Anxiety on a first date, a plethora of miscommunications, and a pesky apocalypse – relationships aren’t easy at the best of times, and life has a way of throwing many challenges our way. But through this collection of shorts, we see the importance of connection and intimacy, even when it requires a little bit of effort.
Guests: Chris Coats, Ella May Sahlman, Mike Liebenson
June 1, 2024 2:00 pm TIFF Lightbox 2 350 King Street West Toronto ON
Digital Screening Available June 2
*Please note, Inside Out digital screenings are GEO-BLOCKED to ONTARIO, you must be in Ontario to access digital programming.
Kumar Chheda
Director
A turbulent couple finds themselves at opposing entrances of Juhu beach, compelling them to walk toward each other and meet in the middle.
Country
India
Year
2023
Duration
9 mins
Interests
Gay, Romance, South Asian
Philippe Grenier
Samir, a 16-year-old Moroccan fisherman, discovers his attraction toward men when he meets Louis, a tourist traveling with his wife.
Canada
17 mins
African, Canadian, Family, Gay
Mark Felix Ebreo
After receiving an undetectable HIV status, Dexter finally shows up at his friends’ party and reconnects with them, following a long and sudden ghosting.
Philippines
20 mins
Asian, Gay, HIV / AIDS
Brian Foyster
Facing the end, a movie star from the golden age of Hollywood must reconcile with the only man he ever loved.
United States
14 mins
Aging / Elders, Gay, Romance
Chris Coats
A chance meeting with a nomadic musician sets an aimless and depressed young man’s life on an entirely new trajectory.
12 mins
Family, Gay, Sexy
Harris Doran
There are only 8 minutes and 20 seconds of sunlight left on earth and Max must race against time to reconcile with his ex-boyfriend.
Gay, Romance, Sci-Fi
Ella Sahlman
Chronicling the endearing anxieties and insecurities of two men on a first date.
7 mins
Gay, Mental Health, RE:Focus, Romance
This selection of shorts highlights the love and connection that can be found anywhere: a lover, a stranger, a friend, the world around you. Dive into the worlds of these stories created by Black film...
In a world that can feel overwhelming, these films teach us the importance of finding our true selves and loving every part of our being, allowing us to find the light inside us and let it shine brigh...
When faced with situations such as an embarrassing moment gone viral, learning to drive as an adult, or a pizza delivery mistakenly sent to your ex, it's essential to dig deep and find humour in it al...
Carabiners, karaoke nights, climbing legends, drag royalty, and resilient communities come together to create a program that highlights the power of queerness. Celebrate our past, present, and future through the stories of inspiring real-life icons.
Guests: Gianna Mazzeo
June 1, 2024 11:45 am TIFF Lightbox 2 350 King Street West Toronto ON
Digital Screening Available on June 2
Gianna Mazzeo
A tongue-in-cheek, historical documentary / fashion film hybrid that takes viewers on a journey through queer history to trace the origins of the carabiner as a lesbian symbol.
Netherlands
Lesbian, Queer, RE:Focus
Angelo Madsen Minax
At a rural Vermont dive bar called Babes, Cribbage tournaments overlap with afternoons of karaoke and nights of raucous Queer dance parties.
2024
29 mins
Gay, Trans
Alfredo Torres
While waiting in limbo, displaced LGBTQ folks hoping to cross into the United States find support and healing with one another.
Costa Rica
26 mins
Activism, Gay, Latinx, Lesbian, Trans
Hadi Moussally
Palestinian drag queen, performer, and artist, Sultana of New York, reflects on her journey from Jordan, to Egypt, Lebanon, and New York.
France
10 mins
Aging / Elders, Drag, Intergenerational, Middle Eastern
Darcy Hennessey
Alpinist Jamie Logan has taken on some of the most dangerous climbs in the world but nothing felt as life-threatening as admitting that she wanted to begin a new life as a woman.
19 mins
Family, Lesbian, Sports, Trans
Horny cowboys, lost satellites, everlasting friendships, one-night stands, and self-discovery—all aboard this wild ride showcasing the wonderful and eclectic world of trans and nonbinary storytellers.
Anxiety on a first date, a plethora of miscommunications, and a pesky apocalypse – relationships aren’t easy at the best of times, and life has a way of throwing many challenges our way. But throu...
From leather daddies to cruising newbies, from bisexual friends of friends to celebrity crushes, this program delves into the vast world of queer intimacy, one hookup at a time.
Guests: Ariel Mahler
May 31, 2024 7:00 pm TIFF Lightbox 2 350 King Street West Toronto ON
Ariel Mahler
When a trans scientist rediscovers a lost satellite from her former life as a NASA engineer, she’s forced to confront her painful past.
16 mins
RE:Focus, Trans
Tram Anh Huu Nguyen
Archival footage, distorted images, and internal monologues blend, resurfacing fragmented memories.
4 mins
Asian, Experimental, RE:Focus, Trans
Leo Behrens
With the help of their inner manifestation, the iceman sheds their old skin and embraces their true identity.
Experimental, RE:Focus, Trans
EE Newman
The Ignorant Cowboy first battles his ornery reflection, then mockery from aliens and kinky reindeer.
Animation, Sexy, Trans
Sara Asprilla Palomino
Doroty’s dream was to dance and be recognized as the woman she was, but death came first. Her best friend, Misael, a 60-year-old gay man, will make it happen.
Colombia
BOLD, Gay, Trans
Genevieve Marie Dale
Dean G. Mang-Wooley
Inspired by the absolutely unhinged masterpiece of Hieronymus Bosch, this collage animation journeys from the lush gardens of paradise through to the flaming hot recesses of hell.
3 mins
Canadian, Experimental, French Language, Trans
Hao Zhou
After building a colorful Queer life in an American prairie town, an aspiring costume designer visits their island homeland of Guam to lead the design team of a theatre production.
Asian, Fashion, RE:Focus, Trans
Charlie Tidmas
Following a one-night stand with a celebrity, trans man, Jamie, is forced to choose between a relationship and his own self-worth.
United Kingdom
Gay, RE:Focus, Sexy, Trans
Travel across Canada through this selection of shorts, ranging from touching tales of resilience after a life-changing diagnosis, to finding yourself during an anxiety-inducing night out. Bittersweet ...
Carabiners, karaoke nights, climbing legends, drag royalty, and resilient communities come together to create a program that highlights the power of queerness. Celebrate our past, present, and future...
Toronto is the backdrop of this eclectic collection of films telling tales of friendship, community, and mushroom-laced chaos.
Guests: Shaun Soutar, Bea Santos, Isabelle Deluce, Chloë Gordon, Nala Haileselassie, Sania Khan, Doni, Alice Wang, Chase Lo
May 30, 2024 6:45 pm TIFF Lightbox 1 350 King Street West Toronto, ON
Digital Screening Available May 31
Chloë Gordon
A portrait of Toronto, as defined by the spaces its queer residents inhabit and the memories they’ve created there.
Canadian, Gay, Lesbian, Local, Queer, RE:Focus, Trans
Isabelle Deluce
Giulia De Vita
Ruth’s skepticism of marriage clashes with her best friend’s engagement plans but a psychedelic journey on dress-fitting day forces her to reevaluate her deeply held beliefs.
Canadian, Local, RE:Focus
Spencer Glassman
A comedic slice-of-life exploration of one person’s battle with chronic insomnia.
15 mins
Canadian, Local, Non-Binary, RE:Focus
Shaun Soutar
Two opposing TV signals compete for airtime. The usual narratives of trans identity touted by dominant media are disrupted by authentic stories from trans people.
Canadian, Experimental, Local, Non-Binary, RE:Focus, Trans
Sania Khan
Inside the lives of five artists and creatives in Toronto as they come together over a shared meal and reflect upon their lived experiences.
Local, Queer, RE:Focus
Chase Lo
Bex impersonates her heartbroken bestie, Danny on a dating app to prove their irresistibility but this backfires, causing chaos.
Asian, Canadian, Local, Non-Binary, RE:Focus
Teyama Alkamli
Tara, a Queer Palestinian woman in her late 20s, attempts to suppress her internal emotional turbulence during a phone call with her best friend.
21 mins
Canadian, Local, Queer, RE:Focus
After a near-death experience lights a flame within both Grandma and Grandpa, they decide to grab life by the boas and tell the world their deepest secret: they're gay. Having lived under the guise of...
This selection of shorts highlights the love and connection that can be found anywhere: a lover, a stranger, a friend, the world around you. Dive into the worlds of these stories created by Black filmmakers as they challenge you to reevaluate your own approach to love, intimacy, and even the mythical.
Guests: Halen King, Ryan Walker-Edwards, Myah Jeffers, Victoria Bavister
May 29, 2024 9:00 pm TIFF Lightbox 2 350 King Street West Toronto ON
Digital Screening Available on May 30
Adrian Gardner
Computer techie Lucas invites Theo around for what he thought would be no-strings-attached fun, but things take an odd turn when his ex-girlfriend returns home early.
Black, BOLD, Gay, Romance, Sexy
Natalie Jasmine Harris
16-year-old Grace prepares for her baptism in the 1950s rural South. When she learns she must repent before the ritual, Grace contemplates her romantic feelings toward her best friend, Louise.
0
Black, BOLD, Family, Lesbian, RE:Focus
Twiggy Pucci Garçon
An exuberant portrait of chosen sisters Mermaid and Milan, two emerging runway divas in the drag ballroom community.
Black, BOLD, Non-Binary
Myah Jeffers
A widow struggling to readjust to a life of grief unexpectedly meets a woman whose presence is transformative.
13 mins
Black, BOLD, RE:Focus
Tinaye Nyathi
Lindani, a neurotic young trans man, struggles to tell his partner, Tam, that he loves them after a random encounter with a stranger shakes his self-confidence.
Australia
2022
18 mins
Black, BOLD, RE:Focus, Romance, Trans
Halen Llewellyn King
A love letter to oneself and the journey to becoming who you are.
Asian, Black, BOLD, Family, Trans
Kevin Osepa
Rowin, a 22-year-old fisherman from Banda Abou, Curaçao has little luck catching fish until he encounters a mysterious young man who will change everything.
23 mins
BOLD, Family, Indigenous
Learning about ourselves through queer history, activism, trying new things in bed, and doing crime; demonstrating, once again, that queer and trans folks contain amazing multitudes.
This program contains scenes depicting domestic violence.
Guests: Nava Mau, Alex Schmider, Lucy Teitler, Federica Belletti
May 28, 2024 6:45 pm TIFF Lightbox 2 350 King Street West Toronto ON
Digital Screening Available May 29
Lucy Teitler
A couple is tested when a mystery man comes to town.
Bisexual, Lesbian, RE:Focus
Isa Schieche
Three trans women meet in a country house to plan a robbery that requires them to disguise themselves as men.
Austria
Lesbian, RE:Focus, Trans
Nava Mau
Maya and Santiago haven’t seen each other since their explosive relationship ended years ago, so neither is expecting to see the other at a dinner with their new partners.
May Ziadé
Mona, a young woman in London, finds archived photographs of Arab women cross-dressing in the 1920s.
Lesbian, Middle Eastern, RE:Focus
Emily Clark
In 2003, history was made when a Newsweek cover asked: Is Gay Marriage Next? Now in a post-Roe world, the question resurfaces with a haunting twist: is gay marriage next – to go?
Activism, Lesbian, RE:Focus
Elsa Aloisio
When a trans woman she works with is murdered, social worker Reb, must find the strength to keep fighting.
Family, French Language, Sex Work, Trans
This program contains scenes with graphic sexual content.
May 26, 2024 7:00 pm TIFF Lightbox 3 350 King Street West Toronto, ON
Digital Screening Available May 27
Ángel Villahermosa
After receiving his first communion, Pablo can’t stop thinking about Sebastián, the beautiful altar boy.
Spain
11 mins
Gay, Hispanic, Religion, Sexy
Rob Woodcox
Through surrealistic visuals and flowing dance, twin flames bend and grow together in nature.
Mexico
Experimental, Gay, Latinx, Sexy
Sterling Hampton IV
A 58-year-old Black Queer man speaks the truth about his life as an emergency nurse, a leather enthusiast, husband, and civil rights advocate.
Black, BOLD, Gay
Antonius Ghosn
N returns to his hometown of Beirut after years of absence but remains invisible to his loved ones, who can only feel his presence.
Lebanon
Family, Gay, Middle Eastern
Simon Gualtieri
Jules is bisexual and ready for his first experience with Samuel, a friend of friend.
Bisexual, Canadian, French Language, Sexy
Matthew Jacobs Morgan
A bored gay couple go cruising for the first time but, when they get lost in the woods, the cracks of their relationship become chasms.
BOLD, Gay, Sexy
From being haunted by the past to going undercover on a drug bust, from struggling with a new dynamic in a relationship to diving headfirst into a new sexual experience, these films are a roller coast...
When faced with situations such as an embarrassing moment gone viral, learning to drive as an adult, or a pizza delivery mistakenly sent to your ex, it’s essential to dig deep and find humour in it all. This program accomplishes just that, uncovering the laughter in some of life’s most trying times.
Guests: Taylor James, Kanoa Goo, Bente Engelstoft, Andrew Chappelle, Emmie Lichtenberg, Alex Song-Xia
May 26, 2024 4:30 pm TIFF Lightbox 3 350 King Street West Toronto, ON
Will Mayo
Ian Scott McGregor
Successful news anchor Melanie Abraxas is blindsided by her husband on the same day the teleprompters fail, leading to a very public embarrassment.
Coming Out, Gay
Bente Engelstoft
A group of friends get together for a cozy dinner party, but their fun and fellowship is interrupted by a time-traveling soldier from the future.
8 mins
Gay, Lesbian, RE:Focus, Trans
Tish Arana
In 2044, immediately following the election of another racist president, a group of wealthy Black people start an exclusive new colony.
Black, BOLD, RE:Focus, Sci-Fi
Kate Pinchuck
A girls’ night turns into a bar fight when two women refuse to accept each other’s compliments.
South Africa
RE:Focus
Alex Song-Xia
An Asian-American mom teaches her grown-up child how to drive, forcing both to confront parts of the car, and themselves, they never have before.
Asian, Family, Non-Binary, RE:Focus
Emmie Lichtenberg
Remy, a depressed 20-something who’s just been dumped, accidentally places a food delivery order to her estranged girlfriend’s house.
Lesbian, RE:Focus
Taran Killam
Desperate for cash, Charlie and Gerald reunite their failed 2000s boy band for a competition that could remedy all of their financial woes.
Gay
Taylor James
When socially anxious mess Siobhan’s call to schedule a job interview goes to voicemail, she panics and leaves a series of unhinged messages.
Travel across Canada through this selection of shorts, ranging from touching tales of resilience after a life-changing diagnosis, to finding yourself during an anxiety-inducing night out. Bittersweet endings bloom into joyous new beginnings in this program.
Guests: Kelly Paoli, Andreas Vatiliotou, Tara Hakim, Marie-Michèle Wayland, Hana Joosse, Alyson Richards, Emma Phelan, Gabriel Nunes Souza
May 26, 2024 12:00 pm TIFF Lightbox 3 350 King Street West Toronto, ON
Digital Screening Available May 27*
*I Was Here is not available in our digital/online programming
**Please note, Inside Out digital screenings are GEO-BLOCKED to ONTARIO, you must be in Ontario to access digital programming.
Alyson Richards
I Was Here follows Emma’s journey as she gets a tattoo and prepares for a photo shoot post mastectomy.
*This film is not available in our digital/online programming
Canadian, Family, Lesbian, Local
Gabriel Souza Nunes
In a modern retelling of Brazilian folklore, nervous and insecure Theo discovers love for the first time at a fantastical, avant-garde party.
Canadian, Drag, Gay, Latinx, Magic Realism, Non-Binary, Romance
Hayley Morin
Critically acclaimed poet Jaye Simpson strives to write their next book amidst a career gaining momentum in a literary industry that doesn’t always know what to do with them.
Activism, Drag, Indigenous, Performing Arts, Queer, RE:Focus
Tara Hakim
Hannah Hull
This experiential and textural film invites viewers into the inner workings of a mind to ponder the ways in which we love and unlove ourselves.
Canadian, Experimental, Local, Mental Health, Middle Eastern, RE:Focus
Aly Labbé-Hervieux
A journey into Aly’s world and their personal growth through the eyes of their new furry, Eden.
Canadian, Indigenous, RE:Focus
Marie-Michèle Wayland
A bittersweet collection of moments between three roommates faced with an imminent move.
Canadian, French Language, Friendship, Queer, Trans
Hana Joosse
A young trans man returns to his family’s farm in rural southern Ontario following his grandfather’s death where he must navigate the discomforts of familial rural life with his father.
Canadian, Family, Trans
Kelly Paoli
When her roommate is outed, Margot is forced to spend the evening with his disgruntled sister, discovering just how deep the family’s internalized homophobia runs.
Canadian, Family, Gay, Lesbian, Local
From being haunted by the past to going undercover on a drug bust, from struggling with a new dynamic in a relationship to diving headfirst into a new sexual experience, these films are a roller coaster ride of emotions, showcasing the profound importance of collaboration.
This program contains scenes depicting transphobia and discussions around biphobia.
Guests: Vanessa Sandre, Valerie Yu, Melissa Peng, EE Kihlstrand
May 25, 2024 4:45 pm TIFF Lightbox 3 350 King Street West Toronto, ON
Arielle Frances Bagood
Desperate to finally prove her bisexuality, Stevie Lee bluffs her way into a lesbian threesome, assuming she’ll “figure it out”. She does not figure it out.
Bisexual, Intergenerational, Sexy
Alkis Papastathopoulos
While traveling across the country by bus, a transphobic attack by two passengers leaves Fay and Sandra stranded on a highway in the middle of nowhere.
Greece
RE:Focus, Romance, Trans
Vanessa Sandre
When 76-year-old Amélia realizes she has never had an orgasm in her life, she becomes determined to have one at any cost.
Brazil
Aging / Elders, Friendship, RE:Focus, Sexy
Sara Harrak
When Dani tells her wife, Jess, she might be interested in sleeping with guys again, it doesn’t go down as expected.
6 mins
Bisexual, RE:Focus
Samira Karimi
To avoid being outed two lesbian high schoolers must erase footage from the school’s CCTV cameras.
Iran
Angalis Field
A cop with the New York City Police Department goes undercover to make a drug bust.
EE Kihlstrand
Butch Jane lives alone with her memories of a long-lost life until Dilo moves in after their application for asylum is refused.
Sweden
Activism, Aging / Elders, Gay, Intergenerational, Lesbian, RE:Focus
Keep up-to-date by subscribing to Inside Out's Weekly Newsletter!!