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In celebration of Pride Month, we’ve curated a list of must-know queer film festivals to get you started. These festivals, both established and up-and-coming, are dedicated to celebrating and promoting LGBTQIA+ voices in cinema.
Note that almost all of these LGBTQ film festivals have virtual as well as in-person offerings, so you can get a taste of their programming regardless of where you’re based.
This list is in chronological order starting with the June queer film festivals. Be sure to visit each festival’s website for detailed submission guidelines and eligibility criteria. Let’s get started!
Dates: June 6–9, 2024
Hosted by Three Dollar Bill Cinema (which also presents the Seattle Queer Film Festival), the TRANS|Lations: Seattle Trans Film Festival is notable for being one of the few trans-focused film festivals in the world. Started in 2006, the festival aims to build community by spotlighting “films by, for and about trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people.”
Deadline entry date: March 10, 2024 (Earlybird), March 31, 2024 (Final).
Deadline entry fee: $20 (Earlybird), $25 (Final). Discounts available for students, FilmFreeway Gold Members, and short film submissions.
Dates: June 14–22, 2024
Presented by nonprofit organization Out Film CT, the Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival is the longest-running film festival in the state. It turns 37 this year!
Deadline entry date: 2025 deadlines have not been announced yet, but 2024 dates were January 15, 2024 (Earlybird), March 1, 2024 (Regular).
Deadline entry fee: $15 (Earlybird), $20 (Standard). Discounts available for FilmFreeway Gold Members and short film submissions.
Dates: June 19–29, 2024
Head to San Francisco for Frameline, the longest-running LGBTQ film festival in the world. Frameline has been presenting their programming since 1977. They are the only BAFTA-qualifying queer film festival on this list, and also have a nonprofit distribution program exclusively dedicated to LGBTQIA+ films.
Deadline entry date: 2025 deadlines have not been announced yet, but the 2024 deadlines were December 4, 2023 (Earlybird), January 22, 2024 (Regular), February 13, 2024 (Late) and March 2, 2024 (Extended).
Deadline entry fee: $35 (Earlybird), $50 (Regular), $70 (Late) and $85 (Extended). Discounts available for FilmFreeway Gold Members and students.
Dates: August 8–15, 2024
Durham, North Carolina hosts the OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival. This LGBTQ film festival has been screening movies since 1995 and offers some of the most inclusive entry fees on this list (particularly for early entries!).
Deadline entry date: 2025 deadlines have not been announced yet, but 2024 dates were April 19, 2024 (Earlybird), May 10, 2024 (Shorts), May 31, 2024 (Features).
Deadline entry fee: $1 (Earlybird), $10 (Shorts), $20 (Features). Discounts available for FilmFreeway Gold Members.
Dates: August 21–25, 2024
The PRISM Film Festival is the oldest film festival in Austin—it predates both the Austin Film Festival and SXSW Film & TV Festival! It’s presented each year by the nonprofit aGLIFF (which stands for All Genders, Lifestyles, and Identities Film Festival).
Deadline entry date: 2025 deadlines have not yet been announced, but for 2024 they were March 1, 2024 (Earlybird), April 1, 2024 (Regular), May 1, 2024 (Late), May 31, 2024 (Extended).
Deadline entry fee: $25 (Earlybird), $30 (Regular), $35 (Late), $45 (Extended). Discounts available for FilmFreeway Gold Members and some submission types.
Dates: September 12–15, 2024
The FilmOut San Diego festival filled over 2,000 seats in three days of screenings last year. FilmOut is the only LGBTQ film festival in San Diego and regularly hosts U.S. and world premieres.
Deadline entry date: 2025 deadlines have not been announced yet, but the 2024 final submission deadline was May 31, 2024.
Deadline entry fee: $30. Discounts available for FilmFreeway Gold Members, students, and short film submissions.
Dates: September 19–October 6, 2024
This fall, the Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival celebrates its 42nd year of programming. The festival, which attracts audiences from around the Midwest, will screen 75-100 independent films in three Chicago venues.
Deadline entry date: March 21, 2024 (Earlybird), April 25, 2024 (Regular), May 30, 2024 (Late).
Deadline entry fee: $25 (Earlybird), $35 (Regular), $40 (Late).
Dates: September 20–22, 2024
Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, the Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival is an LGBTQ film festival presented by The Honolulu Gay & Lesbian Cultural Foundation.
Deadline entry date: April 19, 2024 (Earlybird), June 14, 2024 (Regular) and August 9, 2024 (Late).
Deadline entry fee: $30 (Earlybird), $50 (Regular), $75 (Late). Discounts available for short film and episodic submissions. If you are a Hawaii-based filmmaker, a fee waiver may be available–contact the festival for details.
Dates: September 26–October 6, 2024
The Atlanta-based Out On Film is one of the few Oscar-qualifying LGTBQ film festivals in the world. The short film that wins the Jury Award for Best Drama Shorts is eligible for consideration for the following year's Academy Awards. They’re also respected for their award-winning visiting filmmaker series.
Deadline entry date: June 5, 2024 (Regular), June 26, 2024 (Late).
Deadline entry fee: $30 (Regular), $40 (Late). Discounts available for FilmFreeway Gold Members, students, and some submission types.
Dates: October 10–20, 2024
Head to Western New York for ImageOut: The Rochester LGBTQ+ Film Festival. In addition to presenting their queer film festival each fall for the past 32 years, ImageOut produces special events like art exhibitions, panel discussions, and more.
Deadline entry date: March 28, 2024 (Earlybird), July 25, 2024 (Regular), August 15, 2024 (Extended), September 12, 2024 (Late).
Deadline entry fee: $15 (Earlybird), $30 (Regular), $45 (Extended), $60 (Late). Discounts available for FilmFreeway Gold Members, students, and short film submissions.
Dates: October 10–20, 2024
A program of queer cinema organization Three Dollar Bill Cinema, the Seattle Queer Film Festival has been showcasing LGBTQ films since 1996. In addition to film screenings, the festival offers community gatherings, filmmaker panels, and stellar parties.
Deadline entry date: April 15, 2024 (Earlybird), June 24, 2024 (Regular), July 15, 2024 (Late).
Deadline entry fee: $20 (Earlybird), $25 (Regular), $40 (Late). Discounts available for students, FilmFreeway Gold Members, and short film submissions.
Dates: October 10–22, 2024
New York City’s NewFest presents LGBTQIA+ programming year-round. Its annual film festival is one of the most respected LGBTQ film festivals in the country. It hosted the world theatrical premiere of Paris Is Burning and the New York premieres of many other queer cinema treasures.
Deadline entry date: March 14, 2024 (Earlybird), May 15, 2024 (Regular), June 12, 2024 (Late), July 8, 2024 (Extended).
Deadline entry fee: $35 (Earlybird), $50 (Regular), $75 (Late), $100 (Extended). Discounts available for FilmFreeway Gold Members and some submission types.
Dates: October 11–13, 2024
The Out Here Dayton Film Fest (formerly known as the Dayton LGBT Film Festival) has been sharing queer programming with Ohio audiences for nearly two decades.
Deadline entry date and fee: Deadlines and fees for 2025 have not yet been announced, but you can follow Out Here Dayton on Instagram for updates.
Dates: October 11–20, 2024
This year, Albuquerque will host the 22nd annual Way Out West Film Fest. Last year’s festival saw 4,000 attendees, and the organizers will screen over 100 shorts, features and documentaries this year.
Deadline entry date: May 15, 2024 (Earlybird), July 15, 2024 (Regular), August 9, 2024 (Late), August 31, 2024 (Extended).
Deadline entry fee: $20 (Earlybird), $30 (Regular), $40 (Late), $50 (Extended).
Dates: October 17–27, 2024
The OUTshine Film Festival serves South Florida each year by offering a spring festival in Miami and a fall festival in Fort Lauderdale. The information provided here is for the Fort Lauderdale LGBTQ+ film festival edition, but follow them on Instagram to get updates when the Miami edition announces its 2025 dates!
Deadline entry date: June 28, 2024 (Earlybird), July 26, 2024 (Regular), August 16, 2024 (Late).
Deadline entry fee: $25 (Earlybird), $40 (Regular), $55 (Late).
Dates: October 25–27, 2024
Downtown Salt Lake City hosts the Utah Queer Film Festival (formerly the Damn These Heels Queer Film Festival). In addition to film screenings, the Festival offers community events like banned book swaps, a “defending drag” discussion, and workshops with visiting artists.
Deadline entry date: June 14, 2024
Deadline entry fee: $25 (Feature), $15 (Short). Discounts available for FilmFreeway Gold Members.
Dates: November 13–24, 2024
The San Francisco Transgender Film Festival holds the distinction of being both the first official transgender film festival in North America and the longest-running transgender film festival in the world. Their mission is to “promote the visibility of transgender and gender variant people and challenge the mainstream media’s negative stereotypes of our communities.”
Deadline entry date: June 4, 2024 (Regular), June 25, 2024 (Late).
Deadline entry fee: $15 (Regular), $20 (Late).
Dates: Nov 15–17, 2024
Portland, Oregon’s QDoc Film Festival showcases queer documentary film on a wide array of topics. They also help keep Portland queer throughout the year with special events and screenings.
Deadline entry date and fee: Deadlines and fees for 2025 have not yet been announced, but you can follow QDoc on Instagram for updates.
Dates: November 15–18, 2024
Boston-based Wicked Queer:Docs festival is the younger sister of Wicked Queer. It was created in 2022 to provide a platform in the Northeast to exclusively celebrate queer documentary filmmaking in both short and feature form.
Deadline entry date: April 15, 2024 (Earlybird), May 15, 2024 (Regular), June 16, 2024 (Late), August 4, 2024 (Extended).
Deadline entry fee: $25 (Earlybird), $35 (Regular), $55 (Late), $75 (Extended). Discounts available for students and FilmFreeway Gold Members.
Dates: January 16–19, 2025
The LA Queer Film Festival is part of the LA Film Festivals family that includes the LA Comedy Film Festival, the LA Women in Film Festival, and many more. Acceptance into the festival includes invitations to networking events, free screening passes, and awards consideration.
Deadline entry date: May 10, 2024 (Welcome), May 31, 2024 (Earlybird), July 5, 2024 (Regular), August 2, 2024 (Late), August 30, 2024 (Fashionably Late), September 20, 2024 (Final), October 18, 2024 (Extended), November 15, 2024 (Last Chance).
Deadline entry fee: $50 (Welcome), $50 (Earlybird), $60 (Regular), $70 (Late), $80 (Fashionably Late), $80 (Final), $90 (Extended), $90 (Last Chance). Discounts available for FilmFreeway Gold Members and some submission types. You may also be able to submit to multiple festivals in the LA Film Festival umbrella for a discount.
Dates: April 5–14, 2024 (2025 dates TBD)
This year, the Wicked Queer film festival celebrated 40 years of bringing queer cinema to Boston.
Deadline entry date and fee: Deadlines and fees for 2025 have not yet been announced, but you can follow Wicked Queer on Instagram for updates.
Dates: April 26–28 & May 3–5, 2024 (2025 dates TBD)
In addition to its annual film festival, QFest St. Louis offers year-round events including educational programming. Its unique, donation-funded “Gay-It-Forward” program allows shorts screenings to be free for all to attend.
Deadline entry date and fee: Deadlines and fees for 2025 have not yet been announced, but you can follow QFest on Instagram for updates.
Dates: May 15–19, 2024 (2025 dates TBD)
North Carolina’s Reel Out Charlotte film festival is hosted by LGBTQ tax-exempt organization Charlotte Pride.
Deadline entry date: 2025 deadlines have not been announced yet, but the 2024 deadline was April 7, 2024.
Deadline entry fee: $25 (short films), $45 (features).
Dates: May 23–29, 2024 (2025 dates TBD)
The Puerto Rico Queer Filmfest has been screening local and international films since 2009. This is the only one of the LGBTQ film festivals on the list with no entry fees!
Deadline entry date: 2025 deadlines have not been announced yet, but the 2024 deadline was April 12, 2024.
Deadline entry fee: Free.
Don’t keep these festival organizers and audiences waiting–submit your project now!
For more ideas on where to submit your work, check out our guide to some of the best BIPOC Film Festivals to Bookmark. And stay inspired by listening to our recent On Production episode with producer Shant Joshi. Joshi’s production company Fae Pictures is all about creating films for, by, and about queer, trans, and BIPOC people.
At Wrapbook, we pride ourselves on providing outstanding free resources to producers and their crews, but this post is for informational purposes only as of the date above. The content on our website is not intended to provide and should not be relied on for legal, accounting, or tax advice. You should consult with your own legal, accounting, or tax advisors to determine how this general information may apply to your specific circumstances.
Shaudi is a Seattle-based musician, theatre artist, writer and social media marketing specialist. She holds degrees from Berklee College of Music and the University of Washington School of Drama.
