Out On Screen recently revealed the lineup for the 38th annual Vancouver Queer Film Festival (VQFF), coming first to Vancouver theatres from September 10–20, then streaming from September 21–27. Featuring 87 feature-length and short films by 2SLGBTQIA+ creators from around the world, alongside parties, filmmaker Q&As, workshops, and community events, this year’s Festival invites audiences to discover stories by us, for us through the theme A Seat at the Table.
Created by local Black queer artists Odera Igbokwe and Tolu Ayoka, the festival artwork inspires this year’s theme celebrating belonging, generosity, and the many ways queer communities gather to nourish one another, A Seat at the Table asks audiences to imagine what becomes possible when everyone is welcomed to participate in shaping our collective future.
September 10th, at Vancouver Playhouse, The Festival opens with ECOSYSTEMS NOT EMPIRES, a bold collection of seven short films envisioning queer futures rooted in care, kinship, and collective liberation.
September 17th, at Emily Carr University – Reliance Theatre, The Festival’s Centerpiece Presentation: APOLO, is an intimate documentary following Brazilian trans couple Isis Broken and Lourenzo Gabriel as they navigate an unexpected pregnancy, followed by a special post-screening Q&A.
September 18th, at Emily Carr University – Reliance Theatre, The Coast Is Queer, VQFF’s signature shorts showcase, celebrating the remarkable breadth of 2SLGBTQIA+ filmmaking in British Columbia. This year’s programme includes work from acclaimed local filmmaker/actors Jess McLeod (Normal, The Audacity) and Johnny Wu (Joy Ride), alongside a vibrant collection of emerging BC voices.
September 19th, at Vancouver Playhouse, The Closing Presentation, GUGU’S WORLD, closed The Festival with a heartwarming portrait of unconditional love as a young queer boy tends to the onset of his grandma’s Alzheimer’s in secret.
The 2026 programme features celebrated performers alongside exciting new voices in queer cinema. Highlights include KILORAN BAY, starring Alan Cumming; First Death, featuring Kimia Behpoornia, Dylan Mulvaney, and Vic Michaelis; BEBA FROM 5 TO 9, starring Emmy Award winner Michaela Jaé Rodriguez; TEST, featuring Matthew Morrison and Brock Yurich; and AGAIN AGAIN, starring House of the Dragon actor Abigail Thorn and executive produced by Lilly Wachowski.
This year’s programming was curated with a commitment to expanding the table rather than narrowing it; bringing together films that challenge, delight, provoke, and connect while reflecting the richness and complexity of queer lives across generations, identities, and borders.
“As Out On Screen enters this next chapter, we’re proud that this year’s festival reflects not only the stories we want to share, but also the way we want to work together,” says Out On Screen’s Shared Leadership Team: Eli Morris (Strategy & Programs), fanny kearse (Development & Communications), and Piper Fawkes (Operations & Finance). “Our shared leadership model is rooted in collaboration, care and accountability, and A Seat at the Table embodies those same values. We believe queer storytelling flourishes when leadership is shared, when many perspectives shape the conversation, and when communities are invited not just to watch, but to belong.”
The 38th annual Vancouver Queer Film Festival run September 10–20, 2026 on various Vancouver screens. Sliding scale pricing runs between $19 to $7, Special Presentation tickets, digital passes, standard and concession tickets are on sale now. For the full programme lineup visit queerfilmfestival.ca