Official Selections: 8th LA Queer Film Festival
Congratulations to our accepted filmmakers!
Films are listed in alphabetical order, index to the left.
Scroll Down to learn more about each film.
Paint
Short
Los Angeles Premiere
Jane, post-trauma, awakens as a character in a movie, transforming tales of trauma into stories of love, vibrancy, and a new life.
Director: Callum Blue
Producer: Terrell Sandefur
Writer: Callum Blue
Cast: Heather Matarazzo, Micheal Schantz, Callum Blue, Keith Barber, Myles Murphy
Cinematographer: Luke Bazelli
Editor: Nick Peruto, Sharidan Sotelo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paint_themovie/
Twitter: https://x.com/Paint_themovie
Piecht
Short
West Coast Premiere
For 17-year-old Johanna, a vacation in the idyllic countryside of Piecht is anything but relaxing. While her mother dreams of an ecological alternative to city life, a real nightmare unfolds for Johanna when she confronts the far-right, close-knitted community and encounters brutal resistance.
Director: Luka Lara Steffen
Producer: Sophia Lorena Gamboa Huamán
Writer: Luka Lara Steffen
Cast: Alida Stricker, Kerstin Thielemann, Elif Kardesseven, Corinna Nilson, Simon Kirsch, Christopher Heuer
Cinematographer: Hannah Platzer
Editor: Luka Lara Steffen, Jan Liesefeld
Awards: River Film Festival (Italy): Best Queer Short; Queer North Film Festival (Canada): Best short/mid-lenght Fiction
Right Where We Need To Be
Short
West Coast Premiere
Alaina and Courtney were set to get married and embark on a romantic honeymoon trip around Europe. We find them in the aftermath when their wedding and honeymoon dreams are shattered, as Alaina tends to Courtney after an emergency mastectomy to remove an aggressive form of breast cancer. While Courtney grapples with her disease and the sudden unraveling of their future, Alaina tries to salvage the promise of their new life together and reaffirm their unwavering love by transforming their humble apartment into their romantic honeymoon trip.
Director: Alaina Landi & Courtney Dorothy Jane
Producer: Alaina Landi & Courtney Dorothy Jane
Writer: Alaina Landi & Courtney Dorothy Jane
Cast: Alaina Landi, Courtney Dorothy Jane
Cinematographer: Alaina Landi
Editor: Alaina Landi & Courtney Dorothy Jane
Director's Statement: Alaina and Courtney are a creative dynamic duo who are making queer content for our community to devour in delight. For this 48-hour film project, we randomly selected Romance for our genre. We decided we wanted to flip the expectations of this genre on its head -- instead of creating a short with meet-cutes and whimsy, we wanted to show how romance could survive in a long-term relationship going through a devastating time. In line with our mission, Right Where We Need To Be features a lesbian couple (surprise: it's us), but the story does not center on their queerness. This is by design to create stories that humanize queer characters and relationships through basic human narratives within "ordinary" contexts. Originally written, filmed, and edited for the 48Hour Film Festival - Wisconsin and winner of the "Best Use of Character" Award this film is full of promise and sure to make you laugh and cry.
Website: alainalandi.com
Instagram: @alaina.landi @rosetintedquart
Pace
Short
Struggling with dysphoria, a boxer wrestles with the decision to transition at the potential cost of their marriage. When another boxer who shares their identity enters the gym, the two find solace in training together while navigating their own challenging journeys.
Director: Beck Williams
Producer: Shannon Elizabeth Clark, Aaron Krimetz, Kelly Lou Dennis, Beck Williams, Sarah Evans
Writer: Beck Williams
Cast: Beck Williams, Bex Taylor-Klaus, Kelly Lou Dennis
Cinematographer: Leo Behrens
Editor: Joe Siebert
Our little indie film is making some waves! We have recently been covered by Deadline, Autostraddle, Queerty, and more. Our cast and crew are a predominately trans and LGBTQ team, and we are honored to have come together to tell this story.
Website: pacethefilm.com
Instagram: @pace.thefilm (https://www.instagram.com/pace.thefilm
Rainbow Nation
Documentary
USA Premiere,
This film highlights the stark contrast between the South African constitution, which protects LGBTQIA+ rights, and the hate crimes that the LGBTQIA+ community faces daily: hatred, rape, and murder.
Director: Marieke Dermul
Producer: Ilse Schooneknaep
Writer: Marieke Dermul & Ilse Schooneknaep
Cinematographer: Ludo Bollen
Editor: Ludo Bollen
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/rainbownationdocumentary/