Film lovers can look forward to four days of bold queer storytelling when Long Beach’s QFilms returns from 17 to 20 September 2026. From intimate student shorts and animated post-apocalyptic oddities to documentaries, international drama and a lively opening reception, this long-running festival offers plenty to discover at The Art Theatre.

Essential Takeaways

  • Four days of film: QFilms runs from 17 to 20 September, with features, documentaries, shorts and student work.
  • A strong local legacy: The Long Beach LGBTQ film festival began in 1993 and remains rooted in community storytelling.
  • Standout screenings: Highlights include Hunky Jesus, The Little Sister, Test and Tuna Tartare.
  • Opening and closing events: The festival opens at the Aquarium of the Pacific and concludes with a reception at The LGBTQ Center Long Beach.
  • Plan ahead: Screenings take place at The Art Theatre, so checking times and booking tickets early makes sense.

QFilms returns with four days of varied queer cinema

The strongest thing about QFilms 2026 may be its sheer range. One moment, audiences can be watching two students navigate an awkward night after a failed hookup; later, they might meet an animated tuna tin and a counterfeit designer handbag trying to make art after the apocalypse.

That mix of tenderness, humour and wonderfully strange ideas is exactly what makes a film festival feel worth leaving the sofa for. According to QFilms’ official information, the programme is designed to bring queer stories and filmmakers into the spotlight across a broad selection of formats. [2], [4]

The festival takes place from 17 to 20 September, with screenings hosted at The Art Theatre on East Fourth Street. It opens with a reception at the Aquarium of the Pacific, giving the event a suitably memorable start before the cinema programme gets underway. [3], [5]

A Long Beach festival with deep community roots

QFilms began in 1993, following founder Robert Cano’s inspiration from the historic LGBTQ March on Washington. Its first event was supported by seed funding from The LGBTQ Center Long Beach and sold out at the CSULB Student Union.

More than 30 years on, that origin story still matters. The festival isn’t simply presenting films about queer life; it’s continuing a community tradition built around visibility, shared experience and the freedom to tell stories that don’t always fit neatly into mainstream cinema. QFilms’ own history describes that community focus as central to its identity. [3], [6]

There’s also something pleasingly democratic about the format. Student films sit alongside international features, documentaries share space with experimental shorts, and audiences can move from a quiet character piece to something gloriously surreal without leaving the same venue. [2], [7]

Five films that show QFilms at its most adventurous

Fin Tran’s After Midnight offers a small, intimate story. Following an unsuccessful late-night encounter, two college students walk through a near-empty campus together, finding an unexpected connection in the aftermath. It’s scheduled for 5:15pm on 18 September as part of the Student Shorts Showcase. [2], [4]

Hunky Jesus takes a much louder, more flamboyant route. Jennifer M. Kroot’s documentary explores the San Francisco chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a queer and trans religious performance group known for combining activism, comedy and spectacle. The screening on 18 September includes a blessing, the short film Kiki and a question-and-answer session with the Sisters. [3], [5]

For something more reflective, Hafsia Herzi’s The Little Sister follows 17-year-old Fatima as she leaves her French Algerian family home for university in Paris. Her new surroundings bring friendships, relationships and a growing understanding of her attraction to women. The feature screens at 5:45pm on 18 September. [2], [6]

Then there’s Test, a psychologically heavier feature about bodybuilding, faith, family dependence and the pressure to control every part of oneself. Eddie’s physical training becomes tangled with questions about sexuality and identity, making this one a likely choice for viewers who prefer their cinema emotionally demanding. It screens at 9:30pm on 19 September. [4], [7]

Finally, Tuna Tartare sounds like the festival’s most enjoyably bonkers proposition. Set in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles karaoke bar, the animated short gives an expired tin of tuna and a fake Louis Vuitton bag a shared artistic ambition. It’s part of the Women in Shorts programme at 1:15pm on 20 September. [2], [5]

How to choose your QFilms 2026 screening

If you like discovering emerging talent, start with the student and short-film programmes. They’re often the quickest way to sample several voices in one sitting, and After Midnight looks particularly suited to viewers who enjoy understated, character-led storytelling.

For a bigger emotional investment, The Little Sister and Test offer more room for identity, family and belonging to unfold. The former promises a coming-of-age perspective shaped by cultural and personal change, while the latter appears darker and more psychologically intense.

And if your ideal festival experience includes laughter, spectacle and a story you’ll still be explaining to friends afterwards, Hunky Jesus or Tuna Tartare should do the job. Check the official QFilms listings before travelling, as individual screening times and event details can change. [2], [4]

Why festivals like QFilms still matter

Streaming has made queer cinema easier to find, but it hasn’t replaced the atmosphere of watching a film with a roomful of people who are ready to engage with it. Festivals create a useful pause from endless scrolling, turning films into shared events rather than isolated recommendations.

QFilms also shows how broad queer storytelling can be. There’s no single tone, style or experience here, and that’s the point. Some films are intimate, some irreverent, some unsettling and some simply strange in the best possible way.

The festival closes with a reception at The LGBTQ Center Long Beach on 20 September. For tickets, full programme details and updates, visit the official QFilms website. [3], [6]

A good festival doesn’t just fill a weekend, it changes what you’re curious to watch next.

Source Reference Map

Story idea inspired by: [1]

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