watch free global queer cinema

KUMU HINA (2014)

DIR. DEAN HAMER & JOE WILSON

The inspiring story of Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, a transgender (Māhū) Native Hawaiian (Kānaka Maoli) teacher and cultural icon who brings to life Hawaii’s long-held embrace of māhū - those who embody both male and female spirit, and were/are traditionally respected as caretakers, healers, and keepers of ancient traditions. 

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WILL YOU LOOK AT ME (2022)  

DIR. SHULI HUANG

This deeply personal experimental documentary short by Chinese filmmaker Shuli Huang is a quest for love: love of oneself and the love of family. After studying abroad, the filmmaker returns to his hometown of Wenzhou where traditional family values make any conversation about his queerness a near mission impossible. Near impossible, because Shuli Huang’s subtle yet resolute attempt to have his mother really look at him (and love him) for what he is turns into a breathtaking visual and emotional exercise in love and compassion. 

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THE ORPHAN / O ÓRFÃO (2018) 

DIR. CAROLINA MARKOWICZ

This Cannes Queer Palm winning short was inspired by true events and follows the story of Jonathas, a young Brazilian orphan navigating the adoption system, traditional family “rules” and his burgeoning sexuality. Adopted and returned multiple times, Jonathas’ sexuality and mannerisms are unwelcome by the adoptive families. Despite the devastating effects of rejection, Jonathas’ story is an inspiring tribute to the resilience and bravery of queer children.

Kauan Alvarenga’s arresting performance as Jonathas is a must see tour de force.  

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METEOR (2023) 

DIR. ATEFEH KHADEMOLREZA 

A touching tribute to a friend, Meteor is a visually captivating short about loss and grief and the challenges of women and the queer community in Iran - those who have been (and still are) deprived to be themselves. Using rotoscoping, Meteor juxtaposes the stories of the women’s movement in Iran and the filmmaker’s relationship with a gay friend in this poetic exploration of oppression and hope. A must see. 

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AIKĀNE (2023) 

 DIRS. DEAN HAMER, JOE WILSON

ANIMATED BY DANIEL SOUSA

A beautifully animated queer Pacific Islander story from the creators of  Kapaemahu about a wounded warrior who falls into the ocean, is rescued by an octopus who transforms into a young man and the two become aikāne - intimate friends and companions of the same sex. Aikāne skillfully weaves queer Pacific Islander stories into the fabric of world cinema.

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KISS OF THE RABBIT GOD (2019)

DIR. ANDREW THOMAS HUANG

A confession and a love letter to the queer Asian community, Andrew Huang's visually arresting short follows the sexual awakening of a Chinese American restaurant worker who gets entangled with a seductive queer Chinese Deity, the Rabbit God - the patron deity of gay love. "The Qing dynasty myth of Tu'er Shen—the Rabbit God—traces the story of a Fujianese soldier who was executed for professing his love to another man. The ruler of the underworld decided that since Tu'er Shen’s crime was one of love, the soldier would be ordained as the Rabbit God, the patron deity of gay love." (source: nowness)

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EGÚNGÚN / MASQUERADE (2021) 

DIR. OLIVE NWOSU

A poignant short about a young woman who returns from London to her ancestral village in Nigeria for the funeral of her mother. She finds old dreams and loves, but also traumas and lies in the place where she grew up. Egúngún means masquerade: it is roots and tradition. It is also layering and masquerading - the hiding that societal norms and pressures impose on people’s feelings and lives. Beautifully photographed with subtly intense performances, this soulful short is the physical and emotional journey of two women reconnecting in space and time, past and present and egúngún. 

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I BLEED (2019)

DIR. BRUNO H. CASTRO, TIAGO MINAMISAWA & GUTO BR

The roller-coaster journey of a young man who learns he is HIV positive. Following a whirlwind of fear and abandon, this soulful animated short dives (literally) into Hieronymus Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights to take a trip from heaven to hell and back again to find hope and self-love despite it all. A visually singular animated queer gem from Brazil about living with HIV and embracing life.

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ILI-ILI / LITTLE ONE (2023)

DIR. CLISTER SANTOS

A heartfelt animation about a Filipino same-sex couple whose pregnant daughter wants to learn more about her dads’ journey becoming her parents. The interview takes a fateful turn, but it also becomes the catalyst of memories of a childhood full of precious memories and loving care. Evocative of home movies, the visuals were inspired by Filipino painter Fernando Amorsolo and  Ili-Ili from the title comes from a Filipino-Ilongo language lullaby called "Ili ili tulog anay" - go to sleep little one. 

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SUNDAY (2020)

DIR. ARUN FULARA

The weekly highlight of a middle-aged man’s life is going to the barber shop on Sundays to get a shave and some tender care from the handsome barber he has a secret crush on. Surrounded by an unforgiving  heteronormative world, his desire allows for no more than platonic queer longing and a moment of daring fantasy: imagining himself without a mustache because someone he likes told him that it would look amazing. This beautifully shot short with a soulful performance by Shrikant Yadav as Kamble, captures the sensuous intimacy of a barber shop encounter and closeted queer longing. 

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APAYAUQ (2023)  

DIR. ZEPPELIN ZEERIP

An inspiring documentary about Apayauq Reitan, Indigenous Inupiaq transgender woman (Aġnainġiq) and dog musher who became the first out transgender woman to complete the legendary Iditarod sled dog race across Alaska, USA. The filmmaker followed Apayauq for more than 1,000 miles on the Iditarod trail, documenting her journey from Anchorage to Nome, a trying challenge of unforgiving yet breathtaking terrain. In a hostile anti-trans climate, Apayauq Reitan’s resolve and resilience celebrates Indigenous roots and practices while being unapologetically yourself.

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