Queer Screen is Australia's premier LGBTQIA+ film organisation founded in 1993, with the main aim of reclaiming Sydney’s LGBTIQ+ film festival as owned and operated by the community. Highly regarded by filmmakers all over the world, Queer Screen is one of the most important platform for promoting LGBTIQ+ titles in this territory.

Originally launched as QueerDoc in 2000, the festival evolved into Queer Screen Film Fest in 2013. Now entering its 13th edition, the 2026 Queer Screen Film Fest will take place from 2-8 September in Sydney, primarily at Event Cinemas George Street.

In 2025 we established the Emerging Narrative Feature Film Competition, to spotlight and support emerging LGBTIQ+ filmmakers. Open to directors presenting their first or second feature narrative film, and featuring significant LGBTIQ+ characters and themes, the competition winner will receive a cash prize.

In addition to film screenings, the festival will feature industry-focused events and panels as part of Queer Screen's commitment to supporting emerging filmmakers, as well as community-building social gatherings.

Festival Program Categories:
• Emerging Narrative Feature Film Competition
• Feature Films (Out of Competition)
• Short Film Packages
• Opening & Closing Night Screenings

Our Vision:
A celebration of the diversity of sexualities and gender identities through queer storytelling on screen, by inclusive and respectful communities full of creativity, inspiration and pride.

Our Mission:
To transform and engage individuals and communities through queer storytelling on screen.

About Queer Screen:
Queer Screen has grown considerably since 1993, now playing host to two annual film festivals: Queer Screen's Mardi Gras Film Festival (in February) and Queer Screen Film Fest (in August). It also offers a number of industry initiatives, including Australian short film competition My Queer Career (est. 1993), Queer Screen's Completion Fund (awarding over $172,000 AUD in funding to Australian filmmakers since 2016) and the short film pitching competition Pitch Off (awarding $70,000 AUD in funding since 2018).

Please note: we strongly encourage Australian short films to wait and submit to Queer Screen's Mardi Gras Film Festival (February, 2027), to be under consideration for our annual Australian short film competition, My Queer Career. Screening at Queer Screen Film Fest may lessen your chances of being selected for My Queer Career.

If you wish to submit to Queer Screen's Mardi Gras Film Festival (February, 2027) instead, submissions will reopen in July: https://filmfreeway.com/QueerScreenMardiGrasFilmFestival

Awards & Prizes

• Emerging Narrative Feature Film Competition (Cash Prize)
• Audience Award for Best Feature Film
• Audience Award for Best Short Film

Rules & Terms

Conditions of Entry
1. All films submitted must feature significant LGBTIQ+ characters and themes, or be of significant interest to the LGBTIQ+ community.
2. Industrial, promotional, instructional films, or feature-length films (60+ minutes) that are already available online for free are not eligible.
3. Queer Screen does not provide individual feedback or reasons for films not selected.
4. Entry fees are not refundable; please ensure your film qualifies for the chosen category before submitting.
5. Resubmissions from previous Mardi Gras Film Festival or Queer Screen Film Fest are not permitted, unless specifically requested by Queer Screen.
6. Queer Screen, its officers, agents, and employees accept no responsibility for any infringement of copyright, performers’ rights, defamation, illegal or obscene content, or any other legal issues arising from submitted films.
7. All non-English language films must include English subtitles in the screener for consideration, and in the exhibition copy.
8. Submission of a film implies full acceptance of these terms and conditions.

⸻

Selected films will be asked to provide:
• A minimum of 5 high-resolution film stills (300 dpi)
• An official high-resolution poster (300 dpi)
• A high resolution film trailer or clip (with and without English subtitles)
• Feature films must provide a DCP copy via digital download (preferred) or physical hard drive
• Short films must provide either a DCP or MOV copy via digital download (preferred) or physical hard drive
• Detailed DCP shipment instructions will be provided upon film acceptance

⸻

Because Queer Screen runs two separate festivals annually with differing scopes, it's possible that a film submitted to Queer Screen Film Fest (September, 2026) may not be deemed suitable, but we might wish to consider it for Queer Screen's Mardi Gras Film Festival (February, 2027) instead. If this is the case we will communicate this to you during notifications, and you will not be expected to pay an additional submission fee for Mardi Gras Film Festival.