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