The Films: 2026
We were super excited to present the Muskoka Queer Film Festival 2026.
This year we have a new format for the festival with screenings every month from April to July! Each night will have a different theme and will highlight the very best of this year’s submissions.
All screenings will be presented at the beautiful Rene M. Caisse Memorial Theatre in Bracebridge, ON., in partnership with Theatre Muskoka.
Tickets are $15/show or, $45 for a festival pass (all 5 shows!)
Theme: Canadian Stories
Date: Tuesday April 21, 2026
Times:
- 6:30 p.m Doors Open
- 7:00 p.m Start
- 10:00pm Close
FILMS:
The Regulation of Desire
Synopsis During Canada’s “Purge”, queers were surveilled and it was the expression of desire – our physical need for bodies whose gender did not honour heteronormative codes, which was so dangerous. This ballet, which draws its title from Gary Kinsman’s book,...
Pink Elephant
Synopsis A long-standing friendship creeps into conflict around gender identity, but is quickly resolved when one friend receives some news that changes their lives forever. Director Biography - Maria Del Mar MARIA DEL MAR (she/her) has worked in the film, television,...
Red Bay
Synopsis Hondarribia, 1943. Martin is a young man who works on the family farm. His mother works underground with the Comet Network. Martin's relationship with one of the refugee pilots will forever shape his life. Directed by Jose Cortes Amunarriz
Starwalker
Synopsis Star (Dilan Chiblow), an Indigi-Queer Two-Spirit lonesome call boy has become newly entranced by the world of drag when they are introduced to The House of Borealis, a popular drag house led by their charming matriarch, Mother (Stewart Adam McKensy). Star's...
Theme: Differing Abilities (In association with Community Living South Muskoka)
Date: Tuesday May 15, 2026
Times:
- 6:30 p.m Doors Open
- 7:00 p.m Start
- 10:00pm Close
FILMS:
A Place Where I Belong
Synopsis A Place Where I Belong follows six LGBTQ+ individuals with intellectual disabilities as they navigate identity, love, and systemic barriers through an innovative program called Connecting Queer Communities (CQC). As the participants find safety and solidarity...
Own Kind of Beautiful
Synopsis OWN KIND OF BEAUTIFUL is a documentary film that centres the artistry and point of view of Frank Hull, a dance artist who proudly lives with cerebral palsy and madness, embraces his Mi'kmaq heritage, and celebrates his gay identity. The film documents the...
Theme: Lives in Many Seasons
Date: Friday May 19, 2026
Times:
- 6:30 p.m Doors Open
- 7:00 p.m Start
- 10:00pm Close
FILMS:
On Queer Aging and Endings
Synopsis In this intimate short documentary, On Queer Aging and Endings explores the layered experiences of aging, illness, and mortality within queer and transgender communities. At its heart is a tender conversation between the renowned Norwegian trans activist...
Vestiges
Synopsis Opening night in Bastia. Ezy Rippart, in his sixties, one of the leading actors of the show, shows up at the theater terribly late after getting lost in the city in the footsteps of a youth love. While doing his best to prepare for the show, the actor,...
The Last Take
Synopsis Facing the end, a movie star from the golden age of Hollywood must reconcile with the only man he ever loved. Director Biography - Brian Foyster A native of Brooklyn Heights and Manhattan, Brian now calls Los Angeles home. He graduated SUNY Purchase with a...
Silig
Synopsis The stubborn and feisty Mamang is back in town after 20 years to organize her funeral. But she wants to be cremated against all odds. Director Biography - Arvin Belarmino and Lomorpich Rithy Arvin Belarmino (1987) is a Filipino filmmaker who was raised both...
Jaz
Synopsis "Jaz" is a film about encounters and farewells, endings and new beginnings. Without dialogue, "Jaz" presents death as an inexorable limit. Immersed in his grief, a middle-aged man engages in the ritual of his longing and, in an unlikely situation, encounters...
Revenge
Synopsis Virginia is a 43-year-old transgender woman who works as a community health agent in Guarulhos, Brazil. The film follows a day in her life, marked by the exhaustion of work, but also by meaningful encounters, dreams, and, above all, the need to live - and...
The Ride
Synopsis A late-night drive has Sean and Louis reflecting on their journey through surrogacy. Director Biography - Zack Hamm Zack Hamm is an award-winning Vancouver-based writer, director, and producer whose work blends dark humour, heart, and humanity. Born in...
Theme: After Dark (Strictly 18+)
Date: Tuesday June 16, 2026
Times:
- 6:30 p.m Doors Open
- 7:00 p.m Start
- 10:00pm Close
FILMS:
Invincible Summer
Synopsis One hot summer evening. Alone at home, by the pool and bored to death, 16-year-old Clément is killing boredom by swiping guys' profiles on a dating app. Determined to lose his virginity, he lies about his age on his date with Naël, a young man 8 years his...
A Ghosting Story
Synopsis An interior monologue mourns a past relationship. In the present, the revenge plan of a broken heart. Director Biography -Iñaki Goldaracena Iñaki Goldaracena es guionista y director chileno-español formado en Chile. Estudió Dirección Audiovisual en la...
FastLove
Synopsis On New Year’s Eve, a broke and restless young man is drawn into a risky encounter with a hustler’s client at a hotel. After being assaulted, scammed, and left without help from the hotel staff, the young man must confront the consequences of his choices....
Scars
Synopsis David is in an interrogation room. He has agreed to cooperate with the police but has no idea this conversation will unearth more than he expects. Luis, the detective on the case, isn’t just after answers—he’s battling his own demons. As questions turn into...
Cruising in Gomorrah
Synopsis Childhood friends Chris and Alex reunite on a camping trip to an idyllic but reportedly haunted creek. Tensions mount as Chris’ deep Christian faith clashes with Alex’s worldly perspectives, until a dark presence pervades the creek and awakens unconscious...
I Love You Beary Much
Synopsis A closeted teen is nearly outed at a New Year's party and resorts to drastic measures to keep his secret. Director Biography - Collin Viator Collin Viator (he/him) is a queer filmmaker based in Los Angeles whose work focuses on telling intimate stories...
Gay Beach
Synopsis A three-day gathering on the Florida panhandle becomes a rollicking party of queer resistance, grief and joy in the face of increasing censorship and division. Director Biography - Maura James McNamera & Daniel Fox Maura James McNamara and Daniel Fox have...
Pup Perfect
Synopsis Most likely the first documentary to explore the world of gay/queer human Pups. This subculture that evolved from the gay leather community and now thrives in tandem. Interviews with over a dozen Pups reveal that Pup Play is a way of embodying the spirit of a...
Theme: Pride in Many Voices
Date: Tuesday July 21, 2026
Times:
- 6:30 p.m Doors Open
- 7:00 p.m Start
- 10:00pm Close
FILMS:
My Endless Eclipse
Synopsis A transgender woman has hidden her gender identity all her life. To escape a forced marriage, she is forced to flee her country. But she falls into the hands of human traffickers. Director Biography - Bijan Aarabi Director’s Profile:Born in 1980, in Iran.M.A...
Bears on Film
Synopsis Bears can dance and bears can also be glamorous! This film celebrates all that is furry and masculine about Bear culture whilst elevating them to a contemporary level of style. Director Biography - Albert Koomen Albert is a Melbourne, Australia-based...
Bingo
Synopsis Fanny is a bookseller by day and a soft-hearted person the rest of the time. She is in love with her friend Louise, and to repress the sadness of this impossible love, she has a series of one-night stands with uninteresting men. One evening, at a literary...
Clam Diving for Beginners
Synopsis Coach “Daddy” trains a late-blooming lesbian, Carmen, before her big date. Director Biography - Clara Marshall Director Clara Marshall grew up in a small town in rural Idaho and went to film school at Boston University. After many years of working behind the...
Just Visiting
Synopsis On the eve of a holiday, Dor’s plans for a wild orgy collapse when his estranged mother shows up unannounced. Mistaking one of his hookups for a serious boyfriend, she turns the evening upside down. As the three sit down for a painfully polite holiday dinner,...
The Exchange
Synopsis Antonio and Inés are two complete strangers who arrange a meeting through a second-hand app. Inés wants to sell something she no longer tolerates; Antonio wants to try it. When they meet, an odd sense of mutual understanding emerges between them. However,...
At Lucy’s Last Night
Synopsis The morning after hooking up, two recent college grads wrestle with their feelings for each other while a strange and inexplicable phenomenon creeps up in the background. Director Biography - Ethan Roberts Born, raised, and educated in Ohio, Ethan currently...
Homecoming
Synopsis A transgender woman returns home to finally come out to her parents, but as dinner spirals out of control, her anxieties manifest in sinister ways. Director Biography - Grae Meek Grae is a proud transgender woman and an emerging voice in the New Zealand film...
Regret
Synopsis A boy has to bring his father to school because of a fight with a classmate, but his mother prevents him from coming because his father is transgender. Director Biography - Mostafa Shokouhi My name is Mostafa Shokohi 30 years old.Im from Iran,Gilan. I...
Dinner For Six
Synopsis Duda is a young lesbian who collects breakups. She is determined to make her next relationship work and decides to invite all her ex-girlfriends and her best friend to dinner. As soon as the guests arrive, secrets and surprises are brought to the table....
Gallina
Synopsis In rural Spain, ten-year-old Pablo loves spending time at his granny’s countryside home, playing with his younger sister Alba and his best friend Martín. But everything changes when Martín pressures him to betray his family, leaving Pablo to question where he...
Theme: Student Edition
No Public Access: NOT INCLUDED IN FESTIVAL PASS
Date: Friday May 19, 2026
Our Student Edition is presented in association with the Trillium Lakelands District School Board to celebrate the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT).
FILMS:
Gallina
Synopsis In rural Spain, ten-year-old Pablo loves spending time at his granny’s countryside home, playing with his younger sister Alba and his best friend Martín. But everything changes when Martín pressures him to betray his family, leaving Pablo to question where he...
Book Cute
Synopsis Armed with nothing but peer pressure and gay panic, Sam decides to talk to her crush, Dana, the very cute human that owns her favorite bookstore. But what Sam doesn't know is that Dana likes her too. Even though there’s instant chemistry between Sam &...
The Cowgirl, the Showgirl, and the Pig
Synopsis A trans cowgirl enters the bar where her lover, a black showgirl, works under the rules of a bloodthirsty truffle-lover pig. But what begins as an escape for love, turns into a surreal western showdown of blood, sisterhood and resilience. Director Biography -...
Their World in Colour
Synopsis From "Bye Bye, Binary" to "Love, Violet," Charlene Chua, an award-winning illustrator and author, embraces the challenges of fostering inclusivity through children’s books. Director Biography - Nico Susilo Nico Susilo was born in Surabaya, Indonesia, and...
First Shave
Synopsis Anticipation and apprehension abound as a trans man prepares for his first hot towel, straight razor shave. Director Biography - Ande Brown Emerging filmmaker, Ande Brown, recognizes that contemporary transgender stories about trans men, especially from the...
Lez Be Honest
Synopsis Chaos unfolds after a teen and her girlfriend plan to come out to her gay moms over dinner. Director Biography - Abigail Espinal Abigail Espinal is an award-winning queer, transgender actress, writer, and filmmaker with several years of film, theatre,...
The Last Story on Earth
Synopsis Facing angry protesters, a determined drag queen does her best to finish a fairy tale reading at the local library. But when an alien invasion upends Earth’s existence, the queen encounters new challenges that carry terrifying outcomes for humanity. Trapped...
Breaking Away
Synopsis Noé dreams of breaking away from the countryside. With Tom, his best friend, he spends time shooting whimsical DIY videos. When a real film shoot comes to the area, he sees a chance to escape... And to reveal to Tom the true nature of his feelings. Directed...
Big Bass
Synopsis What does it mean to feel seen by others before you’re ready to see yourself? A filmmaker travels back to 1997 to revisit a dream-like memory from second grade that centers around her queer identity, her legendary PE teacher and a mysterious large plastic...
Alyssum
Synopsis Alyssum follows Alyson, a young woman who’s struggling with perfectionism as she attempts to craft the perfect bouquet for her wife, Lilith. Overwhelmed by anxiety and self-doubt, she battles her inner critic, represented by corrupting vines. As she spirals...
Misha’s Girl
Synopsis A lesbian teenager proposes to a classmate in front of her boyfriend. Director Biography - Isabel G. Afonso Natalie began her filmmaking career by co-founding Blatella Films Ltd in 2012. Originally Blatella Films focused on corporate and commissioned film...
Cat Sitters
Synopsis Four friends reunite to watch scary movies while cat sitting, but an unexplained power outage and the nagging suspicion that they’re not alone threatens to kill the vibe. One thing’s for sure: they aren’t splitting up. Cat Sitters is a queer comedy-horror...
Why We Pride
Synopsis Why We Pride centres on the people behind Southend Pride, exploring what the event means to those who organise it, attend it, and find connection through it. Through voices from across the community, the film reflects on visibility, belonging, and the...