FeatureIN-CINEMA

With an illustrious dynasty’s reputation at stake and a fatal diagnosis, the impulsive Lord Paget takes Isle of Anglesey by storm. If wealth is the power constraining him, he’s determined to spend every pence. Conventions are destroyed and otherness celebrated in this deliriously entertaining historical romp. Lord Paget (It’s a Sin’s Callum Scott Howells) is an ailing but filthy-rich consumptive. Given a prescription of carpe diem, he leans into a life of elaborate afternoon teas. In the aching absence of his father’s stewardship, Paget is offered protectiveness by his butler (a marvelous, near-unrecognizable Rupert Everett). But Paget’s flair seems to intoxicate the whole island, captivating his cousin (Ruby Stokes), an unconventional woman enamoured by eccentricity. Though even she may be unprepared for the coming drama. A sudden request from afar leading to a shock that may undo them all. Directed with joie de vivre by Celyn Jones (a callous mussel-farmer in I+N’s On the Sea) and bedecked with lavish production design, Madfabulous is Taylor Swift’s “The Last Great American Dynasty” as enacted on a Welsh island. An exuberant tragedy about a bon vivant determined to become “a living masterpiece.”

FeatureIN-CINEMA

Winner of the Ottavio Mai Award for Best Feature Film, and the Young Lovers – Libere Gabbie Award, Another Man follows Marc and Eudald six years into their monogamous relationship. Will they dive into the deep end of commitment together, or jump back into the dating pool? David Moragas’ Catalan film, set in Barcelona, serves up an aesthetically pleasing slice-of-life portrait of a devoted couple: capturing the highs, lows, and ordinary moments that lay the foundation of a relationship. After the sudden loss of Marc’s mother, he and Eudald find themselves at a crossroads. When an irresistible neighbour catches Marc’s attention, he immerses himself in a fantasy while Eudald strives to keep him from drowning in it. With striking cinematography, light is shed on the effort needed to wrestle free from the emotional deadlock of a strained relationship as temptations and resentments are presented with a refreshing subtlety, depicting realism while offering tenderness and humour to liven up the minutiae of everyday life. Loyalty and choice permeate every interaction between family members, friends, and lover(s), making for a profound and honest exploration of queer love and the human condition.

MADE AU CANADAFeatureIN-CINEMA

Labrador - Autopsy of Silence is a gripping crime thriller that slowly dissects power dynamics during a murder trial. With dialogue in French, English, and Inuktitut, the story centers on the perspective of Alupa (played by Christopher Angatookalook), a gentle, Inuk mechanic on a cargo ship and friend of the murder victim. It’s close quarters on the Basse-Côte-Nord, particularly for three cargo ship crew members who become emotionally entangled. It might be a love triangle, but one can’t be too sure as new details and discoveries constantly emerge, changing the plot in a craftful manipulation of time and circumstance. When an abuse of power comes into play, things go too far, and in the aftermath, the truth is sought. Much like Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2, but with a flip of the switch on identity politics, ethics and fear team up to silence Alupa, a man torn between a system of (in)justice, and a life of peaceful self-denial. Beautiful visuals along the chilling Arctic complement masterful storytelling and nuanced subtext to make for a slow-burning and captivating film that isn’t to be missed.

FRISSONS QUEER: FANTASIA x IMAGE+NATIONFeatureIN-CINEMA

A queer psychosexual slasher starring Emmy-winning actors Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) and Gillian Anderson (The X-Files), Jane Schoenbrun’s latest film further establishes them as one of queer and trans cinema’s vital auteurs. Einbinder stars as Kris, a passionate writer hired to revive Camp Miasma, their favourite horror franchise, after years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom. Kris travels to an abandoned summer camp to meet Billy (Anderson), the reclusive actress who played the original film’s final girl. As the two women unravel the ways the franchise has shaped them, they descend into a blood-soaked delirium of desire, self-discovery, and obsession. Described by Schoenbrun (We’re All Going to the World’s Fair; I Saw the TV Glow) as “an insane yet cozy midnight odyssey,” Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is a brilliant, funny, and poignant meta-meditation on the stories that make us, our final girls and their monsters, and the process of becoming. With echoes of Mulholland Drive, standout central performances, and a stellar cast including Jack Haven, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Eva Victor, and Zach Cherry, Schoenbrun delivers a singular vision.

FeatureIN-CINEMAVIRTUAL

Some loves refuse to stay in the past. Years after their passionate relationship ended, ìfé and Adaora unexpectedly cross paths again in Lagos, forcing both women to reckon with the lives they have built—and the feelings they thought they had left behind. Adaora has settled into married life, while ìfé has found love and a new life in South Africa. A chance encounter at a Lagos bookstore brings them face to face, stirring memories, desire, and questions neither is prepared to answer. As their connection resurfaces, the carefully constructed lives of both women begin to shift. Directed by Pamela Adie and written by Uyaiedu Ikpe-Etim, ìfé: (The Sequel) follows the groundbreaking 2020 film ìfé, widely recognized as Nigeria’s first lesbian film. Returning to the characters several years later, the sequel expands their story into a tender and politically resonant exploration of love, identity, choice, and the courage to live authentically. Set in contemporary Lagos, the film places queer love at its centre while acknowledging the social pressures and risks surrounding it. Intimate, romantic, and deeply human, ìfé: (The Sequel) is ultimately a story about choosing a life that feels true.

FRISSONS QUEER: FANTASIA x IMAGE+NATIONMADE AU CANADAFeatureIN-CINEMA

A stunning film set in the Canadian wilderness by award-winning director Gloria Mercer. Thrill-seeking in every sense, and especially bold in its critique of patriarchy out in the wild, A Safe Distance examines the idea of what survival can mean, putting a refreshingly feminist twist on a lovers-on-the-run tale. Yellowjackets fans, get ready, this one’s for you. There is no place for fragility in this film-viewing since gore and guile mark the characters’ journey as they stray far from their comfort zones, sometimes intentionally, and other times, by chance. When a marriage proposal goes awry, an abandoned woman named Alex finds herself in the company of two intriguing strangers whose rejection of societal norms draw her in and away from the mundane reality of her own life. One psychedelically-induced night of mayhem later, Alex has uprooted her entire system of values, and on levels that she never imagined possible. Fluid and kinetic, with the use of long-lens photography and zoom lenses, A Safe Distance is a rare cinematic sight to behold.

ShortIN-CINEMAVIRTUAL

Two women in their mid-fifties reunite on a boat in the Oslofjord. Beneath the apparent calm, desire, longing and unresolved love surface in a tender celebration of queer intimacy, ageing and the freedom that can emerge after midlife.

ShortIN-CINEMAVIRTUAL

A throuple of elderly queer men confronts mortality as Zito develops dementia. While dream and reality blur into a Brazilian samba musical extravaganza, his two lovers, Morpheus and Charon, care for him through the progression of his illness and their final farewell.

QUÉBEC EN VUEShortIN-CINEMAVIRTUAL

Blending horror and humour, Lethal Ethel is a mockumentary that follows the story of a Naskapi vampire who goes to murderous lengths to protect her land and culture.

ShortVIRTUAL

A young Swiss-Tunisian tries to reconnect with his parents, despite the tensions and taboos associated with his homosexuality.

ShortVIRTUAL

During happy hour at the only bar in town, a newlywed couple's quarrel collides with a belligerent bigot — until a strange girl by the jukebox decides that last will come early tonight.

ShortIN-CINEMAVIRTUAL

A trans woman, forcibly detained in a dark room, undergoes an inner journey of reconciliation, coming to understand the inevitability of her own existence.

COMPETITIONDocumentaryIN-CINEMA

Furtive glances, sexy fashion, the alcohol-fuelled excuse to flirt, dance and sneak past the fences: rodeo culture offers more than bull riding. In intimate profiles of queer Michoacáns—from a free and femme church leader to a hypermasculine cowboy—Efraín Mojica attempts to deconstruct the traditions and contradictions of their roots. For as long as Mojica can remember, Mexico’s jaripeo bull-riding events have been part of their life—from bored childhood trips to teen cowboy fantasies to the present, lost in the packed crowd on a hot Christmas Day. The masculinized events are seeped in religion and booze, but within and often because of the strict codes, queer subcultures flourish. Mojica and Rebecca Zweig’s documentary lassos together these complexities, doing so in kinetic and sensual ways, fingers slipping down ropes, hips bucking on top of a bull. Together, the two directors maximize the filmic medium, combining frank, beautifully lensed conversations with mesmeric Super 8 footage, pulse-pounding music, and dreamy sequences: red lights flashing among dried corn stalks; a red-eyed mechanical bull, nose steaming. The film acting as a bridge between the vivid external and internal lives of a region and its defining rituals.

MADE AU CANADACOMPETITIONDocumentaryIN-CINEMAVIRTUAL

Explore the unique voice of queer, contemporary, Canadian country music. Critically acclaimed director Colette Johnson-Vosberg sits down with Amanda Rheaume, Shawnee Kish, Bobby Dove, Drake Jensen, and Patrick Masse to talk about their individual journeys in the music industry, many of whom emerged from humble, small town origins. Calling all music fans: whether you’re a musician yourself, or the music in your headphones helped you survive high school, there is plenty to take away from this ninety-minute tell-all featuring some fascinating Canadian talent. From one artist’s very necessary mention of Canadian rock icon Alanis Morissette (as well as KD Lang) to the moody music videos of another artist facing his darkest demons, Don’t Fence Me In remains down-to-earth, relatable, tender, and courageous in the ongoing battle against industry censorship. Whether it’s a question of identity, or who is waiting for you at home, persistence, personal growth, self-acceptance, and healing take the place of silence and shame, allowing the voices of these inspiring queer artists to resonate more loudly, and authentically, than ever.

DocumentaryIN-CINEMAVIRTUAL

One fateful morning, Brittney Griner’s everyday life went from easy dunks and admiring crowds as a WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, to unrelenting fear, malnourishment, and dangerous work conditions in a freezing cold Russian penal colony. With less than a gram of cannabis oil found in her luggage, what might be considered careless oversight led to immense repercussions that rocked nations, became a wedge political issue, and would be used as a cudgel against “wokeness.” Captured by director Alexandria Stapleton (Sean Combs: The Reckoning), Griner’s rise to fame, family dynamics, and home life with her wife and baby are interspersed with a play-by-play of the incident. Griner, given the circumstances, comes off as affable and gracious, even as she recounts her harrowing 295 days in custody. It is in the aftermath of this spectacle that we witness the joy of a fresh start through the continuation of her wife’s tireless advocacy for international hostages and a renewed appreciation for her beloved sport.

DocumentaryIN-CINEMA

Testimonies from over ten openly LGBTQ+ women and men fighting on the battlefields of Ukraine. A moving, hard-hitting documentary that celebrates the courage and incredible resilience of these extraordinary soldiers. They were artists, vets, drama teachers, cabinetmakers, scientists and farmers. They became soldiers, field nurses, snipers, bombardiers and drone builders when Russia invaded their country in 2022. It is estimated that more than 25,000 of them are fighting today. People of all ages and from all walks of life who have enlisted to defend their country, but also because, as they say, ‘if Russia occupies Ukraine, we will be relentlessly hunted down and even killed. We might as well die for a just cause’. In this hard-hitting documentary, some of the archive footage is harrowing – destroyed landscapes, the mutilated bodies of soldiers, gay men and lesbians beaten by Russians in the street – but the candid testimonies of these magnificent human beings offer hope for the future and for humanity. An essential documentary on a reality that is almost never discussed.

COMPETITIONDocumentaryIN-CINEMA

To Dance Is To Resist follows Jay and Vol’demar, a queer couple and professional dancers navigating life in Kyiv during Russia’s full-scale invasion. In a city under attack, the underground queer scene becomes a fragile sanctuary where dance, love, and artistic expression become acts of resistance. With intimate access to their lives, the film moves between tender moments at home during blackouts, rehearsals where bodies carry and release trauma, and underground raves pulsing with both joy and danger. As air raid sirens interrupt the night, Jay and Vol’demar find strength in their relationship, their artistic practice, and the community that surrounds them. Continuing to create and gather becomes an act of defiance, affirming life amid the devastation of war. Structured as a poetic, non-linear journey, the film weaves vérité footage with performance, archival fragments, and immersive cinematography to trace the emotional landscape of its protagonists. Sirens fold into synths, laughter breaks through silence, and Kyiv emerges as a wounded yet resilient presence. Its textured soundscape brings the city’s pulse to life, while dance becomes a means of processing trauma, reclaiming agency, and sustaining hope. To Dance Is To Resist is a testament to the power of art and queer community to endure in times of crisis.

DocumentaryIN-CINEMAVIRTUAL

1973 was a pivotal year in tennis, but sports superstar Billie Jean King was an emotional mess. The title of Number One tennis champion would turn out to be an easy win compared to the rights she was about to claim for the next generation. Winner of the women’s singles title at the 1968 Wimbledon Championship, and founder of the Women’s Tennis Association, Billie Jean King made history as a fearless athlete, transcending expectations of what women athletes could achieve. A friend of music legend Elton John, and rival of the self-proclaimed male chauvinist Bobby Riggs, King sits down with Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff to discuss her impressive career, as well as her personal life, amidst second wave feminism and a chaotic double life as a public sports figure questioning her sexual orientation behind the scenes. From King’s humble origins–excluded from a team photo for wearing home-sewn tennis shorts instead of a dress–to her massive success, subsequent downfall, and rise back to a dignified public image, Give Me the Ball! tells a remarkable story for the warrior in us all who refuses to be treated like a second-class citizen.