Bouchra + intro
2026-08-07 18:15 - 20:00 UTC | Edinburgh Filmhouse, 88 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH3 9BZ
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This film contains flashing images which may affect viewers who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy.

This screening of Bouchra is hosted by SQIFF, and will have an introduction from SQIFF Programmer, Huss, which will be accompanied by text backing slides for accessibility. The film itself will be screened with Descriptive Subtitles.

We have a Reduced Rate ticket option to make this screening more accessible to those on a low income. If cost is a barrier please email info@sqiff.org for a complimentary ticket.

Bouchra (35), a queer Moroccan coyote living in NYC, is wrestling with writer’s block for her first film. As she begins a series of difficult yet long overdue phone calls with her mother, Aicha, in Casablanca, forgotten memories begin to resurface. Balancing the precarity of working as an artist in New York, the rift in her identity between her two homes and an array of friendships and romantic interests, Bouchra’s emotional reckoning with her mother and herself becomes her path to expression.

With a lived-in granularity and unmistakable visual style, Bouchra, the debut feature from acclaimed visual artists Meriem Bennani and Orian Barki (best known together from their 2020 web series 2 Lizards), is a singular portrait effortlessly towing the line between documentary, visual art and resonant family drama. Deeply felt, surprisingly sexy and formally adventurous, Bennani and Barki’s distinctive debut forges new ground.

Tickets are on a pay what you can sliding scale of £7.50, or £13, with an Access Ticket at £5 and a Senior Ticket at £11.50. To book your ticket for this event, click here.

Accessibility
This programme has:

Arabic, English and French audio with English language Descriptive Subtitles
Text on Screen for the introduction

This screening is 83 minutes long.

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: Bouchra, Dirs. Orian Barki, Meriem Bennani, 2025

Fun films with Queer Families
2026-09-05 13:00 - 16:00 | Hidden Gardens, 25A Albert Dr, Glasgow, G41 2PE, United Kingdom
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Queer Families and welcomes you to the 3rd year of this fun family film event! With short films for children and LGBTIQ+ families and community.

A relaxed film event hosted by the Queer Families community group. Join us for short films, snacks and creative activities for all ages around storytelling, film, and community!
In The Boilerhouse room, at the Hidden Gardens. 1-4pm.
Films for children 1-3pm
Inclusive animated shorts for children (0-8) and their families, curated by Nat Lall. All families welcome!
Short films: queer parenting 3-4pm
A selection of 3 short films exploring queer parenting and starting families. Everyone welcome!

About this event
The Queer Families Glasgow group hosts an annual film event celebrating short films that include LGBTIQ+ families – and give their children a chance to see families like theirs on screen! We’ll also have short films about animals, the sea, childhood, myths, magic and more.
We hold the event as a very relaxed film screening – you can drop in any time, and everyone’s free to move around, play and chat during the event. You can also try out DIY stop-motion and direct animation, make paper puppets, and share your ideas about the kinds of films you’d like to see!
Setting up: as this is a community event, we’ll spend the first 10 minutes setting up, and the last 15 minutes tidying up. We welcome people helping out with this at the start and end!

Tickets are free, get your tickets here!

Programme
FOR CHILDREN 1-3pm
Seaside Escape
Sea/Shore
The Penguin Who Couldn’t Swim
Sea Scouts’ Regatta
Edinburgh Zoo penguins livestream
Grand Dandy (For Ezra)
In Nature
Toti
Astral
Stop motion animations by children of the Queer Families group
And more!
These shorts are chosen to be interesting for children 0-8+ years old – with a range of stories and styles, and themes and characters to spark imagination. And we’ve included as many films as we could find that support belonging by showing LGBTQ parents, carers, grandparents (and lions, penguins, etc…) in positive, everyday ways that’ll resonate with young viewers!

FOR PARENTS, CARERS, AND EVERYONE ELSE 3pm
How to Make a Rainbow (16 mins)
Saturnrania (5 mins)
Lunchboxes (17 mins)
These shorts are chosen especially for LGBTIQ+ parents, carers and people starting families. You’re welcome to have your children with you at this screening, though the films aren’t chosen for children. Content warnings: How to Make a Rainbow mentions not being accepted by wider family. Lunchboxes talks about a parent’s fear of bullying. The overall tone of these short films is heart-warming, engaging, thoughtful – showing the joy and strength in LGBTIQ+ parenting.
Hosted by the Queer Families community groups, with support from Outside the Box and in partnership with SQIFF (Scottish Queer International Film Festival. Made possible by an award from the National Lottery Community Fund.

Accessibility:

The Boilerhouse room at the Hidden Gardens is a wheelchair accessible space.

If you have any other access needs you would like to discuss with us, please get in touch with us at info@sqiff.org.

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

Image Credit: Queer Families

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

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

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

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

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

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

Accessibility
This programme has:

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

This screening is 110 minutes long.

Films in this programme includes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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