Leeds Queer Short Film Competition 1

Log Off, Loser!

In the virtual world of The Lounge, you can look however you want - as long as you have your parents’ credit card… A bittersweet hit of nostalgia for every trans person who’s ever played a video game. World Premiere | Heath Virgoe | UK | 2026 | 11 mins | English

The Wind in Ash

A student returns to rural China to attend their father’s funeral. Amid the gossip at the funeral and the rules of tradition, an unexpected gesture from their mother creates an emotional connection. A tender journey of self-discovery based on the director’s own experience. Yorkshire Premiere | Sun Kun | China | 2025 | 18 mins | Mandarin Chinese

Making It Fit

A short animated documentary that reflects on funerary rites through a queer lens, exploring how the rituals we create to remember those we love should be extensions of their gender identity and the way they lived within their community. Yorkshire Premiere | Mariana Leal | UK | 2025 | 5 mins | English

Waves of Silence

A charming love story where Amon, whilst helping his mother run a hotel, feels an immediate connection with the new delivery boy, Roberto. Meanwhile, his best friend Daniella also sets her sights on him. International Premiere | Caio J. Bonfim | Brazil, UK | 2026 | 20 mins | Portuguese

Half-Life

Cumbrian poet Emma McGordon wrestles with mental health and class-based barriers as she tries to turn her poem into a film. Poetic yet gritty, this experimental performance piece weaves together McGordon’s experiences of heartbreak and OCD. World Premiere | Emma McGordon, Chris Neilan | UK | 2026 | 11 mins | English

This Love Isn’t Taught

Jordan puts his child to bed and heads to a party. He meets a past flame, self-assured Atlanta, and they both feel the pull of old feelings returning. Jordan has decisions to make about love, life and taking a leap with someone who lights up his life. Yorkshire Premiere | Harry Brandrick | UK | 2025 | 11 mins | English

Betty St. Clair

A fledgling drag queen prepares for a performance, changed at the last minute after the panic of seeing a familiar face in the audience. Surreal shenanigans and support from chosen family help put on a show to remember. Yorkshire Premiere | Syra McCarthy, Kyle Casey Chu | USA | 2026 | 12 mins | English