Seattle Queer Film Fest: Serving Pink Pony Vibes with Bold Storytelling

It’s time again for the Seattle Queer Film Festival (SQFF)!

In its 29th year, the festival has dozens of films that explore multiple facets of the LGBTQ+ experience. On the schedule are both in-person theater showings October 10-13, and virtual options October 14-20, with events, guests, and Q&As throughout.

The theme for this year's festival is Q-thartic:

"In a time when marginalized communities are still fighting for visibility and justice, it’s vital that we uplift queer voices through the transformative power of film,” said Trent Farrington, festival director. “Our theme, Q-thartic, centers on the emotional release that cinema can provide, offering a much-needed space for healing, validation, and connection. Through stories that celebrate intersectionality, we hope to spark empathy, foster inclusivity, and embrace the complexities of queer life in all its forms."

In addition to screenings throughout the weekend, there are four major screenings to keep an eye on.

Bruce (Murray Bartlett) and Ponyboi (River Gallo) in Ponyboi / Three Dollar Bill Cinema

The first is the Opening Night film Ponyboi. Produced, written by, and starring River Gallo (2023 OUT 100 list, winner of GLAAD Rising Star Media Award), Ponyboi takes place in New Jersey over Valentine’s Day. A young intersex sex worker, Ponyboi (River Gallo), must run from the mob after a drug deal goes sideways. With the help of mysterious cowboy Bruce (Murray Bartlett), Ponyboi journeys through the underbelly of New Jersey on a quest for freedom in a gripping 24 hours.

Nominated for the 2024 Sundance Dramatic Grand Jury Prize, Ponyboi also stars Dylan O’Brien (star of The Maze Runner trilogy and the long-running TV series Teen Wolf), Victoria Pedretti (Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood and You), and Indya Moore (Pose).

Next is the Centerpiece film Asog. It is a queer odyssey with a stormy twist, starring Jaya, a sharp-tongued, non-binary comedian whose shot at fame was washed away by a typhoon that left their TV career in ruins. A decade later, stuck in the drag of an uninspiring teaching gig, Jaya embarks on a glitter-filled journey across the Philippines, aiming to slay in a drag pageant that could finally bring them the fortune and fame they deserve.

But the universe throws them a curveball in the form of a former student, also on a mission—to find their missing dad. Co-executive produced by Alan Cumming, Joel Kim Booster, and Adam McKay, Asog won the Audience Award at the Vancouver International Film Festival and the Grand Jury Award at the Hawai’i International Film Festival.

In the midst of the festival is the Spotlight Feature, The Astronaut Lovers. This is the tenth feature film from award-winning Argentinian director Marco Berger. The breezy comedy follows Pedro's (Javier Orán) return to Argentina as he reunites with his childhood friend, Maxi (Lautaro Bettoni). Openly gay, Pedro is amused by Maxi’s curiosity about “gay shit” and his playful “straight dude” flirtations. Still, the situation escalates when Maxi makes his ex-girlfriend jealous by saying Pedro is his boyfriend.

Iva and Nina (Mathilde Irrmann, Nini Soselia) in Gondola / Three Dollar Bill Cinema

To complete the journey is the festival's Closing Night film, Gondola, directed by Veit Helmer (Tuvalu). Known for his unique no-dialogue style, Helmer depicts the burgeoning love story between Iva and Nina with equal parts whimsy and fantasy. The two women work up in the sky on chauffeuring gondolas (cable cars) that travel between villages in the picturesque Caucasus mountains of Georgia.

The flirtatious courtship begins with a chessboard and grows with a pomegranate toss from one gondola to the other, but is soon threatened by the women’s spiteful boss. Refusing to let their love be grounded, Iva and Nina find a way to turn the tables and exact a delicious revenge.

Sandwiched among the films mentioned here, there are dozens of features, documentaries, and shorts to appease any appetite. The films run the gamut from the lighthearted to the serious, the spooky to the silly, and the grounded to the sci-fi spectacle.

---

For more information on films, screenings, parties, and pricing check out the SQFF website. And for our coverage of the festival both in-person and virtual, keep an eye on this space!