30th Annual Q Films Festival

The 30th anniversary of The Long Beach QFilm Festival will take place September 16th-17th at the historic Art Theatre located at 2025 East 4th St. and next door to The LGBTQ Center of Long Beach, both on Long Beach’s renowned 4th Street.

Individual tickets and Passes to all screenings are on sale now and are available for purchase on the QFilm’s festival page at www.qfilmslongbeach.com.

Now celebrating its 30th year, Qfilms is Long Beach’s longest-running film festival since 1993. The fest annually presents narrative features, documentaries and short films that embody the rich diversity and experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) communities. More than 1,000 people attend each year to savor a mix of World, West Coast, California, and Local premieres as well some of the most acclaimed features on the film festival circuit. Numerous filmmakers and cast members of the films to be shown will be present for audience discussions after many screenings. Festival events will feature a Saturday Ice Cream Social, and a Sunday Brunch. Q and A’s after the screenings and opportunities for attendees to meet and mingle with filmmakers, actors, critics and other industry professionals.

As previously announced, the 2023 QFilm Festival will open on Saturday, September 16th at 11:00 am with the Long Beach premiere of “Commitment to Life.” This acclaimed documentary about the pioneering LGBTQ Organization APLA, will be making its Long Beach Homecoming. The idea for this Documentary was conceived at our 22nd (2015) Film Festival, when our Board Member Ron Sylvester met the Director of our Opening Night film “Tab Hunter Confidential” Jeffrey Schwarz and started talking about making a Documentary based on the history of APLA.

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A Trio of engaging, Biographical Documentary films will have their Local Premieres, on Saturday, September 16th. “Jewelle: A Just Vision” traces the nodes of social movements from Civil Rights to Marriage Equality. It drinks deeply from the art and activism of the incomparable Jewelle Gomez. The Sundance favorite “It’s Only Life After All” An Intimate look into the lives of one of the most Iconic folk-rock bands in America – The Indigo Girls. With never-before seen archival and intimate verité the film dives into the songwriting and storytelling of the music that transformed a generation. “Studio One Forever” A documentary film about the World-famous Studio One Night Club which, from 1974 to 1994 was the center of queer nightlife on the West Coast as well as the staging ground for the rise of the LGBTQ movement and fight against the AIDS crisis.

Several other strong narrative and documentary features will screen on Saturday, September 16th and Sunday, September 17th. Making its World Premiere on Sunday, Sept.17th at 6:45pm “Unveiling the Rainbow: Long Beach Pride’s 40 Year Evolution”. The feature film “Big Boys” Sunday at 5pm. Wowing Audiences and racking up Audience Awards. A teenage boy’s unexpected crush turns a camping trip into a weekend of self-discovery in this heartwarming coming-of-age comedy.

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In addition, QFilms 2023 will boast several extraordinary short film programs between Saturday and Sunday including: LatinX Queer Shorts, Men in Briefs, Women in Shorts, Queer & Trans Shorts, and Long Beach/LA Queer Shorts. The complete festival schedule is as follows (Films and talent availability is subject to change):

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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16th

11:00am- COMMITMENT TO LIFE, followed by Q&A with Director Jeffrey Schwarz and Executive producer Ron Sylvester

1:30pm JEWELLE : A JUST VISION

3:00pm QUEER AND TRANS SHORTS, followed by Q&A with filmmakers and casts.

4pm to 6pm Ice Cream Social, Next Door at The Center

5:00pm LatinX Queer Shorts, followed by Q&A with filmmakers and casts.

7:00pm IT’S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL

9:30pm- STUDIO ONE FOREVER, followed by Q&A with filmmaker and cast.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 17th

11:00am- MEN IN BRIEFS Short Film program followed by Q&A with various filmmakers and cast members.

12:30 pm to 2:30 pm Sunday Brunch next door at The Center

1:15 pm- WOMEN IN SHORTS Short Film program followed by Q&A with various filmmakers and cast members.

3:30pm The Unlikely Story of the Lesbians of First Friday followed by Q&A with filmmaker and cast members.

5:00pm Big Boys

6:45pm Unveiling the Rainbow: Long Beach Pride’s 40 Year Evolution (World Premiere)

8:15 pm LONG BEACH/LA QUEER SHORTS Short Film Program followed by Q&A with various filmmakers and cast members.

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Jury and Audience awards will be given to worthy films in several categories.  All net proceeds from the festival will benefit The LGBTQ Center of Long Beach.  Support for the 2023 QFilm Festival comes from the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Long Beach Arts Council, APLA, along with numerous additional sponsors. Additional Sponsors and Underwriters are being sought, and program Ad space is available.  Please contact Michael Morgan at mmorgan@centerlb.org 562-434-4455 for information and advertising opportunities.  For more information please visit www.qfilmslongbeach.com

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