We are excited to announce that Queer East Emerging Critics Project will return this April and May with six participants, in collaboration with Little White Lies. The project is aimed at emerging writers of all ages who have published no more than four articles on film or the arts in print or online media outlets, excluding self-publishing.
Aiming to foster a strong creative voice for aspiring film and art critics, the selected six participants will attend festival events, receive mentorships, and produce a series of pieces on this year’s festival programme. Selected pieces from the participants will be published on Queer East’s website and in its printed magazine, Second Thoughts, as well as on Little White Lies. The programme is designed to be collaborative and an exchange of ideas between the mentors and mentees. There will be a paid fee for the selected participants’ writing and contributions.
This year’s project will be led by three critics: Cici Peng, Phuong Le, and Ren Scateni. There will be two in-person sessions on 25th and 26th April in central London. Please only apply if you are able to attend both sessions and any subsequent events during the festival. There will be a series of workshops and talks from mentors, industry professionals, and former participants.
ABOUT OUR MENTORS
Phuong Le is a Vietnamese film critic based in London. Her writing can be found in The Guardian, Sight and Sound, and other publications. She is also a regular contributor to the Free Thinking programme on BBC Radio 3.
Ren Scateni is a writer and film curator, whose writing has appeared in various art and film magazines including ArtReview, Hyperallergic, and Sight and Sound. He is the Curatorial Lead at Glasgow Short Film Festival and a trustee of Alchemy Film & Arts.
Cici Peng is a film writer and film programmer based in London. She has written for publications including Film Comment, e-flux, The Financial Times, Screen Slate. She has programmed screenings and events at the BFI, ICA, and the Barbican, among others. She is a part of Sine Screen, a film collective dedicated to highlighting films from ESEA filmmakers, and a part of the team for Currents shorts at NYFF.
ABOUT QUEER EAST
Queer East is a multi-disciplinary festival that showcases boundary-pushing LGBTQ+ cinema, live arts, and moving image work from East and Southeast Asia and its diaspora communities. Its seventh edition runs from 1 May to 6 June in venues across London, exploring what it means to be queer and Asian today.
REQUIREMENTS
- Applicants need to demonstrate an interest in film and art criticism and have an interest in queer Asian cinema, arts and cultures.
- Applicants should have had no more than four articles about film published in established print or online media outlets. This does not include self-publishing.
- Applicants should be able to write fluently in English.
- Applicants should be based in the UK and able to travel to London on 25th and 26th April 2026 and be able to attend the festival. For participants outside of London, the Festival will offer a travel bursary of up to £150.
- Applicants should be aged 18+
- Participants are expected to write 3 pieces during the programme.
- There will be a small fee for the participants’ contribution.
- You will be required to submit a sample of your writing. Please do not submit any form of academic writing.
HOW TO APPLY
- To apply, please fill out the application form here. You are also required to send us a sample of your writing. Your sample of writing should be a short form review or feature on films, arts or other cultural topics. Please note that we do not accept academic essays as proof of writing.
- Please note that all the workshop participants will be expected to take part in online and in-person sessions in London.
- Please email cfp@queereast.org.uk if you have any questions about this project.
APPLICATION QUESTIONS
In the application form, you will be given three questions listed below: the first is compulsory, and you also need to select one of the two optional questions to answer. You can use up to 300 words to answer each question.
- Why do you want to be a film critic, and why do you want to participate in this workshop? (compulsory)
- What critical writing do you love or find particularly inspiring, and how has it influenced your own work?
- Talk about a film, book, exhibition, performance, or other art form you have seen recently and what you found striking about it.
KEY DATES
- Application deadline: 23:59, Sunday 8th March 2026
- All applicants will receive an email with the outcome by 29th March 2026
- In-person sessions: 25th and 26th April 2026
- Festival dates: 1st May to 6th June
