Florence Queer Festival

The Florence Queer Festival in Florence

The Florence Queer Festival is Tuscany's leading event dedicated to LGBTQIA+ cinema and culture. Held annually in late November at Cinema La Compagnia on Via Cavour in Florence, it is organized by the IREOS association, a Florentine organization active since 1997 in protecting the health and psychological well-being of LGBTQIA+ individuals. The event is part of the 50 Days of Cinema in Florence, a fall program that transforms the Tuscan capital into a hub for film festivals.

A festival of cinema and beyond

Founded in the early 2000s, the festival presents an international selection of feature films, documentaries, and short films with queer themes, often featuring Italian premieres and appearances by directors and cast members. The program goes beyond screenings: it includes meetings, debates, book presentations, photo exhibitions, school screenings, and social gatherings in the cinema foyer. The festival's identity has always been that of a space where cinematic language engages with activism, the memory of past struggles, and new generations.

Sections and awards

The competitive heart of the festival is divided into several sections, with awards presented by dedicated juries. Prizes include those for Best Feature Film, Best Documentary, and Best Short Film, as well as the PRIDE Award, a symbolic recognition of the event. The competing works, presented in their original language with Italian subtitles, explore the queer experience in all its nuances: gender identity, activism, the memory of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, rights, and freedom.

The 2025 edition: R/Esistenze

The 23rd edition, held from November 26 to 30, 2025, focused on the theme R/Esistenze (R/Existences), an invitation to political awareness, mutual care, and solidarity. The festival opened with the documentary Orgoglio e Pregiudizio by Marco Falorni, dedicated to twenty-five years of LGBTQIA+ struggles, and closed with Queens of the Dead by Tina Romero. Guests included prominent figures in activism and culture such as Imma Battaglia, Vladimir Luxuria, and Simone Alliva.

Florence, city of festivals

Set within the context of the Municipality of Florence and the Tuscany region, the Florence Queer Festival has established itself as a national reference point for queer cinema, helping to make the Tuscan capital a place for dialogue on rights, inclusion, and representation. The Cinema La Compagnia venue, located in the heart of Florence's historic center, makes it easily accessible to both locals and visitors.