SapphicIFF is expanding its support for filmmakers and LGBTQ+ film festivals in 2026, with a new initiative designed to make it easier for filmmakers to identify credible, relevant festivals and build more informed festival strategies.
The film festival landscape has changed significantly. Alongside established festivals doing important work for independent and LGBTQ+ cinema, there has been a rise in monthly festivals, pay-for-awards schemes and low-quality or, in some cases, outright fake festivals.
Some festivals also require filmmakers to make their films available online or grant rights as part of their submission or participation. For filmmakers who do not fully understand the implications, decisions made during the festival circuit can potentially affect future distribution opportunities.
For independent filmmakers working with limited budgets, knowing where to submit is becoming increasingly important.
SapphicIFF wants to help.
Building a database of vetted LGBTQ+ film festivals
From 2026, SapphicIFF will be developing a database of quality LGBTQ+ film festivals that filmmakers can use when researching where to submit their work.
Rather than simply creating another directory of festival names, our aim is to understand the festivals we recommend.
Participating festivals will be asked to provide information about their event, programming, submissions and how they work with filmmakers. Before a festival is verified and actively promoted through SapphicIFF, we will also arrange a short introductory conversation with the festival team.
The intention is not to rank festivals or suggest that every festival is suitable for every film. It is about giving filmmakers better information so they can make more considered choices about where their individual project might fit.
The database will also support our work with filmmakers through SapphicIFF's group drop-ins and 1-to-1 consultations, where festival strategy often forms part of a much wider conversation about a film's journey.
Helping filmmakers think beyond laurels
A successful festival strategy should be about more than collecting laurels.
Where a film screens, who sees it, the relationships a filmmaker develops and how the festival circuit connects with eventual distribution can all be important.
Through our conversations with filmmakers about festival strategy and distribution, we regularly see how difficult it can be to distinguish between a credible festival, a small but valuable community event and something primarily designed to generate submission fees or sell awards.
We particularly want filmmakers to understand the potential consequences of festivals that require films to be made widely available online. Depending on how and where a film is made available, this can affect its value to future distributors and platforms.
SapphicIFF's approach is therefore not simply about encouraging filmmakers to submit to more festivals. We want filmmakers to submit more thoughtfully.
Supporting festivals to attract more sapphic films
This initiative is also intended to address a challenge on the other side of the relationship.
We know from our conversations within the industry that attracting sapphic submissions, including lesbian and bisexual stories, can sometimes be difficult for LGBTQ+ film festivals.
Through SapphicIFF and the community and industry knowledge developed through Lesflicks, we are in a position to help connect festivals with filmmakers creating those stories.
Festivals that participate in the initiative and pass our vetting process may be highlighted through our social channels and recommended directly to filmmakers where we believe there is a relevant fit.
Importantly, there is no charge to film festivals for this support.
We want to strengthen the LGBTQ+ film ecosystem by helping quality festivals reach filmmakers, while giving filmmakers greater confidence about where they are spending their submission budgets.
LGBTQ+ film festivals can register now
We are inviting established LGBTQ+ film festivals around the world to provide their details for inclusion in the project.
Film festivals can submit their details here:
Submit your festival to the SapphicIFF LGBTQ+ Film Festival Database
Submitting the form does not automatically result in verification or promotion. We will review the information provided and require a short 30-minute Zoom conversation before we verify and actively promote a festival.
This conversation also gives festival organisers an opportunity to meet SapphicIFF founder Naomi Bennett, explain more about their programming and audiences, discuss the types of films they would particularly like to attract and ask questions about the initiative.
Book an introductory meeting with Naomi
By building better connections between filmmakers and the festivals genuinely investing in LGBTQ+ cinema, we hope we can make the festival landscape a little easier to navigate and ensure more sapphic films find the festivals and audiences that are right for them.
