71 minutes long.
English and French audio with English language captions. BSL-English interpretation and live captioning provided.
We have an Audience Access Fund for travel. If you would like to take this up, please visit the access desk at the entrance of the CCA, or contact info@sqiff.org.
You can find out more information about accessibility at SQIFF 2023 here. If you have any questions about accessibility at SQIFF 2023, please get in touch with us at info@sqiff.org or by phone on 07873 331 036.
We ask that you wear a mask if possible and please don’t attend the screening if you have any symptoms of Covid-19 or have been in recent contact with a confirmed case. FFP2 masks will be available for free around the building.
Image: from Eden (2021, Dir. Charlie Bush)

SQIFF x Porty Pride Film Night
2024-06-28 19:00 - 21:00 (Europe/London) | Portobello Town Hall, 147-149 Portobello High Street, Edinburgh, EH15 1AF
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This year SQIFF and Porty Pride are partnering to bring an exciting selection of short films from Scotland and beyond to Portobello Town Hall!
This screening presents a mix of animation, documentary and fiction film exploring various queer identities. The Singer, Coming Out Autistic and Living with It are Scottish films made by queer people with various disabilities. Still We Thrive is an experimental documentary directed by Campbell X, showcasing a rich tapestry of image, music and poetry is interwoven in this powerful meditation on Black resilience. Digital Natives is a personal film and exploration of Jo’s relationship to the internet. Finally, Not Quite That is a raw documentary about a queer woman and breast cancer survivor in Canada. The film is an intimate and insightful exploration of how we are seen, how we see ourselves, and why it matters.
Join us for an incredible conversation after the screening with Scottish filmmaker Holly Summerson, and hosted by Nat Lall. BSL-English Interpretation, and wheelchair access are available at this event.
Curated by Indigo Korres.
Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of £5, or £10. To book, please click here.

The Singer (2023, Dir. Cora Bissett): In the loud streets of Glasgow, deaf song-writer Joe meets busker Andy. The two learn to communicate over their love of music and realise together they can create something unique.
Coming Out Autistic (2023, Steven Fraser): This animated documentary explores the experience of telling the world that you are autistic when you also identify as LGBTQ+.
Living with It (2023, Holly Summerson): Perfectionist Lee must adapt to the imperfect reality of living with an illness – brought to life as her chaotic supernatural flatmate Bug.
Still We Thrive (2021, Campbell X): A rich tapestry of image, music and poetry is interwoven in this powerful meditation on Black resilience.
Digital Natives (2022, Jo Reid): A film by Jo Reid (2022) – an exploration of Jo’s relationship to the internet.
Not Quite That (2023, Ali Grant): Might a genetic mutation be the very thing that allows this nice Jewish butch lesbian to be fully seen at last? Meet Sarah, 57. Lesbian? For sure. Jewish? Yes and no. Mother? In all but one sense. Trans? No, just often mistaken as such. Breast cancer survivor? Well, that’s the plan, the survival bit, but without the cancer or the breasts. Not Quite That is an intimate and insightful exploration of how we are seen, how we see ourselves, and why it matters.

ACCESSIBLITY
Content Warnings:

Discussion of cancer diagnosis, surgery, colonialism, body image;
Depictions of pregnancy, nudity, drains, hospitalisation, ableism.

This screening has an age recommendation of N/C 16+.
89 minutes long with a introduction and Q&A.
English audio and British Sign Language with English language descriptive subtitles. BSL-English interpretation provided.
If you have any questions about accessibility at for this event, please get in touch with us at info@sqiff.org.
We ask that you wear a mask if possible and please don’t attend the screening if you have any symptoms of Covid-19 or have been in recent contact with a confirmed case.
Image: from Living with It (2023, Dir. Holly Summerson)

Filming our World: Rewilding BSL & Queer Ecologies (Filmmaking Workshop)
2024-07-27 10:00 - 18:30 UTC | The Salisbury Centre, 2 Salisbury Road, EDINBURGH, EH16 5AB, United Kingdom
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Please note: This event is for participants who identify as Deaf
How can we celebrate wildness within intertwined, intersecting struggles? Join us for a 1-day friendly, interactive filmmaking workshop exploring the intersections between Deafness, queer ecologies and climate justice. No prior filmmaking experience needed!
Part 1: Rewilding BSL
The day will begin with a session with Dr Audrey Cameron (University of Edinburgh) and Gary Quinn(Heriot Watt University) exploring the Scottish Sensory Centre’s ‘Rewilding BSL’ project.
You will discover some of the 400+ brand-new British Sign Language signs for climate and environment-related terms, through which climate action and environmental
discussions will be made more accessible for Deaf people.
Part 2: Practical Filmmaking Workshop
The ‘Rewilding BSL’ session will be followed by an outdoor filmmaking workshop in the garden at Edinburgh’s Salisbury Centre, led by two Deaf filmmakers, Klarissa Webster & Will Clark, which will respond to the ‘Rewilding BSL’ project.
This workshop will explore our natural surroundings through lenses of Deafness and Queerness, and build skills and knowledge around accessible, low-budget filmmaking and editing methods. The films created will be screened as part of a showcase during Edinburgh Deaf Festival 2024!
This workshop is designed to equip you with the skills to make films with equipment you already have. If you have a DSLR / mirrorless camera, please bring it – otherwise, please bring your mobile phone as we will be using the camera on that!
Tickets are FREE. To book, click here.

ACCESS

BSL / English interpreters: Yvonne Strain & Lisa Stapleton
The Salisbury Centre is wheelchair accessible (please see here for more detailed access information about the venue)
The workshop is a full day but we will factor in plenty of breaks, and lunch will be provided
Beanbags / cushions will be available

Please contact daisy@takeoneaction.org.uk if you have any questions about access for this event.

Donate:
Donate to SQIFF via PayPal or sign up to one of our four Patreon tiers to support our work and show us you’re a big SQIFF fan 🌈✨

SQIFF Queer Filmmakers Group
2024-08-03 16:00 - 18:00 UTC | Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD, United Kingdom
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Do you have information about free, open source editing software? Perhaps you know of an incredibly helpful way of memorising scripts? Or maybe you use a particular template to develop film ideas?
Come share with your peers in this Queer Filmmakers Group session!
The August session will be very member focused. We will collectively discuss advice we have picked along the way and different techniques used to make the filmmaking process less tiresome.
This is also a great opportunity to discuss any ongoing projects you need support with. Sharing with the group might get an audio designer interested in helping out with the foley you’re struggling with or get people to review a script you’ve been working on.

About the group
The SQIFF Queer Filmmakers Group is an initiative to bring local queer filmmakers together for monthly two-hour group sessions to network and support each other in the development of film projects.
The group is open for any level of filmmaking or film supporting arts (acting, prop making, music and sound design…) and we really encourage people just starting out in these mediums to come along.
Join a very friendly and supportive cohort of queer artists in Scotland making films!

This session is delivered thanks to support from See Me Scotland, No Drama, Glasgow Filmmakers Alliance, Transmission.
Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £2, £4, £6, £8, £10, or £12. To book, click here or call the CCA Box Office on 0141 352 4900.

Accessibility:
BSL-English interpretation for the whole event.
Relaxed event.
Wheelchair Access.
We have an Audience Access Fund for travel costs. If you would like to take this up, please contact info@sqiff.org.
We ask that you wear a mask if possible and please don’t attend the event if you have any symptoms of Covid-19 or have been in recent contact with a confirmed case. FFP2 masks are available for this event.
If you have any other access needs you would like to discuss with us, please get in touch with us at info@sqiff.org.

Donate:
Donate to SQIFF via PayPal or sign up to one of our four Patreon tiers to support our work and show us you’re a big SQIFF fan 🌈✨Patre

Filming Our World: Queer Ecologies and Rewilding BSL (Showcase)
2024-08-13 13:00 - 15:30 UTC | Deaf Action, Deaf Action - GEIKIE SUITE - 49 Albany St, EDINBURGH, EH1 3QY, United Kingdom
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What does it mean for our world to be truly ‘ours’? Join Take One Action, SQIFF and Edinburgh Deaf Festival for a special lunchtime showcase of short films by emerging deaf filmmakers created in response to the Scottish Sensory Centre’s ‘Rewilding BSL’ project.
Exploring the intersections between Deafness, queer ecologies and climate justice, this short film programme celebrates the power in our collectivity, and how we can centre wildness in our intertwined struggles.
Featuring food and informal networking as an opportunity to meet other folk interested in climate storytelling on film.
Tickets are FREE (optional £5 or £10 donation). To book, click here.

ACCESSIBLITY
This screening has an age recommendation of N/C 12+.
Screening with introduction and Q&A.
English and British Sing Language with English language descriptive subtitles. BSL-English interpretation provided. Induction Loop available.
If you have any questions about accessibility at for this event, please get in touch with us at info@sqiff.org.
We ask that you wear a mask if possible and please don’t attend the screening if you have any symptoms of Covid-19 or have been in recent contact with a confirmed case.

Donate:
Donate to SQIFF via PayPal or sign up to one of our four Patreon tiers to support our work and show us you’re a big SQIFF fan 🌈✨

Scottish Shorts 2 - SOLD OUT
2024-10-10 18:30 - 20:30 UTC | Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD, United Kingdom
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**Please note this event is now sold out – we may be able to release more tickets nearer the screening. CCA Box Office are operating a waiting list for sold out events – please contact them directly or go to their website to be added to this!**
Scottish Shorts 2 is a short film programme that celebrates the rich tapestry of queer Scottish filmmakers and stories. This collection of films showcases the diversity, resilience, and creativity of the LGBTQ+ community in Scotland, offering poignant and powerful narratives that span love, identity, self-discovery, and the complexities of modern life. The programme offers a diverse and compelling look at queer life in Scotland, highlighting the unique voices and stories of the LGBTQ+ community. Through these films, audiences will experience a range of emotions and insights, celebrating the richness and complexity of queer Scottish experiences. We hope to welcome several of the filmmakers for a Q&A after the screening.
All filmmakers in this screening and ‘SQIFF 2024 Opening Night Scottish Shorts’ are automatically entered into a competition to win the title of Best Scottish Short. The winner will be announced at the closing screening of SQIFF 2024.

Curated by Nat Lall and Huss.

Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £2, £4, £6, £8, £10, or £12. To book, click here or call the CCA Box Office on 0141 352 4900.

Accessibility
This programme has:

British Sign Language and English audio with English language descriptive subtitles
Audio Description
English-BSL interpretation for the introduction and Q&A
Live Captioning for the introduction and Q&A

This screening is 90 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 18+.
You can find out more information about accessibility at SQIFF 2024 here. If you have any questions about accessibility at SQIFF 2024, please get in touch with us at info@sqiff.org or by phone on 07873 331 036.

Films in this programme include:

Love [Gaol], Dirs. Giulia Lina Giannetti, Paul Morgan, 2022, United Kingdom, 12 min
A film about all kinds of love within the LGBTQ+ community from folks of North Ayrshire.
Gaol [Scottish Gaelic] [Goohl]

Affection, love

I love my partner.

(object of) love

The queer community is full of love.

(pl.) kindred

Chosen family is based on love and support.
Content notes: Discussion of queerphobia.

Femme Disturbance, Dir. Conor Baird, 2024, United Kingdom, 25 min
Femme Disturbance investigates a closeted adolescence, its surrounding family dynamic and the empowering figure of the Action Heroine. To tell these stories the Sisters are interviewed and the Adolescent speaks alongside the Critic. Home movie footage and action heroine performances across Hollywood film and video games are reembodied, cut and collaged.
Content notes: Discussions of disordered eating, homophobia, family discord, mental health. Depictions of fictional violence, implied nudity.

Growin’ Pains, Dir. Sammson Orr, 2023, United Kingdom, 6 min
During a family argument, a teenager flees to the garden for relief, only to find the conflict follows them. Feeling hopeless, they grow into the grass and are swallowed by the ground. They awaken in a subterranean world as a cryptid creature, escaping humanity. What starts as magical escapism becomes a burden as the house and conflict still haunt them.
Content notes: Depiction of nudity.

Miss Temperance, Dir. Jeremy McClain, 2023, United Kingdom, 12 min
A year after a drug- and booze-fueled night that sparked their sobriety, a drag artist prepares to return to the spotlight. As the evening unfolds, Jackson faces nerves, excitement, and past shadows. With their mentor’s support, they confront their fears and find creative freedom in their sober identity. The film explores self-discovery, resilience, and reinvention while celebrating Glasgow’s queer scene.
Content notes: Depiction of alcohol use, drug use, pregnancy.
Access notes: Flashing lights.

ob-SOUL-1337, Dir. Harry Roberts, 2023, United Kingdom, 17 min
An animated short film that uses death and the afterlife to explore our relationship with technology, the duality of our identities online and off and the monetization of our personal memories of thoughts by Big Tech.
Content notes: Depiction of strong language, gore, cartoon violence, nudity, sexual innuendo, death, sex.
Access notes: Flashing imagery, distorted sounds.

I’ve Got Something To Tell You, Dirs. Ben Clery-Hall, Mandy Mcmillan, 2024, United Kingdom, 4 min
An exploration of queer temporality through the mind of someone realising they are trans.

Strangers, Dir. Klarissa Webster, 2023, United Kingdom, 4 min
2 peoples worlds collide in a graveyard. One dealing with a near loss, another still harbouring the pain after many years.

COWBOY, Dir. Luca Kerr, 2024, United Kingdom, 10 min
Young Transgender man ‘Cowboy’ is run out of his small home town and turns to Glasgow in search of a new beginning. But he is unable to shake the shadows of his past.
Content notes: Depiction of homophobic slurs, cigarette use, alcohol use, physical violence, blood.
Access notes: Flashing lights.

Donate:
Donate to SQIFF via PayPal or sign up to one of our four Patreon tiers to support our work and show us you’re a big SQIFF fan 🌈✨

Image Credit: ob-SOUL-1337, Dir. Harry Roberts, 2023

Our World: Signs for the Future with Take One Action and Edinburgh Deaf Festival - SOLD OUT
2024-10-12 11:30 - 13:30 UTC | Centre for Contemporary Arts, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD, United Kingdom
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**Please note this event is now sold out – we may be able to release more tickets nearer the screening. CCA Box Office are operating a waiting list for sold out events – please contact them directly or go to their website to be added to this!**
Curated by Charlie Little, a queer, deafblind film access consultant and curator, ‘Signs for the Future’ is a collection of short films interwoven with intersections of identity, our natural world and elements, and climate justice issues. These films capture Deaf and disabled perspectives and intersectional identity, seeking to spark conversations about collective, intertwined struggles and how our climate plays a role in our unity.
This special showcase will also feature the short film Bee’s Journey, which was produced by emerging Deaf filmmakers and created in response to the Scottish Sensory Centre’s ‘Rewilding BSL’ project. This project led to the creation of over 400 British Sign Language signs for climate and environment-related terms, making climate justice action and environmental discussions more accessible for BSL users.
Bee’s Journey came to life during a filmmaking workshop, ‘Filming Our World: Rewilding BSL & Queer Ecologies,’ facilitated by Take One Action Film Festivals, SQIFF, and Edinburgh Deaf Festival this summer. The workshop presentations were led by Dr. Audrey Cameron, Will Clark, and Klarissa Webster.
Curated by Charlie Little.

Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £2, £4, £6, £8, £10, or £12. To book, click here or call the CCA Box Office on 0141 352 4900.

Accessibility:
This programme has:

American Sign Language, British Sign Language, English audio English language descriptive subtitles
English-BSL interpretation for the introduction.
Live Captioning for the introduction.

This screening is 60 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 12+.
You can find out more information about accessibility at SQIFF 2024 here. If you have any questions about accessibility at SQIFF 2024, please get in touch with us at info@sqiff.org or by phone on 07873 331 036.

Films in this programme include:

Bee’s Journey, Sandra Duguid, Audrey Cameron, Tanya, 2024, United Kingdom, 3 min
Filmed in the serene wildness of Salisbury Centre’s communal garden space, Bee’s Journey follows the perspectives of three individuals and their connection to nature and their identity. This film was imagined and manifested during a Deaf and climate justice-focused filmmaking workshop in collaboration with Take One Action, SQIFF, and Edinburgh Deaf Festival.
Content notes: Discussion of ADHD.

Scotland, Forgive Me, Dir. Will Clark, 2022, United Kingdom, 6 min
Set against a picturesque Scottish beach, a Deaf person writes a love letter to Scotland and to people looking for a place to belong, using poetry to explore their struggles of identity and connection to the country they were born in.

Battery, Dir. Ewan Marshall, 2023, United Kingdom, 14 min
In this apocalyptic love story, Elliot uses his last remaining wheelchair battery to navigate a city devastated by climate disaster, hoping to reunite with his deaf boyfriend.
Content notes: Physical violence.

Octopus, Dir. Ella Glendining, 2022, United Kingdom, 12 min
Upon returning to her sleepy seaside home town for a funeral, a young woman reconnects with the friends she left behind.
Content notes: Discussion of grief, death.

The Beauty of Being Deaf, Dir. Chella Man, 2021, United States, 3 min
Submerged underwater, three people explore and express their celebration of identity and hearing loss.

How to Carry Water, Dir. Sasha Worztel, 2024, United States, 15m
This punk rock fairytale doubles as a portrait of Shoog McDaniel – a fat, queer, and disabled photographer working in and around northern Florida’s vast network of freshwater springs, the state’s source of precious drinking water.
Content notes: Depiction of nudity. Discussion of sexual references, references to fatphobia.

Access notes: Strobe effects.

Donate:
Donate to SQIFF via PayPal or sign up to one of our four Patreon tiers to support our work and show us you’re a big SQIFF fan 🌈✨

Image Credit: The Beauty of Being Deaf, Dir. Chella Man, 2021

Eachdraidh Na Tìre - SOLD OUT
2025-10-30 18:00 - 20:00 UTC | GMAC Film, 103 Trongate, Glasgow, Scotland, G1 5HD, United Kingdom
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**Please note this event is now sold out – we may be able to release more tickets nearer the screening. We are operating a waiting list for sold out events on the platform Ticket Tailor, where we sell our tickets for SQIFF 2025 – please add your name to the waitlist and you’ll be notified by Ticket Tailor if any tickets become available!**

Eachdraidh Na Tìre is a screening of two short films by Scottish filmmakers that explore queer connections to place, memory, and belonging. Rooted in the landscapes of Scotland, the programme reflects on how the land holds traces of marginalised histories and how these can be reclaimed through queer storytelling.
The films offer personal and poetic reflections on identity and resilience, asking how we relate to the places we come from and the spaces we move through. They invite us to consider whose stories are remembered, whose are erased, and how queer people continue to shape and be shaped by Scotland’s shifting cultural and physical environments.
The screening will open with a poetry performance by Esraa Husain, who will also lead a post-screening workshop exploring personal and collective connections to land through a queer lens.
Curated by Take One Action Film Festivals.

Click here to book your ticket for this event
Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £4, £8, £12, £16, or £20, in order to make SQIFF more accessible to those on a low income. You can choose what you pay based on your circumstances – you won’t be asked for any proof/ID. We just ask that you are honest! Please find the ‘What Should I Pay?’ guidance here.

Accessibility
This programme has:

British Sign Language (BSL), English, Scottish Gaelic audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
English-BSL interpretation for introduction and workshop. The interpreter for this event is Lisa Li.
Live Captioning for introduction and workshop

This screening is 60 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 15+.
If you require access seating please get in touch. Access seating includes: wheelchair spaces, bean bag seating, sitting in the front row / in the aisle / at the back. If you need any other provisions, please let us know by emailing info@sqiff.org with your name, ticket information and access request. If you are attending with companions and they need seating with you please also let us know. We will provide one free PA ticket for people who require any type of assistance (all tickets are pay what you can). We will do our best to work with you whilst also managing the capacity of each venue. Thank you for working with us on this.
You can find out more information about accessibility at SQIFF 2025 here. If you have any questions about accessibility at SQIFF 2025, please get in touch with us at info@sqiff.org or by phone on 07873 331 036.

Films in this programme include:
Dissonance, Dir. Aderayo Adenekan, 2025, United Kingdom, 30 min
Experimental short following a young Black woman exploring her queerness after moving cities, battling internal conflict from homophobic upbringing. Split between wordless narrative and documentary epilogue, the film uses movement, sound, and symbolism to capture psychological dissonance between taught identity and authentic self-discovery.
Content notes: Discussion of homophobia, racism, transphobia.
Access notes: Flashing lights.

who will be remembered here, Dirs. Michael Sherrington, Lewis Hetherington, CJ Mahony, 2025, United Kingdom, 30 min
A cry against cultural erasure. Four queer people across Scotland’s historic landscapes question the stories we tell and their impact on future generations. This intimate film archives marginalized identities, claiming space in history as a beacon for those who follow—a tender refusal to be forgotten.
Content notes: Discussion of death, war, queer and disabled erasure.

Donate:
Donate to SQIFF via PayPal or sign up to one of our four Patreon tiers to support our work and show us you’re a big SQIFF fan 🌈✨

Supported by Screen Scotland, the BFI Audience Projects Fund and Film Hub Scotland (part of the BFI Film Audience Network), all awarding National Lottery funding.

Image Credit: Dissonance, Dir. Aderayo Adenekan, 2025

Queer Freedom
2025-11-01 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | The Social Hub, The Social Hub, Candleriggs Square, Glasgow, G1 1TQ
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Oska Brights very own Head Programmer, Matthew Hellett is back at SQIFF with a fearless, unapologetic celebration of Learning Disabled and autistic filmmakers stories, who are reshaping cinema with their unique voices, powerful stories, and visionary perspectives. He presents a specially curated programme of some of his highlights from over the years at Oska Bright Film Festival. After the screening, stay tuned for a special conversation hosted by Stella Nicholson with Matthew Hellett.
Curated by Matthew Hellett.

Click here to book your ticket for this event
Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £4, £8, £12, £16, or £20, in order to make SQIFF more accessible to those on a low income. You can choose what you pay based on your circumstances – you won’t be asked for any proof/ID. We just ask that you are honest! Please find the ‘What Should I Pay?’ guidance here.

Accessibility
This programme has:

English audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
English-BSL interpretation for introduction and panel discussion. The interpreter for this event is Lou Hanson.
Live Captioning for introduction and panel discussion

This screening is 54 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 15+.
If you require access seating please get in touch. Access seating includes: wheelchair spaces, bean bag seating, sitting in the front row / in the aisle / at the back. If you need any other provisions, please let us know by emailing info@sqiff.org with your name, ticket information and access request. If you are attending with companions and they need seating with you please also let us know. We will provide one free PA ticket for people who require any type of assistance (all tickets are pay what you can). We will do our best to work with you whilst also managing the capacity of each venue. Thank you for working with us on this.
You can find out more information about accessibility at SQIFF 2025 here. If you have any questions about accessibility at SQIFF 2025, please get in touch with us at info@sqiff.org or by phone on 07873 331 036.

Films in this programme include:
Just Me, Dir. Mattie Kennedy, 2014, United Kingdom, 3 min
A film about individual identities and family ties, Versions is made through the technique of stop-motion and collage in which the filmmaker uses various silhouettes, which could potentially represent rebirth.
Content notes: Discussion of ableism.

Izzy Aman: The Joy of Drag, Dir. Isabella Walton, 2023, United Kingdom, 13 min
This film explores the rich expressive world of drag kinging through the experience of one individual: Isabel Adomakoh Young, known as Izzy Aman in the drag world.
Content notes: Discussion of patriarchy, racism, toxic masculinity.

Coming out Autistic, Dir. Steven Fraser, 2023, United Kingdom, 4 min
Coming out Autistic is a short animated documentary that explores the experience of telling the world that you are autistic when you also identify as LGBTQ+.

S.A.M., Dirs. Neil Ely, Lloyd Eyre-Morgan, 2020, United Kingdom, 16 min
S.A.M. is a short drama film in which two teenagers bond after meeting in a park after school.
Content notes: Depiction of ableism.

Sparkle, Dir. Matthew Hellett, 2008, United Kingdom, 3 min
Sparkle, made by Matthew Hellett, charts his transformation into a glamorous alternative persona, the drag queen Mrs. Sparkle.

(Un)fit to Work, Dir. Yasmin Godo, 2023, United Kingdom, 5 min
A disabled mechanic takes us on a musical journey of 80s disco & ballroom through his imagination after he’s denied access to apply for the job he’s best suited for at his local job center.
Content notes: Depiction of ableism.

Born to Dance with an Extra Chromosome: the Drag Queens (and Kings) with Down’s Syndrome, Dir. Nikolay Nikolov, 2020, United Kingdom, 10 min
Born to dance with an extra chromosome: the drag queens (and kings) with Down syndrome. This short film follows Drag Syndrome during a performance at the Ace Hotel in East London.

Donate:
Donate to SQIFF via PayPal or sign up to one of our four Patreon tiers to support our work and show us you’re a big SQIFF fan 🌈✨

Supported by Screen Scotland, the BFI Audience Projects Fund and Film Hub Scotland (part of the BFI Film Audience Network), all awarding National Lottery funding.

Image Credit: Izzy Aman: The Joy of Drag, Dir. Isabella Walton, 2023

SQIFF x Porty Pride Film Night
2026-06-07 19:00 - 21:00 UTC | Portobello Town Hall, 147-149 Portobello High Street, Edinburgh, EH15 1AF
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Once again, SQIFF and Porty Pride are teaming up to bring you an eclectic mix of queer short films.
This edition celebrates multi-cultural intersections in queer cinema. The first film, Who Will Be Remembered Here, is a brave tale of reclaiming history against the backdrop of rural Scotland. Next is Dissonance which follows a young Black woman fleeing a homophobic upbringing and discovering herself in Glasgow.
Then we have Oceania, a colourful, softly lit short about a teenage gamer dealing with grief. This is followed by a moving animation named Two Black Boys in Paradise that explores the joys and woes of queer black gays passionately in love.
Then comes Two Travelling Aunties, the adorable and funny story of two older lesbians from Singapore living out their dream travelling the world together in their van. Last but not least is the hilarious Sriracha. An east-asian drag king and a Turkish kebab chef clash over the condiment but are brought together by their rage towards some drunk British lads.
Then please join us for a chatty informal Q&A with some of the filmmakers, hosted by Nat Lall.
Curated by Nat Lall
Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of £5, £10, £15. To book your ticket for this event, click here.

Accessibility
This programme has:

An age recommendation of N/C 16+.
British Sign Language and English, French, Scottish Gaelic audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
BSL-English interpretation provided for the introduction and panel discussion.

This screening is 126 minutes long with a introduction and panel discussion.

Films in this programme include:
who will be remembered here, Dirs. Michael Sherrington, Lewis Hetherington, CJ Mahony, 2025, United Kingdom, 30 min
A cry against cultural erasure. Four queer people across Scotland’s historic landscapes question the stories we tell and their impact on future generations. This intimate film archives marginalized identities, claiming space in history as a beacon for those who follow a tender refusal to be forgotten.
Content notes: Discussion of death, war, queer and disabled erasure.

Dissonance, Dir. Aderayo Adenekan, 2025, United Kingdom, 30 min
Experimental short following a young Black woman exploring her queerness after moving cities, battling internal conflict from homophobic upbringing. Split between wordless narrative and documentary epilogue, the film uses movement, sound, and symbolism to capture psychological dissonance between taught identity and authentic self-discovery.
Content notes: Discussion of homophobia, racism, transphobia.
Access notes: Flashing lights.

Oceania, Dir. Valentin Noujaïm, 2024, Lebanon, 24 min
Najib, 16, spends his summer on a video game, until his mother, Asma, discovers the death of their elderly and lonely neighbour. He steals the keys to the apartment, and dives into an unexpected world.
Content notes: Discussion of death, HIV stigma.
Access notes: Flashing imagery, flashing lights.

Two Black Boys in Paradise, Dir. Baz Sells, 2025, United Kingdom, 9 min
A movingly tender animation, based on Dean Atta’s eponymous poem, sees two boys (Edan, 19 and Dula, 18) on a journey of self-acceptance and love – for each other and themselves.
Content notes: Depiction of animated nudity, homophobia, police harassment, racism, sex.

Two Travelling Aunties, Dir. Christine Seow, 2025, Singapore, 22 min
Two spirited Singaporean seniors ditch conventional living for van life, embracing adventure, newfound freedom, and the joy of living on their terms.
Content notes: Depiction of drug use. Discussion of family rejection.

Sriracha, Dir. Weili Hsing, 2024, United Kingdom, 10 min
In a chaotic London kebab shop, Asian drag king Li clashes with traditional Turkish chef Hamza over sriracha. When drunk British lads arrive seeking trouble, a simple condiment dispute erupts into a full food fight. Through the mayhem, Li and Hamza discover their shared experience bridges cultural divides, forging unexpected friendship.
Content notes: Depiction of transphobia.

Donate:
Donate to SQIFF via PayPal or sign up to one of our four Patreon tiers to support our work and show us you’re a big SQIFF fan 🌈✨

Image Credit: Porty Pride, 2025

BSL Film Club x SQIFF: Reconnection + Close to You + Q&A
2026-09-20 14:30 - 17:30 UTC
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This screening will have an introduction and be followed by a Q&A with Reconnection director Amy Helena, moderated by BSL Film Club co-programmer Charlie Little.

BSL Film Club are delighted to be collaborating with Scottish Queer International Film Festival (SQIFF) on a partnership screening with Filmhouse.

BSL Film Club is Deaf Action’s monthly community screening, programmed by Charlie Little and Tomas Gerrard. These screenings are designed for all deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing audiences with an interest in British Sign Language. Our screenings are presented with on-screen descriptive subtitles, and all fluency levels of BSL are welcome.

SQIFF (Scottish Queer International Film Festival) is a charity formed with the aim of showcasing diverse queer cinema and uplifting creative voices from the LGBTQIA+ community in Scotland and beyond. The organisation runs an annual film festival in Glasgow, pop-up and year-round events, and community-focused programmes across Scotland.

Join us afterwards for a Q&A with Reconnection director Amy Helena, moderated by BSL Film Club co-programmer Charlie Little.

Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £4, £8, £12, £16, or £20. To book your ticket for this event, click here.

Accessibility
This programme has:

English audio and British Sing Language with English language Descriptive Subtitles
BSL-English Interpretation for the intro and panel discussion.
Live Captioning for the intro and panel discussion.

This screening is 110 minutes long.

Films in this programme includes:

Reconnection (dir. Amy Helena, UK, 2026, 11 mins, British Sign Language w/ English subtitles)

A couple’s argument is interrupted by a blackout. In candlelight, silence gives way to honesty, helping them reconnect and bridge the emotional distance between them.

Close to You (dir. Dominic Savage, Canada/UK/USA, 2023, 99 mins, English and American Sign Language w/ English subtitles)

Elliot Page stars in this gentle romantic drama alongside co-star Hillary Baack (Sound of Metal). Close to You follows a trans man as he returns to his hometown, facing family tensions and complicated dynamics. He reunites with a former love interest, and begins a journey of self-acceptance.

This event is supported by Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, awarding funding on behalf of Screen Scotland and the BFI National Lottery.

Donate:
Donate to SQIFF via PayPal or sign up to one of our four Patreon tiers to support our work and show us you’re a big SQIFF fan 🌈✨

Image Credit: Close to You Dir. Dominic Savage, 2023
