The 30th edition of Queer Lisboa, Portugal’s International Queer Film Festival, concluded with record-breaking attendance figures, drawing more than 11,500 spectators across 67 screenings over nine days—a 53% increase compared to the previous year.
Marine Atlan’s debut feature “La Gradiva” emerged as the festival’s primary honoree, securing both the best feature film award and the audience prize. The film presents a narrative centered on French secondary school students undertaking a final-year educational journey to Pompeii, where their instructor works to cultivate their appreciation for cultural and historical contexts. The jury, comprised of cultural manager Kathleen Gomes, film programmer Maria João Madeira, and actor Miguel Nunes, praised the work for its exploration of adolescent transition, identity formation, and human vulnerability set against historical and natural backdrops. “La Gradiva” previously won top honors at the Cannes Critics’ Week and currently stands among five finalists under consideration as France’s submission for the international feature film category at the Academy Awards.
Spanish filmmaker Lorena Ros’ documentary “Up and Running” achieved parallel success, winning both best documentary and audience awards. The documentary provides an examination of increasing marginalization and housing insecurity affecting transgender individuals with prior incarceration histories in Barcelona. Additional recognition included awards across multiple competition categories, including the Queer Art Competition, Short Film Competition, and films from European film schools.
Festival leadership attributed the heightened attendance and critical reception to an ambitious curatorial program developed for the festival’s 30th anniversary milestone. Artistic director João Ferreira remarked on the significance of sustained attendance growth and noted the program’s emphasis on contemporary themes surrounding relationships, familial structures, and optimistic perspectives. He underscored the cultural and political relevance of queer cinema, particularly given the festival’s establishment in 1997 as Lisbon’s inaugural film festival.
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