Queer Lisboa, Portugal’s leading international LGBTQ film festival, opened this week for its 30th anniversary edition, running September 18-26 at venues including the Cinemateca Portuguesa and Cinema São Jorge. The festival launched in 1997 as the Lisbon Gay and Lesbian Film Festival and has maintained its position as the country’s oldest film festival through institutional support and a broad curatorial approach that extends beyond narrative-focused cinema.
The anniversary edition features 94 feature films, documentaries, and short films across nearly a dozen sections, including five competition categories and six non-competitive sidebars. The opening film is the Portuguese premiere of “The Man I Love” starring Rami Malek, directed by Ira Sachs, while the closing selection is Leah Nelson’s animated drama “Tangles.” Notable works in the program include recent LGBTQ titles alongside contributions from established filmmakers such as Pedro Almodóvar and the Wachowskis.
A new addition this year is the Queer Family section, designed for children and their families with a focus on culturally enriching independent films exploring themes of inclusion and identity. The program includes Brazilian features such as Allan Deberton’s “Gugu’s World” and Priscilla Kellen’s “Papaya.” Festival organizers report strong early ticket sales for family-oriented screenings and view the section as an important strategy for developing younger audiences who may become regular festival attendees.
The 30th anniversary is marked by an expanded Retrospectives section featuring 19 titles, including works such as the Wachowskis’ “Bound” (1996), Sally Potter’s “Orlando” (1992), and Frank Ripploh’s “Taxi zum Klo” (1980). Organizers note that Queer Lisboa’s 30th year coincides with the 40th anniversary of London’s BFI Flare and the 50th anniversary of San Francisco’s Frameline, all of which have played foundational roles in the international exhibition of queer cinema.
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