Queer East is a cross-disciplinary arts organisation dedicated to boundary-pushing LGBTQ+ cinema, performance, visual arts, literature, and moving-image work from East and Southeast Asia, its diaspora communities, and beyond.

Since its inaugural edition in 2020, Queer East has grown from a grassroots film festival into one of the UK’s largest festivals showcasing Asian LGBTQ+ cinema and arts. We champion work that is formally ambitious, politically engaged, and expands ideas of what queer art and culture can be. Our programmes approach queerness through the specific histories, cultures, languages, and social conditions of East and Southeast Asia and its diasporas, while creating connections with artists and practices from further afield. We seek to broaden understandings of queer and Asian identities and to challenge established narratives, categories, and stereotypes.

We host screenings in cinemas, arts spaces, academic institutions, and cultural and community venues, platforming an eclectic mix of works, including features, shorts, experimental films, and artists’ moving image work.

Our eighth edition is currently planned to take place in venues across London between April and May 2027, alongside a nationwide tour in cities across the UK.

The early-bird deadline for film and moving-image submissions is 1 November 2026, and the regular deadline is 31 December 2026. To submit and read the full rules and terms, please visit our FilmFreeway page.