Tag! Queer Shorts Festival!

2025 films... 

Emergence

Queerness is perhaps uniquely marked by the extent to which it occupies liminal spaces. The films in this block, in some way or another, explore moments of transition, whether it means coming into a more nuanced understanding of our own nature or moving into new relationships with others and with the world. 

Therapist Crush

MJ Kaufman

USA, 6:54

Soul-searching transmasculine Frankie has a crush on his hot, new therapist, until one day things get too real. A film about therapy, desire and neckties. 

 

Object(s) of Desire

Liberty Antonia Sadler

UK, 4:05

This playfully decadent & emotionally candid film invites you to join a Bacchian revelry of XXL homoerotica; with each performer embracing their body and sexuality on their own terms, with pride, liberation and mutual devotion. The film’s text explores the complex journey to self-affirmation and acceptance in relation to size and sexuality, reclaiming the fetishization often placed on fat bodies from an external societal gaze.

 

Parallel Lines

Danny Wascou

USA, 15:45

Over the course of one night, two strangers meet in line at a bar and embark on a journey of discovery—exploring missed opportunities, fate, and the strange twists of destiny.

 

My Horoscope Says I Should Go Ahead With What I'm Doing

Aderet Fishbane

USA, 5:18

This experimental short documentary is a personal exploration of trans nonbinary self creation in community, trying to understand the intimacy and intensity of change in the body and in bodies of friends.

 

Play Date

William Beachum

USA, 8:35

Matt tries to reconnect with his first love while fighting his own insecurities about their past.

 

Queer Crush: Places

Margaret Grant

USA, 12:12

Will an arm wrestling match win over Mary Margaret's crush? This charming DIY film, an inspired use of pastiche, tells a nostalgic tale about the magic of books and the most popular girl in the fourth grade.

Boyfriends

CJ Arellano

USA, 9:05

Billy passionately welcomes home his long-absent boyfriend Kevin, but the heat of the night soon gives way to cold hard reality. Director CJ Arellano describes it as a film that transports audiences "... from the highs of fantasy to the lows of what comes after."

Clementine

Sally Tran

USA, 14:30

A late-blooming trans woman grapples with a life-altering, assigned-male-at-birth Trans specific dilemma and, with the help of her besties, navigates the complexities of this debacle as she determines her path on her own terms.

 

Ghosted

Ben Hirschhorn

USA, 5:40

This is a silent horror-comedy short film about a fake ghost falling in love with a real one. Think Casablanca, but spooky and gay.

Choose You

Moitri Ghosh

USA, 11:57

Director Moitri Ghosh brings an intimate romantic short film about a Bengali Indian-American outlier who must introduce her Bengali girlfriend to her parents to fit into her family, despite having latent feelings for her American best friend.

Written by: Moitri Ghosh
Featuring: Kausar Mohammed (Diya), Sanchita Malik (Reshmi), Rhaechyl Walker (Alice)

Language: Bengali, English

 

An Ending

Sarah Young

USA, 7:19

In the midst of a pandemic, a man learns the meaning of home. Based on a true love story, and shot on location in Queens NYC during the heart of the Covid 19 Pandemic, this film is a tribute to those who stayed and those who had to go.

 

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Local Action

Most folx are familiar with the saying "think globally, act locally..." and filmmakers from British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon are definitely bringing queer voices to life in dynamic ways. Help us create visibility and joy around our communities by celebrating the creativity of the storytellers in our own region!

American Teenager

Rachel Gosselin, Nili Yosha

USA, 10:18

Tonya, a teenage girl who is living in a motel with her drug addict mom, is searching far and wide for a cigarette.

 

Queen

Kai Nealis

USA, 9:14

While visiting their estranged grandfather in a rural trailer park, a teenager searches for their father's ethos amid socioeconomic, environmental, racial, and gendered binaries.

 

Cowboy Boots

Eric K Delehoy

USA, 12:33

J​ack, a gay cowboy from Nebraska, finds anything but the promised land he envisioned when he visits a San Francisco gay club for the first time.

 

DTF?

Jess McLeod

Canada, 15:00

A young, queer writer on a sexual bender is forced to confront his insecurities when he ends up on a date with his former English professor. Through a night of laughter and vulnerability, they unpack what it means to be a gay man in search of real connection.

 

Nothing Felt Like Her

Lu Fine

USA, 9:50

Playing with the idea of time as a concept, Rochelle, a young queer person, struggles to organize their thoughts and feelings following their first real heartbreak. Still reminiscing over the past, Rochelle tries to move forward with a new romantic partner.

 

The One of the Girl

Lucas Salm-Rojo

USA, 13:23

Sue, a newly out nonbinary person, comes to terms with their situationship.

Sunny Disposition

Aruna Evanovna Sunflower-Mendrin

USA, 4:03

The balance of life is portrayed by a young person having difficult challenging and joyful experiences with an original song.

 

Something Borrowed, Something Pink

Nadia Johnson, Ben Snyder

USA, 09:51

Writer and director Nadia shares, "Natalie is a very difficult character for me to talk about, because when I first wrote her she was both a reflection of myself on paper but also a reflection on some of the biggest choices I’ve ever made. I think for the first time she was a character I wrote that I’m not sure I’d want to trade places with."

 

Bindweed

Juliette Leach

Canada, 12:58

Rae has a deep connection to their garden of puppets, so much so that when Rae flourishes, so do their flowers. When Rae becomes overwhelmed by the demands of adult life—working, cleaning, keeping up with their loved ones—a neglected sprout of bindweed overwhelms their flowers too. 

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¡Presentes!

Para Tag! Latinx/Hispanx (con la -x pronunciada como -e) abarca un amplio terreno geográfico y cultural que incluye elementos europeos, mestizos e indígenas con sus respectivos idiomas e historias. El nombre del programa, ¡Presentes!, es un homenaje a una tradición establecida en movimientos obreros chicanos; cuando fallece algún compañere, se pasa la lista de asistencia y al llegar al nombre de la persona que falta, el grupo entero responde en su lugar: ¡Presente! Tag! honra a todes que ahora cuentan con nuestras voces para llevar su mensaje.

For Tag!, Latinx/Hispanx (-x pronounced as -e) covers a vast geographic and cultural space that includes European, mixed, and Indigenous elements and an array of languages and histories. The block's title, ¡Presentes!, is a nod to a long-established tradition in Chicano workers' movements; when a comrade is lost, a roll call is taken and when the missing person's name is called, the entire group responds in their place: Present! Tag! honors all members of our community who now rely on us to carry their energy forward.

 

Lolo

Ana Gabriela Gutiérrez Salgado

México, 15:00

Lolo lives alone in Xochimilco and strives to maintain the harvest of a chinampa farm that belonged to their grandfather. Despite the calmness among the crops, LOLO doesn't feel free to cultivate their true self.

Lolo vive en Xochimilco y trabaja en una chinampa que pertenecía a su abuelo. Aún ante la calma de su parcela, Lolo no se siente en libertad de ser quien es. Mientras se esfuerza por mantenerse a flote con su cosecha, su identidad como persona no binaria es constantemente cuestionada.

 

Mistake My Hand

Marizó Siller

USA, 2:57

Shot on Super 8 film with archival collage elements, this experimental poetry short explores water and resistance.

 

Beicon

Jose Montero

Spain, 12:00

When Ander goes to take his dog Beicon for a walk, he runs into Carlos, his ex-partner, who has been waiting for him on the landing of the flat where they lived together before their traumatic breakup. Under the pretext of collecting his remaining belongings, Carlos takes the opportunity to address a pending issue: Beicon's custody.

 

Don't Cry For Me All You Drag Queens

Kristal Sotomayor

USA, 9:00

Director Kristal Sotomayor pays homage to the legendary New Hope, PA drag queen Mother Cavallucci by weaving together the present and past to provide a striking portrait of belonging and memory. 

Directore Kristal Sotomayor rinde homenaje a la reina legendaria de New Hope, PA, Mother Cavalucci entretejiendo pasado y presente para presentar un impactante retrato de pertenencia y memoria.

 

Straight From the Throat

Ryan Luis Fuller

USA, 6:10

Luis tests positive for oral gonorrhea and navigates tracking down strangers to inform them through various social media apps.

 

Aquele meu ex / That Ex of Mine

Victor L Cezar, Rafaella Blat

Brazil, 11:30

When, on his wedding day, Alex finds himself full of doubts about his decision, his friend Laryssa arrives to help with a possible solution to his problems.

 

Eu não sei se vou ter que falar tudo de novo

Vitória Fallavena, Thassilo Weber

Brazil, 14:09

Fernando meets his mother weekly at a café. Today, he's going to tell her he's getting married. Ana, who suffers from Alzheimer's, has trouble remembering that her son is gay. Does she really forget, or would she rather not remember?

Fernando se encuentra con su madre cada semana en un café. Hoy le va a decir que se casa. Ana sufre de Alzheimer's y le cuesta recordar que su hijo es homosexual. ¿Es cierto que se le olvida o simplemente prefiere no recordar?

 

Quando você vem me visitar/ The Voice of Fear

Henrique Arruda

Brazil, 5:32

In how many worlds has your fear trapped you? This film may not give you an answer, but it’ll show you some of mine.

¿En cuántos mundo te ha atrapado tu miedo? Esa película quizás no te dé una respuesta, pero te mostrará algunas de las mías.

Em quantos mundos o seu medo já te prendeu? Esse filme talvez não te dê uma resposta, mas vai te mostrar um pouco dos meus.

 

Quimera/Chimera

Gael Jara, Martín André

Chile, 11:21

A non-binary person watches the handover of the first non-binary ID in the history of Chile. As they try to do the paperwork, they will face the bureaucracy of the legal proceedings and their own memories.

Una persona no binaria observa la entrega del primer carnet de identidad no binaria en la historia de Chile. Mientras intenta completar los formularios, enfrentará la burocracia del proceso legal y sus propias memorias.

 

Daninha/Wildflower

Carina Pierro Corso

Portugal, 5:00

A feeling of emptiness, a restless mind and two pieces of land. What is born from the void that unites them? This animated short is a poetic essay about the undesirable, the lack of control and duality that seeks to explore the different possibilities of interaction between human beings and the uncontrollable side of nature.

Una sensación de soledad, una mente inquieta y dos terrenos. ¿Qué nace del vacío que los une? Este corto animado es un ensayo poético sobre lo indeseable, la falta de control y la dualidad que busca explorar las distintas posibilidades de interacción entre seres humanos y el lado descontrolable de la naturaleza.

 

Viejito/Enfermito/Grito

Dolissa Medina

USA, 10:00

Ananias, an SF Bay Area artist and immigrant, performs the folkloric Danza de los Viejitos (the Dance of the Old Men). Originally from Michoacán, Mexico, where the dance originates, Ananias interprets its movements through the lens of his spirituality, his long-term HIV-related disabilities, and his search for a place in the world.

Ananias, artista e inmigrante localizado en la región de San Francisco, interpretation el baile folclórico "Danza de los viejitos. Oriundo de Michoacán, MX donde esta danza tiene su origen, Ananias interpreta sus movimientos a través del lente d su espiritualidad, sus discapacidades crónicas resultados de VIH y su búsqueda de un lugar propio en el mundo. 

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Connect

It has been clear to queer communities for some time that a crisis was brewing, but the extent to which social progress has been rolled back is alarming. There is an urgent need to organize, to build broad coalitions and push back. This collection of films explores queer connections—our fight against isolation, our own battles with inclusion, our way of making a place for ourselves whether it's in the mountains, the streets, or the sheets. It is how we resist.

The Orange at the Seder

Jacob Combs

USA, 14:41

When Adam brings his first-ever girlfriend to his beloved mentor’s annual queer, all-male Passover seder, he must come out of the closet all over again—putting his relationship with his chosen family in jeopardy.

 

Trans Heaven, Pennsylvania

Hansen Bursic

USA, 12:00

In the 1970s and 1980s, the small Pennsylvania town of New Hope was among a few safe havens outside of major cities for gay men to find community. Over 30 years later, the town’s legacy remained, but now for a different community: transgender women

 

Even Still,

Grey Anderson

USA, 3:15

Grey Anderson brings us an animated short about creating a life that is joyful to live through the experience of transness. It’s about building community, breaking free of public perception, and cultivating the things in life that bring happiness. It's about how life is painful, but still so beautiful and precious nonetheless. These things can never be separated, but neither one can erase the other.

 

Orgy Every Other Day

Samuel Döring

Germany, 14:00

In this animated NSFW experimental documentary, bodies of diverse genders come together to relish in play, always careful to act consensually while respecting one another’s boundaries. For many genderqueer people, these parties are of great importance when it comes to feeling comfortable in their own skin, discovering themselves anew.

 

Arrocco/Castling

Federico Yang

Italy, 10:00

A young man, disappointed in human relations, moves into a tower in the middle of nowhere. However the pleasant solitude gives in to dreams of intimacy, but perhaps for the last time.

 

Tiger Lily Mountain Pass

Nate King

USA, 5:18

In the Appalachian region where queerness is often hidden or disguised, the work explores nature as a space of queer erotic encounter. Director Nate King animates with a combination of pencil, paper and digital processes, weaving together a dreamlike poem that tells a story of ecstasy, meditation, and heartache.

 

À Poings et À Cœurs

Augustine Caille

France, 8:00

Trans women boxers talk about their experiences, their gender euphoria, problems, oppressions, but mostly talk about how they connect with each other through their engagement with the sport.

 

Butch

Jordan Rossi

UK, 5:33

Through intimate portraits, candid moments, and heartfelt interviews, Butch seeks to redefine and expand the understanding of masculinity.

 

I Know Him So Well

Chance Calloway

USA, 4:29

The jewel-toned animation of queer teenage love is chronicled by guitar-playing mermen and the vocals of AJ Rafael and Chance Calloway. This is a love story illustrating the kind of connection without stigma or trauma that queer teens deserve.

 

Park Life

Marco De Luca

UK, 13:20

Noah and Medhi weren’t expecting to make any real connections when they encounter one another cruising in a park. But what starts as a meaningless and transactional hook up, soon blossoms in to something unexpectedly romantic and meaningful as they wander the quiet streets of London one remarkable morning.

 

Hej

Lovisa Bulow

Sweden, 3:00

A small word but could be an icebreaker or a dealbreaker. This movie examines what could be happening between two random people when meeting by chance. Saying ”hej” to a stranger can be scary, awkward BUT we need to continue trying, it’s so worth it. 

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