With the 51st edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) fast approaching, we uncover the LGBTQ+ highlights, section by section, in this year's eclectic lineup of features, series and special events. Kicking off on Thursday, September 10th and running until Sunday, September 20th, the program features the Canadian premieres of All of Us Strangers... Continue Reading →
NewFest & Hinge host free outdoor screening event My Sunny Valentine – Weds August 19 in Brooklyn
NewFest and Hinge will host a free outdoor screening event this Wednesday, August 19th in Brooklyn celebrating the role dating plays in our queer lives. Grab your friends and lovers for a charming collection of short films that range from hilarious to heartfelt. Whether it’s a sci-fi search for love, a blossoming Before Sunrise-esque romance... Continue Reading →
OutfestNext 2026 Film Review: Test ★★★★★
The 1970s brought about many paradigm shifts in cinema, prominent among them were those exemplified in Rocky and Saturday Night Fever. Sylvester Stallone defied the studio by insisting on starring in the little $1 million indie he wrote and, despite the prevailing wisdom, the film earned $225 million and won the Best Picture Oscar. With... Continue Reading →
OutfestNext 2026 Film Review: Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders ★★★★
I’ve always admired how filmmaker Jeffrey Schwarz has dedicated much of his career to shining a light on so many untold queer stories, including I Am Divine, The Fabulous Allan Carr, Tab Hunter Confidential, and Vito. In his latest, Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders, he takes a multi-pronged approach to the real murders which inspired the... Continue Reading →
OutfestNEXT festival returns to LA August 23-26 – full feature film lineup
Outfest, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit that uplifts LGBTQ+ storytellers in the entertainment industry, will run the second edition of its four-day screening series OutfestNEXT at LA LGBT Center’s Village at Ed Gould Plaza from July 23rd–26th. The lineup includes 19 feature films, plus over 30 shorts, educational workshops, and conversations with filmmakers and the community.... Continue Reading →
Film Review: Heartstopper Forever ★★★★
Charlie: "Everyone thinks teenage relationships don't last." Nick: "I never really thought that about us." Heartwarming and healing, as well as heartwrenching at times, creator-writer Alice Oseman and director Wash Westmoreland deliver a pitch-perfect, tenderly-crafted finale to this beloved series that feels like a hug from your best friend when you need it most. Heartstopper.... Continue Reading →
LGBTQ+ highlights at 25th annual New York Asian Film Festival
The 2026 New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) runs July 10th to 26th across five New York venues—Film at Lincoln Center, SVA Theatre, IFC Center, Anthology Film Archives, and the Korean Cultural Center New York—and marks the landmark 25th annual edition of North America’s leading festival of Asian cinema. Since 2002, NYAFF has grown from... Continue Reading →
Exclusive Interview: Lucio Castro on his sensual & evocative third feature Drunken Noodles “I bend the story in unexpected ways. That playfulness & sense of innocence is important to me”
New York City based Argentinian writer-director Lucio Castro continues to prove himself to be one the most exciting and adventurous contemporary independent filmmakers, delivering one spellbinding film after another as he plays with form and structure in imaginative and unexpected ways. He follows his acclaimed debut feature, End of the Century (Fin de siglo), and his brooding and enigmatic sophomore... Continue Reading →
The Queer Review questionnaire: Drunken Noodles star Laith Khalifeh
Born and raised in Chicago, Palestinian American writer, photographer and filmmaker Laith Khalifeh, makes his captivating film acting debut as the protagonist in Lucio Castro’s sensual and evocative third feature, Drunken Noodles, which world premiered at ACID Cannes and is now playing in select US theaters including New York's IFC Center. Khalifeh plays Adnan, a contemplative but open and curious... Continue Reading →
Exclusive Interview: Robin Byrd & filmmakers Jyllian Gunther & Stephanie Schwam on their stunning HBO doc Bang My Box The Robin Byrd Story
Before the internet and the ubiquity of social media influencers, there was Robin Byrd – the spirited, anything-goes New York City public access host, clad only in her signature black crochet bikini. From 1977 to 1998, Robin created, produced, and hosted the late-night call-in show that incorporated performances and interviews with adult entertainers and experimental... Continue Reading →
