Sicilia Queer Filmfest
International festival of new cinema visions in Palermo
About Sicilia Queer
A festival of new visions in the heart of Palermo
The Sicilia Queer Filmfest is an international festival of new cinematic visions organized in Palermo, in the heart of Sicily, by the cultural association Sicilia Queer. Since its first edition in 2011, the event has established itself as one of the most original and radical fixtures on the Italian film scene, masterfully blending auteur cinema, experimentation, reflection on gender identity, and a critical gaze on the present.
The venue is the Cantieri Culturali alla Zisa complex, an ancient industrial factory converted into a cultural hub by the Municipality of Palermo, with the Cinema De Seta serving as the main screening space and adjacent areas dedicated to meetings, exhibitions, and visual arts.
A program of over 80 titles
Each edition features over 80 films distributed across numerous sections: the Nuove Visioni (New Visions) international competition dedicated to feature films, short films, and medium-length films; Panorama Queer; Presenze (Presences) with auteur retrospectives; Eterotopie (Heterotopias) with geographical focuses; Retrovie Italiane; Carte Postale à Serge Daney; and a section for Visual Arts. The festival is not limited to LGBTQ+ themes: the term queer is understood as an aesthetic and political stance, an oblique gaze that traverses different genres, from horror to avant-garde, and from documentary to fiction.
Guests, awards, and international juries
Every year, the festival presents awards from its juries, including the International Jury, the Festival Circuit Jury, and the audience. A historic recognition of the event is the Nino Gennaro Award, named after the Sicilian poet and playwright, bestowed upon prominent figures in international queer cinema.
Over the years, the event has hosted internationally renowned directors, actors, and critics, offering monographic retrospectives, masterclasses, and public meetings, confirming its status as a crossroads between the local Palermo audience and the protagonists of world independent cinema.
A festival rooted in the territory
Supported by the Ministry of Culture, the Sicilia Film Commission, and numerous foreign cultural institutes present in Palermo (including the Institut français, Goethe-Institut, Austrian Cultural Forum, and Instituto Cervantes), the Sicilia Queer Filmfest is an integral part of the cultural life of the Sicilian capital. Its late May timing, coinciding with the Palermo Pride season, makes it a moment of collective reflection on freedom, diversity, and the languages of contemporary cinema.
Sicilia Queer — edition 2026
16th Edition - May 25-31, 2026
The sixteenth edition of the Sicilia Queer Filmfest was held in Palermo, at the Cantieri Culturali alla Zisa, from May 25th to 31st, 2026, preceded on May 23rd and 24th by events from the Under Queer project dedicated to young talents of Italian queer cinema.
The event opened on May 25th at the Cinema De Seta with the national premiere of Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma by Jane Schoenbrun, fresh from the Cannes Film Festival, and closed on May 31st with the traditional The Sound of Transgression party.
Competition, awards, and guests
The Nuove Visioni competition presented 13 international works, evaluated by an international jury chaired by Austrian director Ruth Beckermann. The prestigious Nino Gennaro Award was presented to queercore icon Bruce LaBruce, who was the subject of a dedicated retrospective. Guests also included Canadian director Louise Weard, with the first European retrospective of her work, and Francesca Comencini. The sections ranged from Panorama Queer to Eterotopie, with a focus on the Philippines, as well as Visual Arts and Queer Literatures.
Programme Sicilia Queer 2026
2026 Program
- May 23-24 - Under Queer, preview dedicated to young talents of Italian queer cinema
- May 25 - Inauguration at Cinema De Seta with Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma by Jane Schoenbrun (national premiere)
- May 25-31 - Nuove Visioni international competition (13 works), jury chaired by Ruth Beckermann
- Nino Gennaro Award and retrospective dedicated to Bruce LaBruce
- First European retrospective of Louise Weard (Presenze section)
- Focus on the Philippines in the Eterotopie section, Panorama Queer, Visual Arts, and Queer Literatures
- May 31 - Awards ceremony and final party The Sound of Transgression
Highlights Sicilia Queer 2026
Prices Sicilia Queer 2026
Practical information — Sicilia Queer
How to get there
The Cantieri Culturali alla Zisa are located at Via Paolo Gili 4, in Palermo. From the central station, they can be reached by bus or taxi in about 15-20 minutes. Those arriving by plane land at Palermo-Punta Raisi Airport (Falcone-Borsellino), which is connected to the city center by the Trinacria Express train and the Prestia e Comandè shuttle buses.
Tickets
Tickets for screenings are affordably priced (full price approximately €6, reduced with Queer card €5, students €3). Subscriptions and accreditations are also available; information and online purchases are available on the festival's official website.
Tips
The festival takes place in late May, an ideal time to visit Palermo. It is recommended to consult the detailed program published on the official website in the days leading up to the event.
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Where does it take place — Sicilia Queer
Cantieri Culturali alla Zisa - Cinema De Seta
Via Paolo Gili 4, 90138 Palermo