SQIFF

NIÑXS (Edinburgh) - SOLD OUT
2025-09-21 17:45 - 20:15 UTC | Edinburgh Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH3 9BZ
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In the rural small town of Tepoztlán, Mexico, fifteen-year-old Karla gets to tell her own coming-of-age story as she navigates the joys and complexities of trans adolescence. Irresistibly warm and funny, NIÑXS bursts the seams of documentary convention by dissolving the distance between filmmaker and subject. Director Kani Lapuerta and Karla reflect together on their transness as they watch eight years’ worth of footage documenting this formative period of Karla’s life: from trying out for the cheer team, playing with makeup, to being embarrassed by her loving and supportive parents. In an era where trans kids are spoken over and spoken for, NIÑXS sparkles with confidence, wit, and magic: a joyous demand that trans youth get to narrate their own stories. Presented as part of Take One Action Film Festivals 2025!
Join Listen Gallery’s Riah for a sounding workshop where we will collectively create sounds and explore sonic inspirations drawn from the film Niñxs. Together, we’ll move through vocal exercises designed to open a shared space for auditory imagination in response to the film. This workshop welcomes people of all backgrounds and mobilities. If there’s anything that would help make it easier for you to take part, just let Riah know — no musical experience needed.

Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £5, £10, £15, or £20. To book your ticket for this event, click here.

Accessibility
This programme has:

Content Notes: Discussions of transphobia, gender dysphoria, death and surgery. Contains two brief depictions of fake blood.
Access Notes: Mix of explanatory dialogue (in Spanish) and visual storytelling. Mainly bright images, with a short sequence of darker images towards the end of the film.
Spanish audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
English-BSL interpretation for introduction and workshop
Live Captioning for introduction

This screening is 86 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 15+.

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: NINXS, Dir. Kani Lapuerta, 2025

NIÑXS (Glasgow)
2025-09-27 20:00 - 22:30 | GMAC Film, 103 Trongate, Glasgow, Scotland, G1 5HD, United Kingdom
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In the rural small town of Tepoztlán, Mexico, fifteen-year-old Karla gets to tell her own coming-of-age story as she navigates the joys and complexities of trans adolescence. Irresistibly warm and funny, NIÑXS bursts the seams of documentary convention by dissolving the distance between filmmaker and subject. Director Kani Lapuerta and Karla reflect together on their transness as they watch eight years’ worth of footage documenting this formative period of Karla’s life: from trying out for the cheer team, playing with makeup, to being embarrassed by her loving and supportive parents. In an era where trans kids are spoken over and spoken for, NIÑXS sparkles with confidence, wit, and magic: a joyous demand that trans youth get to narrate their own stories. Presented as part of Take One Action Film Festivals 2025!
Grasping with both hands the joy, tenderness and tenacity that jumps through the screen in NIÑXS, stay on after the screening to learn all about the amazing trans mutual aid initiatives flourishing in Glasgow, how you can access their resources, and how you can get involved.

Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £5, £10, £15, or £20. To book your ticket for this event, click here.

Accessibility
This programme has:

Content Notes: Discussions of transphobia, gender dysphoria, death and surgery. Contains two brief depictions of fake blood.
Access Notes: Mix of explanatory dialogue (in Spanish) and visual storytelling. Mainly bright images, with a short sequence of darker images towards the end of the film.
Spanish audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
English-BSL interpretation for introduction and workshop
Live Captioning for introduction

This screening is 86 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 15+.

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: NINXS, Dir. Kani Lapuerta, 2025

NIÑXS (Inverness)
2025-10-12 17:30 - 20:00 | Eden Court, Bishops Road, Inverness, IV3 5SA, United Kingdom
Listen to this Event Page
In the rural small town of Tepoztlán, Mexico, fifteen-year-old Karla gets to tell her own coming-of-age story as she navigates the joys and complexities of trans adolescence. Irresistibly warm and funny, NIÑXS bursts the seams of documentary convention by dissolving the distance between filmmaker and subject. Director Kani Lapuerta and Karla reflect together on their transness as they watch eight years’ worth of footage documenting this formative period of Karla’s life: from trying out for the cheer team, playing with makeup, to being embarrassed by her loving and supportive parents. In an era where trans kids are spoken over and spoken for, NIÑXS sparkles with confidence, wit, and magic: a joyous demand that trans youth get to narrate their own stories. Presented as part of Take One Action Film Festivals 2025!
Grasping with both hands the joy, tenderness and tenacity that jumps through the screen in NIÑXS, stay on after the screening for a celebration of trans life lived to its fullest.

Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of FREE, £5, £10, £15, or £20. To book your ticket for this event, click here.

Accessibility
This programme has:

Content Notes: Discussions of transphobia, gender dysphoria, death and surgery. Contains two brief depictions of fake blood.
Access Notes: Mix of explanatory dialogue (in Spanish) and visual storytelling. Mainly bright images, with a short sequence of darker images towards the end of the film.
Spanish audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
English-BSL interpretation for introduction and workshop
Live Captioning for introduction

This screening is 86 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 15+.

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: NINXS, Dir. Kani Lapuerta, 2025

The River and The Glen, Camp Trans Scotland: The Exhibition
2025-10-27 14:00 - 2025-10-31 19:00 | Listen Gallery, 60 York Street, Glasgow, G2 8JX
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Cradled by the mountains, refreshed by the clear river, walk into the deep magic of Camp Trans Scotland. This exhibition holds its viewers in a moment of peace, pausing the chaos outside. It leads the audience into a time and space built on and by nature, community care and trans ancestry.
Photographs from 2024 and 2025 take the viewer into a world still vibrating within the camp trans folks. It invites the viewer under its green shield, to breathe the golden air, heal, and restore the strength we need to face the relentless attacks on trans people.
Stones, and other objects from the Camp will be in the space, available to touch, smell, creating a palpable, alive, archive. The stones will be returned to the glen, taking with them those who touched them.
The film made at the first camp, The River and The Glen, will play every hour.
Curated by Jules Lacave-Fontourcy.

This is a FREE exhibition.
2pm-7pm daily from 27th October – 1st November.

Accessibility
This exhibition has English Language descriptive subtitles.
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.

This exhibition features the film:
The River and The Glen, Dir. Jules Lacave-Fontourcy, 2025, United Kingdom, 30 min
The first Scottish Camp Trans happened in September 2024, near Aberfeldy. Cradled by the mountains, far away from cis-society for a weekend, we existed on our own terms. Far from being a commodified retreat, Camp Trans was a coming together of trans people to rest and restore our strength.
Content notes: Depiction of one image of naked people (chest up) & seen from behind from feet up to head. Discussions of ableism, alcohol use, current trans panic, drug use, racism, 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 🌈✨

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: The River and The Glen, Dir. Jules Lacave-Fontourcy, 2025

Swipe Right on Your Next Film Collab
2025-10-27 17:00 - 19:00 | The Social Hub, The Social Hub, Candleriggs Square, Glasgow, G1 1TQ
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Join SQIFF and Trans on Screen for an exciting speed-filmmaking event exclusively for queer and trans filmmakers. Designed in a fast-paced “speed dating” format, this session connects queer and trans directors, producers and HODs looking to spark new collaborations and bring fresh stories to life. Whether you’re an emerging filmmaker or already working in the industry, this is a unique opportunity to meet potential creative partners, share ideas, and build community in a focused, time-efficient setting.
Each short round of conversation allows participants to introduce their work, explore shared interests, and discover new possibilities for partnership. Expect a warm, welcoming space centred on creative exchange and mutual support, where trans voices lead the conversation.
Bring your project ideas, passion, and curiosity! This is your chance to connect with the next wave of queer and trans filmmaking talent and maybe even meet your next collaborator.
Curated by Trans on Screen.

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-BSL interpretation throughout the event
Live Captioning throughout the event

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.

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: Tiu Makkonen

SQIFF 2025 Opening Night Scottish Shorts - SOLD OUT
2025-10-27 20:00 - 22:00 | The Social Hub, The Social Hub, Candleriggs Square, Glasgow, G1 1TQ
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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!**
We are once again back with an opening event celebrating Scottish queer cinema! This screening exclusively contains short films by artists based in Scotland. The selected short films highlight the diversity of LGBTQIA+ films being made right here in Scotland. Before we spend the week enjoying cinematic treats from across the globe, let’s take a moment to appreciate the talented and close-knit queer community we are so grateful to have right here. Expect bright colours, lovely creatures, big laughs and plenty of fun informal chat in our post-screening Q&A with the filmmakers.
All filmmakers in this screening and ‘Scottish Shorts 2’ 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 2025.
Curated by Nat Lall and Huss.

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:

Audio Description
English audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
English-BSL interpretation for introduction and panel discussion
Live Captioning for introduction and panel discussion

This screening is 75 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:
This Werewolf Complex, Dir. Heather E Andrews, 2024, United Kingdom, 15 min
Moving portrait explores brain auras through personal voices, examining seizure warnings, social stigma, and their positive impact on artistic expression.

TWISTED PAIR, Dir. Edward Gwyn Jones, 2023, United Kingdom, 13 min
Two characters engage in erotic, absurdist phone calls that invert power dynamics, sampling 1975-1985 queer cinema and pop culture.

Late Bloomers, Dir. Axel Gutapfel, 2024, United Kingdom, 6 min
Late Bloomers depicts a post-nature world where Glasgow’s queer community creates reality through mimicking wilderness they’ve never known.

Three Act Structure, Dir. Iona Rose Wheeler, 2025, United Kingdom, 3 min
Iona recounts and imagines experiences discussing gender with doctors.
Content notes: Discussion of difficulties in accessing trans healthcare, medical conversations, transphobia.

TAPS, Dir. Louis O. Utieyin, 2025, United Kingdom, 7 min
When Max unknowingly summons a demon on Grindr, he must do whatever it takes to survive.
Content notes: Discussion of drug use, sex.
Access notes: Flashing imagery.

Taxonomy, Dir. Ren Leverentz, 2025, United Kingdom, 11 min
Using a combination of movement art and conversation, Taxonomy is a short documentary that explores the relationship between language and gender for trans and non-binary people.
Content notes: Discussion of dysphoria, misgendering.

The Figure in the Carpet, Dir. Fibi Cowley, 2024, United Kingdom, 7 min
Personal reflection on living with hallucinations, told through experimental puppetry and informed by the director’s lived sensory experiences.

Well … Actually, Dir. Zyra Evangelista, 2025, United Kingdom, 13 min
When xeir best friend pulls a prank that goes terribly wrong, an agoraphobic doomsday pepper becomes the world’s last hope for survival… or so they think.
Content notes: Depiction of misgendering, strong language use. Discussion of climate change, genocide, homelessness, intense fears and phobias.

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: TAPS, Dir. Louis O. Utieyin, 2025

Scottish Shorts 1 - SOLD OUT
2025-10-28 15:30 - 17:30 | The Boardwalk, The Boardwalk, 105 Brunswick St, Glasgow, G1 1TF
Listen to this Event Page

**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!**

We are once again back with an opening event celebrating Scottish queer cinema! This screening exclusively contains short films by artists based in Scotland. The selected short films highlight the diversity of LGBTQIA+ films being made right here in Scotland. Before we spend the week enjoying cinematic treats from across the globe, let’s take a moment to appreciate the talented and close-knit queer community we are so grateful to have right here. Expect bright colours, lovely creatures, big laughs and plenty of fun informal chat in our post-screening Q&A with the filmmakers.
All filmmakers in this screening and ‘Scottish Shorts 2’ 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 2025.
Curated by Nat Lall and Huss.

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:

Audio Description
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 75 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:
This Werewolf Complex, Dir. Heather E Andrews, 2024, United Kingdom, 15 min
Moving portrait explores brain auras through personal voices, examining seizure warnings, social stigma, and their positive impact on artistic expression.

TWISTED PAIR, Dir. Edward Gwyn Jones, 2023, United Kingdom, 13 min
Two characters engage in erotic, absurdist phone calls that invert power dynamics, sampling 1975-1985 queer cinema and pop culture.

Late Bloomers, Dir. Axel Gutapfel, 2024, United Kingdom, 6 min
Late Bloomers depicts a post-nature world where Glasgow’s queer community creates reality through mimicking wilderness they’ve never known.

Three Act Structure, Dir. Iona Rose Wheeler, 2025, United Kingdom, 3 min
Iona recounts and imagines experiences discussing gender with doctors.
Content notes: Discussion of difficulties in accessing trans healthcare, medical conversations, transphobia.

TAPS, Dir. Louis O. Utieyin, 2025, United Kingdom, 7 min
When Max unknowingly summons a demon on Grindr, he must do whatever it takes to survive.
Content notes: Discussion of drug use, sex.
Access notes: Flashing imagery.

Taxonomy, Dir. Ren Leverentz, 2025, United Kingdom, 11 min
Using a combination of movement art and conversation, Taxonomy is a short documentary that explores the relationship between language and gender for trans and non-binary people.
Content notes: Discussion of dysphoria, misgendering.

The Figure in the Carpet, Dir. Fibi Cowley, 2024, United Kingdom, 7 min
Personal reflection on living with hallucinations, told through experimental puppetry and informed by the director’s lived sensory experiences.

Well … Actually, Dir. Zyra Evangelista, 2025, United Kingdom, 13 min
When xeir best friend pulls a prank that goes terribly wrong, an agoraphobic doomsday pepper becomes the world’s last hope for survival… or so they think.
Content notes: Depiction of misgendering, strong language use. Discussion of climate change, genocide, homelessness, intense fears and phobias.

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: TAPS, Dir. Louis O. Utieyin, 2025

How We Loved, How We Broke - SOLD OUT
2025-10-28 18:00 - 20:00 | The Boardwalk, The Boardwalk, 105 Brunswick St, Glasgow, G1 1TF
Listen to this Event Page

**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!**
Love arrives in many forms, and heartbreak rarely leaves without a trace. How We Loved, How We Broke brings together six short films that explore intimacy, longing, separation, and survival. Each story reveals a different facet of queer connection, from fleeting encounters and deep ruptures to surreal escapes and quiet acts of care.
Spanning cities, languages, and emotional landscapes, this programme offers a tender and vivid reflection on the ways queer people love, lose, remember, and move forward. Whether anchored in reality or slipping into fantasy, these films speak to the complexity of queer relationships and the echoes they leave behind.
Following the screening, join us for a live performance by Glasgow-based artists Simone Seales and Mele Broomes, sharing new music from their upcoming album inspired by experiences of first love.
Curated by Huss.

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:

Arabic, English, French, Mandarin Chinese, Persian, Tagalog, Yue Chinese (Cantonese) audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
English-BSL interpretation for introduction and performance. The interpreter for this event is Lisa Li.
Live Captioning for introduction and performance

This screening is 98 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 18+.
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:
Aliens In Beirut, Dir. Raghed Charabaty, 2025, Lebanon, 17 min
A Lebanese immigrant returns to Beirut for the first time in a decade, only to find love and horror by the sea, in the alleyways, and on the elusive rooftops of the city – right before the 2020 Beirut Port Explosion.
Content notes: Depiction of cigarette use, destruction, explosion. Discussion of homophobia, war.

At Least We Had This Moment, Dir. Joshua de Vera, 2025, Philippines, 20 min
In his quest to capture the aged architecture of Manila, film photographer Dino seeks the company of a local stranger, Vince. But as the city noises grew, their stories stood out.
Content notes: Depiction of cigarette use.

Earworm, Dir. Ilias Merabiha, 2025, France, Germany, 11 min
Tormented Gaspard battles a parasitic worm feeding on his grief after romance ends, undergoing cathartic metamorphosis through healing rituals.

EDEN (باغ عدن), Dir. Rustin Zam-Zam Madadi, 2024, United States of America, 10 min
In the sun-soaked suburbs of Orange County, CA, Roya returns home seeking a fresh start, only to become entangled in a web of desire at an all-women’s yoga studio with their trans masculine counterpart. As loyalties shift and old wounds resurface, the studio transforms into a battleground where love and hate collide.

Fortune Favours the Fantabulous, Dir. Em Li, 2023, United Kingdom, 25 min
Non-binary fortune teller Fei Liu’s marsh tent becomes invaded by phantoms over three days, threatening their reality and future.

Purebred, Dir. Caleb J. Roberts, 2025, Ireland, United Kingdom, 15 min
During a heatwave in Belfast, transgender man Owen returns to the flat of his on-off-again lover Seán after taking a pregnancy test.
Content notes: Depiction of non-explicit nudity, sex scenes, strong language use. Discussion of pregnancy.

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: Aliens In Beirut, Dir. Raghed Charabaty, 2025

Rookie - SOLD OUT
2025-10-28 18:30 - 20:30 | The Boardwalk, The Boardwalk, 105 Brunswick St, Glasgow, G1 1TF
Listen to this Event Page

**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!**

Ace is a tall, awkward teenager who moves to an all-girls Catholic high school in the Philippines. The volleyball coach spots Ace on her first day, and invites her to try out for the team. She is initially no good at the sport and socially ostracised, but things begin to change when she falls for the highly motivated team captain, Jana, who dislikes her because she sees her as a threat. But the girls and their teammates must nonetheless join forces: not only to successfully compete in competitions, but also to face up against a more disturbing, insidious threat. Powered by authentic performances, Samantha Lee’s heartfelt film captures the resilience of the young athlete as she struggles for acceptance, and the strength of female solidarity in a society rigged against women.
Curated by Queer East.

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:

Philippines, English and Tagalog audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
English-BSL interpretation for introduction. The interpreter for this event is Lou Hanson.
Live Captioning for introduction
Content notes: Depiction of sexual assault. Discussion of distressing themes.

This screening is 94 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.

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: Rookie, Dir. Samantha Lee, 2023

Scottish Shorts 2 - SOLD OUT
2025-10-28 21:00 - 23:00 | The Boardwalk, The Boardwalk, 105 Brunswick St, Glasgow, G1 1TF
Listen to this Event Page

**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!**

Returning for another year at the festival, Scottish Shorts 2 is a bold and intimate programme of short films by queer filmmakers working across Scotland. This selection continues to explore the queer Scottish experience through stories shaped by displacement, desire, care, survival, and play.
These films move between personal documentary, narrative storytelling, and experimental textures. Some reflect on home and migration, others explore relationships, identity, and transformation. These films reveal queer lives in all their depth and nuance, telling stories with humour and heart.
At its core, this programme brings forward voices and perspectives too often absent from Scottish screens. It celebrates a growing queer cinema that is rooted, restless, and unapologetically present.
All filmmakers in this screening and in ‘Scottish Shorts 1’ 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 2025.
Following the screening, we’ll be joined by the filmmakers for a Q&A to reflect on their work, share insights, and open up space for conversation.
Curated by Nat Lall and Huss.

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:

Chinese, English, Mandarin audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
English-BSL interpretation for introduction and panel discussion. The interpreter for this event is Louise Rodgers.
Live Captioning for introduction and panel discussion

This screening is 76 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 18+.
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:
A Journey Of The Leaves, Dir. Yash Zhang, 2024, United Kingdom, 11 min
When memories of his father’s violence chase him from China, a queer filmmaker drifts into an autumn-touched Estonian town. There, a wandering traveler, a bookstore owner, a poet’s living statue, and another queer Chinese soul carrying similar wounds guide him through the scattered pieces of his past.
Content notes: Discussion of violence.

Be Honest!, Dir. Alice Harper, 2025, United Kingdom, 11 min
With a chance to win £100,000 for their ailing child, a couple enter a game show where they must face the most brutal challenge of all — being honest.

Before You Leave, Dir. Louise Thomas, 2024, United Kingdom, 12 min
On the day before her move to Australia, Innes, a veterinarian in her mid-twenties, grapples with mounting uncertainty as she and her sister, Saoirse, navigate the streets of Edinburgh. On this journey, they deliver the last of her belongings to a coworker, an ex-boyfriend, and a childhood friend. Each encounter becomes a poignant reminder of what she’s leaving behind.

Keith, Dir. Steven Fraser, 2024, United Kingdom, 8 min
A Glasgow filmmaker discovers a dead body behind bins and embarks on a phone-based investigation to identify the victim. Using animation techniques exploring social media, apps, and blogs, the film examines neurodiversity and autistic communication styles while building tension toward revealing the deceased person’s name.
Content notes: Depiction of animated nudity, drug use.

Bowl, Dir. John Kelbie, 2025, United Kingdom, 10 min
Arthur is an elderly, quick-witted, gay man who has recently been diagnosed with arthritis. Upon finding out that his old foe and competitor Norma is playing in the upcoming lawn bowls charity match, Arthur seeks the chance to prove himself. He faces many challenges along the way as he bickers with Norma and comes to terms with his illness and the losses he has faced, but with a little help from Norma’s granddaughter Jenn, he is able to confront his past and learn what is truly important to him.
Content notes: Discussion of death, grief, illness, loss.

Cahā, Dir. Chak Hin Leung, 2024, United Kingdom, 10 min
Intimate documentary capturing two immigrants—Indian and Bruneian—meeting in a London teahouse. Over tea (“cahā”), their casual conversation reveals profound stories of sacrifice, identity, and adaptation. The film explores immigrant experiences and colonial tea legacy, showing how this simple ritual creates unexpected connection and understanding across borders.
Content notes: Discussion of colonialism, transphobia.

Changing Homes, Dir. Mano Mandal, 2025, United Kingdom, 6 min
An Indian nonbinary transmasculine person goes to a European beach for the first time since their top surgery. As they sit and read about a historical trans person, they navigate the idea of being shirtless in public for the very first time. While doing so, they reflect on Eurocentric body standards and on their sense of home — in their own body and amidst bodies of water.

First Contact, Dir. James Crang, 2025, United Kingdom, 8 min
In isolation on the moon, a gardener tends to his small patch of life. When another person appears, he is forced to confront his fears of connection. Will he nurture a bond that could bring light to his lonely existence, or will his anxiety keep him in darkness?

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: Keith, Dir. Steven Fraser, 2024

NO PRIDE IN GENOCIDE - SOLD OUT
2025-10-29 15:30 - 17:30 | The Boardwalk, The Boardwalk, 105 Brunswick St, Glasgow, G1 1TF
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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!**

“I’ve always imagined you and me sitting out in the sun, hand in hand, free at last. We spoke of all the places we would go if we could. Yet you are gone now. If I had known the bombs falling around us would take you from me, I would have told the world how I adored you more than anything.  I’m sorry I was a coward.”  – Words of a queer Palestinian, submitted to Queering the Map
NO PRIDE IN GENOCIDE confronts a brutal truth. While queer lives are celebrated and marketed in some parts of the world, elsewhere they are being bombed, silenced, and erased.
As Palestine is reduced to rubble and its people fight for survival, this programme stands in unwavering solidarity. It amplifies queer voices that refuse to be erased by genocide, pinkwashing, or complicity.
Featuring urgent works from Palestine, the diaspora, and Lebanon, this programme gathers stories of queer love, loss, resistance, and survival. Each film defies erasure, insisting on presence over silence. These works reject the idea that queerness can be separated from the violence, displacement, and repression that shapes the lives of those it affects. Some of these stories emerge from exile, tracing the long shadows of conflict and the quiet resilience of those still carrying memory across oceans.
Rooted in the Palestinian struggle, NO PRIDE IN GENOCIDE also reflects broader realities of queer Arab life under occupation, exile, and authoritarian rule. Across borders and identities, these films speak to the endurance of those living under systems of state violence and to the radical imagination it takes to survive them.
In a time when visibility is weaponised, we refuse silence.  There is no queer liberation without the liberation of Palestine.  There is no pride in genocide.  Liberation for Palestine is liberation for us all.
Following the screening, there will be a discussion with No Pride in Genocide Glasgow and Solidarity Screenings Glasgow, inviting audiences to engage with these urgent issues and reflect on the power of solidarity.
Curated by Huss.

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:

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

This screening is 74 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 18+.
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:
Blood Like Water, Dir. Dima Hamdan, 2023, Palestine, 13 min
When a Palestinian man is blackmailed with footage of him having sex with another man, he and his family are forced to make a terrible decision: collaborate with the Israeli occupation or be publicly shamed. Based on true stories.
Content notes: Depiction of homophobia, physical assault, strong language. Discussion of harassment, illegal Israeli occupation, murder.

I Never Promised You a Jasmine Garden, Dir. Teyama Alkamli, 2023, Canada, 20 min
Tara, a queer Arab woman in her late 20s, attempts to suppress her internal emotional turbulence during a phone call with her best friend Sarab, with whom she is in love.
Content notes: Depiction of cigarette use.

Cinema Fouad, Dir. Mohamed Soueid, 1993, Lebanon, 41 min
Documentary portrait of Oscar Al-Halabiye, a Syrian trans woman in Beirut working as domestic worker and belly dancer. Through intimate scenes of daily life, she reflects on gender reassignment desires, mourning her Palestinian lover’s death, and facing societal aggressions that echo even in the filmmaker’s provocative interview style.
Content notes: Discussion of transphobia, violence.

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: Cinema Fouad, Dir. Mohamed Soueid, 1993

A Nova Era
2025-10-29 18:00 - 20:00 | The Boardwalk, The Boardwalk, 105 Brunswick St, Glasgow, G1 1TF
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Curated in collaboration with Mostra Queer Brasil, this vibrant programme of short films offers a window into queer life and imagination across Brazil. From poetic documentary to sci-fi, magical realism to tender coming-of-age, the selection celebrates how fluidity, resistance, and reinvention shape queer identities and experiences in Brazilian contexts.
These stories reflect a country where transformation is constant and identity is expansive. Whether through ancient landscapes, futuristic visions, or intimate connections, the films explore how queer Brazilians carve out space to live, feel, and dream on their own terms.
The screening includes a surprise short, winner of Best Brazilian Short Film from Mostra Luminosa in Bahia, and will be followed by a conversation on Brazilian queer cinema between filmmaker and Mostra Queer Brasil founder Ricky Mastro and Amazônia EcoQueer curator Danilo Baraúna.
Curated by Indigo Korres and Ricky Mastro.

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:

Portuguese 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 72 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 18+.
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:
How a river is born, Dir. Luma Flôres, 2025, Brazil, 9 min
Ayla wakes up in a mountainous landscape, surrounded only by vegetation and a river. Driven by curiosity and a desire to get to know the place, she goes on a journey of discovery and diving. As she discovers where she is, she also discovers herself.
Content notes: Depiction of animated nudity.

Telepathic Encounters, Dir. Henfil, 2025, Brazil, 5 min,
A love at first sight between two young girls unveils an unexpected telepathic community amid a silent library.

If I’m Here It Is By Mystery, Dir. Clari Ribeiro, 2024, Brazil, 22 min
New Rio, 2054. Renowned witch Dahlia arrives at the port with a mission: to found the most powerful Clan that has ever existed and thus defeat the Order of Truth. In the future, many people are trans — but only a few are witches.
Content notes: Depiction of blood, death, knife.

Vollúpya, Dirs. Éri Sarmet, Jocimar Dias Jr., 2024, Brazil, 21 min
In a post-apocalyptic future, an intergalactic explorer lands at an abandoned museum on a quest to find traces of his long-lost ancestors, and ends up being teleported to the dance floor of a Brazilian queer nightclub in the 1990s.
Content notes: Depiction of alcohol use, cigarette use, sensual dancing, sexual language use.
Access notes: Flashing imagery, flashing lights.

Kings, Dir. Juliana Pamplona, 2024, Brazil, 15 min
A poetic documentary on a diverse group, identified with the dyke-queer culture, that spends a day experimenting as drag kings at a bar in the borough of Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro.
Content notes: Depiction of alcohol use.

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. Also supported by Instituto Guimarães Rosa, via the Consulate General of Brazil in Edinburgh.

Image Credit: Kings, Dir. Juliana Pamplona, 2024

For Real? - SOLD OUT
2025-10-29 18:30 - 20:30 | The Boardwalk, The Boardwalk, 105 Brunswick St, Glasgow, G1 1TF
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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!**

Did that really happen? What kind of world are we living in? ‘For Real’ explores sci-fi worlds, dark fantasies, technological possibilities and shocking but real science and history. Expect alienesque costumes, body scanners, crocodile chromosomes and lesbian telepathy.
This screening will be followed by a performance from Carle Gent and Linda Stupart exploring the world of Ecco the Dolphin.
Curated by Nat Lall.

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, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, Yue Chinese (Cantonese), Japanese audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
English-BSL interpretation for introduction and performance. The interpreter for this event is Lisa Li.
Live Captioning for introduction and performance

This screening is 81 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 18+.
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:
Skinless, Dirs. Estibaliz Villa, Erik Campos, 2024, Spain, 11 min
After an environmental catastrophe, the only survivors left live sheltered wearing the biodermis, a suit they can survive with but doesn’t allow them to feel touch. After years of lockdown, Nora and Dani go outside.
Content notes: Depiction of nudity. Discussion of loss.

Just above the tear duct on each side, Dirs. Cáit McClay, Éiméar McClay, 2024, United Kingdom, Ireland, 20 min
Using St. Conal’s Hospital archives, this film examines Ireland’s 1950s psychiatric institutions and their carceral, therapeutic, and socioeconomic influences.
Content notes: Discussion of death, hospitalisation, mental health.
Access notes: Flashing imagery.

The Xenogender, Dir. Masataka Ishizaki, 2025, United Kingdom, United States of America, 15 min
Japanese immigrant Kenzo in New York confesses his crocodile identity to date Jack, but becomes more absorbed in videos afterward.
Content notes: Depiction of racism.

The Martial Forest, Dir. J Triangular, 2025, Colombia, Taiwan, 9 min
Exiled Kung Fu master Big Sister 13 leads trans fighters in creating the Martial Forest, where care equals combat power.
Content notes: Discussion of death.

The Generators, Dir. Georgie Cowan-Turner, 2024, Ireland, 14 min
In a future drained of colour, Oscar and his ailing husband struggle with a medical system where energy credits are the new currency. When a hospital visit reveals a zero credit balance, Oscar must join the human generators and physically power Alex’s treatment himself. But as his energy fades, so does the possibility of a future together.
Content notes: Depiction of hospitalisation.
Access notes: Flashing lights.

Hide and Seek, Dir. Junjie Xu, 2024, United Kingdom, 6 min
Hide and Seek is a 3D animated short film that takes viewers on a bittersweet journey. It presents a story of a person hiding their queer identity from their parents at different stages of life. The film highlights the struggles faced by the queer community as they grow up and explores the fantasy of queer spaces with queer phenomenology.
Access notes: Flashing lights.

Clear, Dir. Hogan Seidel, 2024, United States of America, 6 min
Clear is a visceral confrontation with the illusion of “safety,” where altered 16mm footage and layered audio reveal the quiet violence surveillance imposes on trans and gender-nonconforming bodies.
Content notes: Discussion of bodily surveillance.
Access notes: Light strobing images.

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: Hide and Seek, Dir. Junjie Xu, 2024

Squad Goals
2025-10-29 21:00 - 23:00 | The Boardwalk, The Boardwalk, 105 Brunswick St, Glasgow, G1 1TF
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There’s strength in numbers, packs, families, squads or whatever you call them. Squad Goals celebrates chosen families with a vibrant sense of identity and culture. The screening consists of three films documenting some very different squads. These are trans footballers, Brazilian beach vendors and leather gays.
The screening will be followed by an informal Q&A with local trans football team Gender Goals and Glasgow Leather Dykes.
Curated by Nat Lall.

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

This screening is 79 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 18+.
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:
We’ll Go Down In History, Dirs. Cameron Richards, Charlie Tidmas, 2025, United Kingdom, 25 min
We’ll Go Down In History tells the story of TRUK United, a grassroots, proudly trans football club. Filmed over two years, it captures the team’s highs and lows on and off the pitch as they create a safe haven for their community in the face of rising transphobia.
Content notes: Discussion of death, transphobia, violence.

Three Vendors of Ipanema, Dir. Jonathan S. Lee, 2024, United States of America, 25 min
Three street vendors from Rio’s favelas sell homemade food on Ipanema Beach, embodying dignity and beloved by LGBTQ+ community.
Content notes: Depiction of alcohol use.

The Backstreet, Dir. Romain Beck, 2024, United Kingdom, 29 min
London’s legendary leather club The Backstreet faces closure after 37 years. Regulars share intimate memories while curators preserve relics of this secret haven’s legacy.
Content notes: Depiction of sex. Discussion of death, HIV stigma, homophobia, sex, sexual fantasy.

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: We’ll Go Down In History, Dirs. Cameron Richards, Charlie Tidmas, 2025

Legacies
2025-10-30 15:00 - 17:00 | GMAC Film, 103 Trongate, Glasgow, Scotland, G1 5HD, United Kingdom
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What shapes us? How do the stories of our families, the legacies we inherit, and the struggles of those before us live on in who we become? Legacies brings together films that gently unravel the complex and often tender realities of queer upbringings. These stories speak to the love, pain, hope, and resilience woven through generations, reminding us that identity is not just inherited, but felt deeply and continuously reshaped.
This programme is an invitation to connect with the intimate moments that define us, the memories that haunt us, and the courage it takes to claim our place in a world that often tries to erase us.
Curated by Nat Lall and Huss.

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

This screening is 119 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:
Birthdays, Dir. Adrian Jalily, 2024, Denmark, 19 min
Second-grader Bruno faces social isolation for being different, forcing his Iranian father Marlon to confront his son’s otherness and exclusion.
Access notes: Flashing imagery.

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 neighbor. 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.

Burcu’s Angels (Preview Screening), Dir. Özgün Gündüz, 2025, Canada, 20 min
Turkish queer elder Burcu Özdemir’s Vancouver vintage store has served as a sanctuary and “coming out center” for thirty years.
Content notes: Discussion of racism.

While We Still Have Time, Dir. Ava Grimshaw-Hall, 2024, Australia, 15 min
A daughter reconciles with her distant sperm-donor father as he manages an aggressive prostate cancer, with little indication of how much time there is left to find out who he really is.

Find The Boy, Dir. Paulin.e Goasmat, 2025, France, 18min
As Charly, a young trans man, is laid to rest under his birth name, Tom, Louise and BB, his queer pals, decide to pay their last respects in his own image in a place where they used to meet, Charly’s childhood home. But Victor, his brother, had the same idea.
Content notes: Depiction of alcohol use, cigarette use, dead naming, misgendering, queerphobia. Discussion of death, loss.

Scattered Pictures, Dirs. Ibai Vigil-Escalera, Jose André Sibaja, 2025, United States of America, 8 min
Through the grainy nostalgia of 8mm film and the intimacy of voice-over narration, Gabriel takes us on a deeply personal journey of self-discovery.
Content notes: Discussion of death, sex.

Sole, Dir. Ana Berdeja, 2024, Mexico, 15 min
Veteran embalmer Sole faces a dilemma: honor a transgender man’s wishes or his family’s demands while hiding her own secret.
Content notes: Depiction of a dead body.

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: Oceania, Dir. Valentin Noujaïm, 2024

Eachdraidh Na Tìre - SOLD OUT
2025-10-30 18:00 - 20:00 | GMAC Film, 103 Trongate, Glasgow, Scotland, G1 5HD, United Kingdom
Listen to this Event Page

**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

Filmmakers Social - SOLD OUT
2025-10-30 20:30 - 22:30 | 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!**
Are you a queer filmmaker working in Scotland or beyond? Come and join us for some networking, schmoozing, and boozing (non-alcoholic options also available).
A chance to meet others who are LGBTQIA+ and interested or already working in film and related media. Share ideas, discuss your projects, or just hang out and have a nice time.
In case anyone is anxious or nervous about coming along to this by themselves, please feel welcome to get in touch via info@sqiff.org and someone can meet you beforehand. BSL interpreters will be available at the event.
Hosted by Erica Monde.

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-BSL interpretation available for the event. The interpreters for this event are Lou Hanson and Vickie Karlsson.

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.

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: Tiu Makkonen

The Stage is a Body - SOLD OUT
2025-10-30 21:00 - 23:00 | 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!**

What happens when the body becomes the stage and performance becomes a form of survival, protest, or transformation?
The Stage is a Body is a programme of short films by and about queer performance artists exploring the body as site, subject, and storyteller. Through movement, gesture, ritual, and persona these works blur the lines between performance and life, between what is shown and what is felt.
From meditations on gender and identity to acts of resistance and self-reclamation, these films reflect the unique ways queer artists use performance to navigate visibility, memory, and desire on stage, on screen, and in the world.
Following the screening join us for a panel talk with House Ball Scotland who will reflect on the intersections of performance, queer identity, and community building within and beyond the ballroom scene.
Curated by Huss.

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:

Arabic, Burmese, English, Georgian, Portuguese audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
English-BSL interpretation for introduction and panel discussion. The interpreter for this event is Lisa Li.
Live Captioning for introduction and panel discussion

This screening is 78 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 18+.
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:
ANDRO, Dir. Dominik Gasser, 2025, Germany, 27 min
ANDRO DADIANI’s political performances dissect the oppression by state and church in Georgia and conquer Tbilisi’s urban spaces. As a queer, non-binary protest and performance art figure, their identity remains a secret. The danger of open resistance is too great.
Content notes: Depiction of blood and violence. Discussion of forced displacement, queerphobia, violence.

Thunder Bird, Dir. Yadanar Oo, 2025, Myanmar, 16 min
65-year-old Mommy Soe leads Myanmar’s pioneering Thunder Bird drag troupe, established 50 years ago. After surviving decades of social rejection, political upheaval, and recent civil war, she faces her greatest challenge: keeping the troupe alive after losing her life partner Abai, while navigating dangerous military checkpoints to perform.
Content notes: Discussion of death, military action, queerphobia.

Anziety, Dir. David O Carrol, 2024, Ireland, 10 min
Anziety is Ian’s journey to becoming a drag artist.
Weaving through death, loss, and foster care, he brings us to his darkest moments, yet we end up in a room full of love.
Both a celebration of unwavering loyalty and creative self-expression, Anziety moves between an intimate reflection on Ian’s past and a contemporary portrait of his present.
Content notes: Discussion of death, foster care system, loss.
Access notes: Flashing lights.

Shame (عيب), Dir. Hadi Moussally, 2024, Lebanon, 5 min
In the 19th century, in the Levant region, Salma Zahore, along with her parents and neighbors, participated in a photoshoot using a long exposure technique. At the end of it, Salma decided to take off her coat, revealing her body. Unaware of the chaos this gesture could cause within her circle, she did not know it could lead to shame (عيب).
Content notes: Discussion of patriarchy, social norms.

The Insect Graveyard, Dir. Alex Simões, 2023, Portugal, 20 min
Where were you when you realized the irreversibility of death? From mourning, Alex retrieves the environment of his childhood and transforms memory into a space of performance for overcoming.
Content notes: Discussion of death, loss.

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: Thunder Bird, Dir. Yadanar Oo, 2025

Aunties - SOLD OUT
2025-10-31 15:00 - 17:00 | 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!**

Commonly used in many black and brown cultures, ‘Aunties’ is a term of respect for your elders. They may not be blood relatives, but they have lived lives longer than ours and gained invaluable wisdom and culture. The films in this screening honour these enlightened elders and demonstrate their care for younger generations. They also celebrate them as individuals going on their queer journeys. Expect non-nuclear families, aunties on tour and even a gay uncle.
After the screening, chai will be served by local aunties.
Curated by Nat Lall.

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, Hindi, Mandarin Chinese, Punjabi audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
English-BSL interpretation for introduction and chai tea chill session after screening. The interpreter for this event is Lou Hanson.
Live Captioning for introduction and chai tea chill session after screening

This screening is 61 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:
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.

Warm Shadows, Dir. Aakash Chhabra, 2025, India, Singapore, 15 min
Priya, 50, makes her maiden trip to the sea. At dusk, she stands at the shore and overlooks the vast horizon. In a distant part of the world, Raag, 20s, is in a taxi which passes through a metropolitan. A fragmented voice-over unfolds the tender relationship the two share.

Toad Song, Dir. Qin Qin, 2025, China, 15 min
Eight-year-old Xu Letian is called to bring his parents to school after getting into a fight and bringing tadpoles. Xu Letian must find a new home for the tadpoles, and on his journey, he stumbles upon a secret that sets his family apart from others.

Handwoven, Dirs. Dasha Levin, Mason Cazalet, Mihika Das, Matthew Wisdom, 2024, India, Ireland, United States of America, 9 min
A lyrical portrait of Nikyle Begay, a non-binary shepherd and weaver; working to preserve their way of life through the traditional art of weaving.
Content notes: Discussion of queerphobia.

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: Two Travelling Aunties, Dir. Christine Seow, 2025

We Are Here
2025-10-31 18:00 - 20:00 | GMAC Film, 103 Trongate, Glasgow, Scotland, G1 5HD, United Kingdom
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This documentary from LGBT activists Zhao Jing and Shi Tou revisits the 1995 United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, which was hosted in Beijing. The conference was attended by 300 lesbian women from around the world, whose organisers sought to facilitate queer participation, visibility, and recognition in the context of broader discussions around women’s rights. The first-ever lesbian tent at a UN NGO forum was created, where ideas were shared, connections were made, and identities were affirmed; the gathering helped spearhead the birth of the queer lala movement in China. Featuring footage of the event, and interview commentary from those who participated, We Are Here testifies to the importance of global queer interactions in shaping the ongoing struggle for equality.
Curated by Queer East.

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:

Content notes: Discussion of homophobia, incarceration.
Chinese and English audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
English-BSL interpretation for introduction. The interpreter for this event is Lou Hanson.
Live Captioning for introduction

This screening is 78 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 18+.
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.

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: We Are Here, Dirs. Zhao Jing, Shi Tou, 2015

Halloween Night: The Serpent's Skin
2025-10-31 21:00 - 23:00 | The Social Hub, The Social Hub, Candleriggs Square, Glasgow, G1 1TQ
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Join us for a ghoulishly good night of queer horror at SQIFF’s Halloween screening! This chilling double bill sinks its teeth into the monstrous and the sensual, the grotesque and the beautiful.
First up is ¡Beso de lengua! by José Luiz Zorrero, a surreal and seductive descent into a world where desire takes monstrous form. Then, The Serpent’s Skin by Alice Maio Mackay slithers into darker territory, weaving a tale of trans identity, vengeance, and the supernatural, with all the blood-soaked camp you’d expect from a Mackay horror.
Both films push the boundaries of body, gender, and genre, creating a perfect night of queer frights and delights. The fabulous Jaye Hudson from TGirlsOnFilm will introduce the films and host a Best Halloween Costume Competition! Come dressed to impress for a chance to win a pint of SQIFF and Closet Brewing’s Director’s Cut. Let’s celebrate Halloween the queerest way we know how!
Curated by Indigo Korres.

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, Spanish audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
English-BSL interpretation for introduction and costume competition. The interpreter for this event is Lisa Li.
Live Captioning for introduction and costume competition

This screening is 98 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 18+.
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:
¡Beso de lengua!, Dir. José Luis Zorrero, 2024, Mexico, 15 min
Itzcóatl and Moisés are on their first date. After a couple of hours of getting to know each other, they both “play” a very unusual and riveting game that strengthens their romantic chemistry.
Content notes: Depiction of blood, hospitalisation, wounds.

The Serpent’s Skin, Dir. Alice Maio Mackay, 2025, Australia, 83 min
Two young women form a romantic bond after discovering they have supernatural powers. Their insecurities unknowingly release a demon, which possesses one of their exes and begins feeding on their friends. As the bodies pile up, it becomes up to the women to face their pasts and stop the growing evil.
Content notes: Depiction of alcohol use, blood, cigarette use, death, drug use, gore, self-harm, sex.
Access notes: Flashing imagery, 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 🌈✨

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: The Serpent’s Skin, Dir. Alice Maio Mackay, 2025

Queer Freedom
2025-11-01 10:00 - 12:00 | 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

Craft Fair
2025-11-01 12:00 - 17:00 | The Social Hub, The Social Hub, Candleriggs Square, Glasgow, G1 1TQ
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We are proud to announce SQIFF’s Craft Fair is coming back! The fair hosts local queer artists selling their works. Expect a range of media, all in one room. Come and meet some of the best local creatives and treat yourself to a crafty souvenir from our 2025 festival!

Artists in the fair include:

Greenbananas_420: Hank is a queer mixed media textile artist and tooth gem technician from Glasgow. Using mainly crochet and embroidery inspired by memories, memes and nature.
PJ Harper: PJ Harper (he/him) is a Glasgow-based artist and sculptor whose practice explores beauty, mythology, and storytelling through figurative polymer clay sculpture and illustration. His work celebrates Blackness, queerness, and personal heritage, blending fine art with playful, character-driven creations.
Croissant Cat Studio: Mith Chahal (they/them) is an illustrator and polymer clay artist based in Glasgow. They make prints and stickers of their illustration work and handmade bakery-themed collectibles.
Nina: Nina is a Scottish/Brazilian artist based in Glasgow. Inspired by folklore, mythology, film, and childhood memories she creates playful and wearable sculptures that explore identity and our relationship to the world. By combining traditional metalworking techniques with experimental methods her work uses jewellery as a tool to share stories, decorate bodies and empower the wearer.

Nytastic: Ny Ali (she/her) is a Hijabi muslim artist who specialises in comics, illustration and sells products such as prints, wooden pins, badges and crochet plushies. She has a HND in illustration and has been selling her wares online and conventions, comic and market events. You can find her hiding under her table at conventions or on her social media.

Sunday: Sunday is a trans Masc artist born and bred in Glasgow. He works with different clay bodies shifting them into organic-rugged shapes that encapsulate different elements of nature deteriorating. You will find his recent and upcoming works resembling his deepest admirations such as rock formations, mould, mud, moss and rust.
Art of Birdie Studio: Art of Birdie Studio is a queer, PoC-led visual arts studio based in Scotland, crafting change through intersectional feminist and decolonial design. From witty illustrated stickers to bold activist artwork, we celebrate authenticity, joy, and justice through accessible creative expression.
Medb: Born in Canada under the sign of Taurus, and raised in post-conflict Northern Ireland, medb is a multi-disciplinary artist, beauty and socialite taking Glasgow by storm. With a mix of esoteric wit and heart-wrenching earnestness, her work concerns such novelties as sex, death, nostalgia, celebrity, and, ultimately, the ache inside which can never be filled! Her self-published project Thumb Suck Girl is an annual photobook of fashion photography, art and creative writing, that aims to platform voices from underrepresented backgrounds in traditional media.

… and many more!

Curated by Nat Lall and Huss.

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: Ocean Teal

Re:Frame
2025-11-01 12:30 - 14:30 | The Social Hub, The Social Hub, Candleriggs Square, Glasgow, G1 1TQ
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This special screening showcases bold and original short films created by participants of the SQIFF Filmmaking Workshops for Trans and Non-Binary People, led by artist and filmmaker Erica Monde. Delivered in collaboration with Scottish Trans, the workshops offered a series of collaborative sessions where participants explored storytelling, visual language, and filmmaking techniques in a supportive, trans-led space. The result is a powerful collection of short works that reflect the diversity, complexity, and creativity of trans and non-binary lives and perspectives. From personal reflection to experimental narrative, these films challenge the mainstream gaze and reclaim the frame through authentic self-expression. Whether playful, political, poetic, or all of the above, each piece is a testament to the value of community-centred filmmaking and the importance of trans voices in cinema. Join us in celebrating these emerging filmmakers and the stories they’ve chosen to share with the world. There will be a Q&A with the filmmakers following the screening.
Hosted by Erica Monde.

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

This screening is 58 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 18+.
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:
Pretty Sick, Dirs. Zed Von Benzon, Aster Emschild, 2025, United Kingdom, 10 min
Glasgow-based disability advocate and artist Sara, who masked before COVID, creates bold glittering mask jewelry, transforming survival symbols into defiance and hope. This intimate documentary explores ongoing pandemic impacts on those still masking, weaving together disability, activism, and fashion while advocating for visibility and inclusion.
Content notes: Discussion of Covid-19 pandemic.

Modernism/Us, Dir. Morgan Black, 2025, United Kingdom, 14 min
Two lovers – Isla and Tris – find themselves emotionally, verbally and physically dancing around the consummation of their mutual affections. Driven by music, they discuss and express their feelings for each other in a series of vignettes, leading towards an emotional and ultimately fulfilling climax.
Content notes: Depiction of nudity.

Thresh/olding, Dir. Deviji Jaani-Jaan, 2025, United Kingdom, 5 min
Thresh/olding is an experimental film dreaming the QTIPoC body through poetry, movement, selkies and mangroves roots as radical, fecund sites of queer and trans resilience and resistance.

WORM, Dirs. Lish Adam, Jules Brick, Jo Hauge, Cal Mowatt, 2025, United Kingdom, 13 min
I want to share a body with you and also with a worm. Worms can feel with their whole bodies.
Content notes: Depiction of sensual language.

Bianca, Dir. Priscila Fróes, 2025, United Kingdom, 8 min
A trans woman blends documentary footage of her past as a sex worker in Porto Alegre and Rio de Janeiro with experimental visuals and a hybrid soundscape to transform marginalised memories into a powerful act of cinematic reclamation.
Content notes: Depiction of sex work, stalking.
Access notes: Distorted imagery.

Lock In, Dir. Louis Utieyin, 2025, United Kingdom, 8 min
JJ decides to try out a new spiritual retreat because they are struggling with their mental health. 24 hours later they are in an interrogation room and try to make sense of what happened at the retreat. Reality and imagination begin to blur. What is real and what is fake?
Content notes: Discussion of mental health, murder.

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: WORM, Dirs. Lish Adam, Jules Brick, Jo Hauge, Cal Mowatt, 2025

Animation Now
2025-11-01 13:00 - 15:00 | The Social Hub, The Social Hub, Candleriggs Square, Glasgow, G1 1TQ
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Back for the third year ‘Animation Now’ showcases the best of contemporary queer animation. In this screening there are complex and mature characters that challenge the assumption that cartoons are just for kids. We are taken on journeys exploring sex, love, death, parenting and protest. And of course, there are also moments of playfulness, colour and childlike imagination in this selection. Expect everything in this jam packed screening showing 10 films.
Curated by Nat Lall and Huss.

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

This screening is 76 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 18+.
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:
The Last Garden, Dir Eloise Jenninger, 2024, United Kingdom, 8 min
For Henry, the community garden is his escape from the daily toil in the city. However, the day has come for it to be demolished, Henry and his community can’t agree on how to save it.

The Prospectors, episode 1 Pip Pop’s Find, Dir. David Hutchison, 2025, United Kingdom, 10 min
Cat dads Ahab and Gert discover rejuvenating goo on their asteroid, but sharing it leads to capture by space cannibal Sunny Bean.

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.

Beacon, Dir. Alicia Brown, 2025, United Kingdom, 2 min
An animation about finding a way home after crash-landing on an unknown planet.

Colour Me Pink, Dir. Anika O’Hagan-Ploug, 2024, Ireland, 3 min
Music Video for indie pop song Colour Me Pink by K E L, created by Anika O’Hagan-Ploug.

Dragfox, Dir. Lisa Ott, 2024, United Kingdom, Switzerland, 8 min
Sam’s search for identity gets interrupted by a mysterious neighbourhood fox. Together they embark on a magical journey to the attic to discover the surprising things they might have in common, and how to celebrate the ways in which they differ.

Falling for Greta, Dir. Gustavo Arteaga, 2023, United Kingdom, 11 min
When love comes knocking Greta’s world is turned upside down. As her passion grows complications follow but change is coming in the shape of water.

Hey Dad, Dir. WeiFan Wang, 2023, Taiwan, 6 min
I’ve practiced these words for 20 years now, but maybe being candid isn’t the best idea. I’m starting my countdown again, another 20 years. Maybe it might be the right time by then.
Access notes: Flashing imagery.

Grand Dandy (For Ezra), Dirs. The Campbells (Jen and Crystal Campbell), 2024, United Kingdom, 4 min
Non-binary grandparent Libro Levi Bridgeman shares tender moments with grandson Ezra while exploring how to explain their queer identity lovingly.

Fried!, Dir. Lizzie Watts, 2025, United Kingdom, 10 min
As Dev drives home from a mysterious, ageing nuclear facility, he becomes stranded at an isolated emu farm run by old mystic lesbians. Suspicious of their intentions, Dev fears they will sacrifice him at the local stone circle.
Content notes: Depiction of animated nudity.
Access notes: Flashing imagery.

Midnight at Mickey’s, Dir. Vin Wolff, 2024, United Kingdom, 5 min
Two tough guys face off in a seedy late-night diner.

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: Two Black Boys In Paradise, Dir. Baz Sells, 2025

Scottish Shorts 2 - SOLD OUT
2025-11-01 15:30 - 17:30 | The Social Hub, The Social Hub, Candleriggs Square, Glasgow, G1 1TQ
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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!**

Returning for another year at the festival, Scottish Shorts 2 is a bold and intimate programme of short films by queer filmmakers working across Scotland. This selection continues to explore the queer Scottish experience through stories shaped by displacement, desire, care, survival, and play.
These films move between personal documentary, narrative storytelling, and experimental textures. Some reflect on home and migration, others explore relationships, identity, and transformation. These films reveal queer lives in all their depth and nuance, telling stories with humour and heart.
At its core, this programme brings forward voices and perspectives too often absent from Scottish screens. It celebrates a growing queer cinema that is rooted, restless, and unapologetically present.
All filmmakers in this screening and in ‘Scottish Shorts 1’ 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 2025.
Following the screening, we’ll be joined by the filmmakers for a Q&A to reflect on their work, share insights, and open up space for conversation.
Curated by Nat Lall and Huss.

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:

Chinese, English, Mandarin 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 76 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 18+.
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:
A Journey Of The Leaves, Dir. Yash Zhang, 2024, United Kingdom, 11 min
When memories of his father’s violence chase him from China, a queer filmmaker drifts into an autumn-touched Estonian town. There, a wandering traveler, a bookstore owner, a poet’s living statue, and another queer Chinese soul carrying similar wounds guide him through the scattered pieces of his past.
Content notes: Discussion of violence.

Be Honest!, Dir. Alice Harper, 2025, United Kingdom, 11 min
With a chance to win £100,000 for their ailing child, a couple enter a game show where they must face the most brutal challenge of all — being honest.

Before You Leave, Dir. Louise Thomas, 2024, United Kingdom, 12 min
On the day before her move to Australia, Innes, a veterinarian in her mid-twenties, grapples with mounting uncertainty as she and her sister, Saoirse, navigate the streets of Edinburgh. On this journey, they deliver the last of her belongings to a coworker, an ex-boyfriend, and a childhood friend. Each encounter becomes a poignant reminder of what she’s leaving behind.

Keith, Dir. Steven Fraser, 2024, United Kingdom, 8 min
A Glasgow filmmaker discovers a dead body behind bins and embarks on a phone-based investigation to identify the victim. Using animation techniques exploring social media, apps, and blogs, the film examines neurodiversity and autistic communication styles while building tension toward revealing the deceased person’s name.
Content notes: Depiction of animated nudity, drug use.

Bowl, Dir. John Kelbie, 2025, United Kingdom, 10 min
Arthur is an elderly, quick-witted, gay man who has recently been diagnosed with arthritis. Upon finding out that his old foe and competitor Norma is playing in the upcoming lawn bowls charity match, Arthur seeks the chance to prove himself. He faces many challenges along the way as he bickers with Norma and comes to terms with his illness and the losses he has faced, but with a little help from Norma’s granddaughter Jenn, he is able to confront his past and learn what is truly important to him.
Content notes: Discussion of death, grief, illness, loss.

Cahā, Dir. Chak Hin Leung, 2024, United Kingdom, 10 min
Intimate documentary capturing two immigrants—Indian and Bruneian—meeting in a London teahouse. Over tea (“cahā”), their casual conversation reveals profound stories of sacrifice, identity, and adaptation. The film explores immigrant experiences and colonial tea legacy, showing how this simple ritual creates unexpected connection and understanding across borders.
Content notes: Discussion of colonialism, transphobia.

Changing Homes, Dir. Mano Mandal, 2025, United Kingdom, 6 min
An Indian nonbinary transmasculine person goes to a European beach for the first time since their top surgery. As they sit and read about a historical trans person, they navigate the idea of being shirtless in public for the very first time. While doing so, they reflect on Eurocentric body standards and on their sense of home — in their own body and amidst bodies of water.
Content notes: Depiction of surgery scars. Discussion of gender affirming surgery, racialisation of bodies and European body standards, and relationship with natal family.

First Contact, Dir. James Crang, 2025, United Kingdom, 8 min
In isolation on the moon, a gardener tends to his small patch of life. When another person appears, he is forced to confront his fears of connection. Will he nurture a bond that could bring light to his lonely existence, or will his anxiety keep him in darkness?

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: Keith, Dir. Steven Fraser, 2024

Queerly Beloved
2025-11-01 16:00 - 18:00 | The Social Hub, The Social Hub, Candleriggs Square, Glasgow, G1 1TQ
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Join us for a vibrant collection of short films that dive into queer experiences with wit, warmth, and a generous dose of heart. These stories celebrate the everyday absurdities, quiet triumphs, and unapologetic joy that shape queer life. In a world that so often focuses on queer pain, this programme shifts the spotlight to laughter, love, and the resilience found in connection.
Expect a dynamic mix of voices and perspectives. From awkward firsts to bold declarations, from moments of celebration to quiet self-discovery, each film brings its own spark. What unites them is a spirit of humour that uplifts, disarms, and gently insists on being seen.
The evening opens with a stand-up set by the brilliant Kathleen Hughes, whose sharp comedy sets the tone for what’s to come. After the films, stay with us for a live performance by the electrifying Craig Manson.
Come laugh with us. Maybe cry a little too. This is queer storytelling at its most joyful, defiant and alive.
Curated by Huss.

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:

Audio Description
English and French audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
English-BSL interpretation for introduction and performance. The interpreter for this event is Lisa Li.
Live Captioning for introduction and performance

This screening is 77 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 18+.
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:
Bury Your Gays, Dir. Charlotte Serena Cooper, 2025, United Kingdom, 20 min
Bury Your Gays follows actor Grace, who can’t understand why every role she lands ends in her untimely death—until a mysterious agent explains the ‘Bury Your Gays’ trope. Now, trapped in a genre-hopping battle for survival, Grace has one mission: do not die.
Content notes: Depiction of comedic death.

ASL, Dir. Cal Freeman, 2024, United Kingdom, 5 min
Rulf (19) meets Ziggy (38) for a car hookup, but attraction turns awkward when Ziggy’s internalized homophobia clashes with Rulf’s progressive views. After confronting contradictions and guilt, a flamboyant radio ad breaks the tension. They reconnect through laughter, reconsidering their desires before finally embracing their mutual attraction.
Content notes: Discussion of sex.

Bi-Nocular Panic, Dir. Anouk Witkowska Hiffle, 2024, United Kingdom, 7 min
Cass and Jane spend their afternoon doing what every normal teenager does on a sunny day: spying on boys. But when the captivating Melody appears, Cass realises she might be interested in more than just boys.

Gender Reveal, Dir. Mo Matton, 2024, Canada, 13 min
Rhys, a dedicated people pleaser, winds up at their boss’ gender reveal party with their two partners. The trans throuple soon realize that they are dealing with more than they were prepared for and their ability to survive the event comes into question.
Content notes: Depiction of blood, cigarette use, death, strong language use.

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.

Principal Boy, Dir. Maz Murray, 2024, United Kingdom, 22 min
Principal Boy follows the audition, rehearsal, and performance of British pantomime’s traditional lead—a male hero conventionally played by a woman in drag. Using and subverting pantomime conventions, it explores trans and gender-nonconforming representation in mainstream culture, examining presence and absence in film and theatre.
Content notes: Discussion of discrimination, gaslighting, violence towards Trans people.
Access notes: Brief use of laser.

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: Gender Reveal, Dir. Mo Matton, 2024

Closing Film: Dreams in Nightmares - SOLD OUT
2025-11-01 19:00 - 21:00 | The Social Hub, The Social Hub, Candleriggs Square, Glasgow, G1 1TQ
Listen to this Event Page

**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!**

Three queer black femmes embark on a road trip across the Midwest United States in search of their missing friend. The trio face challenges as they encounter different communities along their journey and this prompts reflection on the group as friends, as well as individuals.
Expect tender friends and lovers, open country roads and a chance to dream in a world of nightmares.
The winner of Best Scottish Shorts will be announced at the end of this event.
Curated by Nat Lall.

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:

Content notes: Depiction of alcohol use, distressing argument scenes, nudity, sex. Discussion of racism and transphobia.
English audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
English-BSL interpretation for introduction. The interpreter for this event is Sula Brookes.
Live Captioning for introduction

This screening is 128 minutes long and has an age recommendation of N/C 18+.
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.

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: Dreams in Nightmares, Dir. Shatara Michelle Ford, 2024

Closing Night Party with Scandal & WSHWSH
2025-11-01 23:00 - 2025-11-02 03:00 | The Art School, 20 Scott Street, Glasgow, G3 6PE, United Kingdom
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After a week of ground-breaking queer and trans cinema, we’re ending the festival on a high. Join us at The Art School for the SQIFF Closing Night Party, brought to you by, Scandal, WSHWSH and SQIFF.
This is a celebration of QTIPOC+ joy, resistance, and nightlife, with a line-up made entirely by and for queer and trans or people of colour. Expect genre-spanning DJ sets, electric energy, and a space held by some of Glasgow’s most vital QTIPOC+ collectives.
Come through, bring your people, and close out the festival with sweat, rhythm, and full-bodied queer euphoria.
Curated by Scandal, WSHWSH, and SQIFF.

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:
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.

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: Tiu Makkonen

NIÑXS (Dundee)
2025-11-08 18:00 - 20:30 | Steps Theatre, Central Library, The Wellgate Dundee, Dundee, DD1 1DB, United Kingdom
