The 30th edition of the Queer Lisboa film festival will open in Portugal on September 18 with the premiere of American director Ira Sachs' 1980s AIDS drama The Man I Love.
Organisers announced the complete 94-film programme on Wednesday, September 2, confirming that the international showcase will run through September 26 at Cinema São Jorge and the Cinemateca Portuguesa in Lisbon.
Queer Lisboa operates on a total budget of 150,000 euros. Festival leaders described the extensive selection of feature films and shorts as a clear symptom of the absolute maturity of contemporary queer cinema.
The festival takes place across two primary cultural venues in Lisbon. Cinema São Jorge is a historic screening facility located on Avenida da Liberdade, while Cinemateca Portuguesa serves as the national film archive responsible for preserving Portugal's cinematic heritage.
Opening and closing highlights
Opening night features the premiere of The Man I Love, which screened earlier this year at the Cannes Film Festival in France. Directed by American auteur Ira Sachs, the feature stars Rami Malek, Rebecca Hall, and Tom Sturridge.
Set against the backdrop of 1980s New York City during the height of the AIDS epidemic, the film explores intimacy and survival. Festival organizers noted that the selection affirms Sachs as a vital filmmaker who effectively connects the legacy of 1990s New Queer Cinema with modern storytelling.
Sachs has built a reputation in independent cinema through acclaimed character studies. His star Rami Malek won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody, while co-stars Rebecca Hall and Tom Sturridge have established extensive careers across film, stage, and television.
The festival concludes on September 26 with the animated feature film Tangles, directed by Canadian filmmaker Leah Nelson. Adapted from a graphic novel, the production follows a family grappling with the personal and emotional impact of Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative condition affecting millions globally.
Portuguese entries and competitive slates
Portuguese cinema holds a prominent place in the 2026 line-up, led by the premiere of Não Resta Nada, the debut feature film by director André Godinho. Produced by Lisbon-based company Terratreme Filmes, the work competes in the Queer Art section.
Festival organizers described the project as a speculative dystopia depicting queer individuals struggling against the surrounding world. The ensemble cast includes Odete, Paula Sá Nogueira, Rodrigo Vaiapraia, João Duarte Costa, June João, and Nádia Yracema.
Terratreme Filmes was established as an independent production house in Lisbon to support emerging domestic filmmakers. Godinho's feature represents one of several local works highlighted in competition.
In the shorts competition, the festival features A Hora da Estrela, directed by Rita Barbosa. The festival also highlights a newly digitized restoration of the 1976 musical film Fatucha Superstar - Ópera Rock... Bufa, directed by João Paulo Ferreira. Produced by Cinemateca Portuguesa, the archival restoration draws inspiration from Andrew Lloyd Webber's famous 1970 rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar.
Past festival editions have previously honored international achievements, such as awarding best feature film to the French production Laurent dans le vent.
International selections and anniversary retrospective
In addition to the opening feature, the 2026 programme includes two previously announced titles that debuted at the Cannes Film Festival. Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar presents his latest work, Natal Amargo, alongside American filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun's feature Adolescência, sexo e morte no acampamento miasma.
Almodóvar is an Oscar-winning Spanish director renowned for landmark LGBTQ+ titles such as All About My Mother and Talk to Her. Schoenbrun gained international attention in American independent cinema for psychological dramas exploring digital identity and youth culture.
To celebrate three decades of operation, Queer Lisboa is hosting a special retrospective in collaboration with Cinemateca Portuguesa. Titled Resgatar Futuros: O cinema queer vê-se ao espelho (Rescuing Futures: Queer Cinema Looks at Itself in the Mirror), the series showcases seminal works from international filmmakers.
Organisers explained that the retrospective brings together films that historically sought to construct utopian visions and provided essential reference points for community identity. The featured directors include Cheryl Dunye, James Bidgood, John Greyson, Kenneth Anger, Kim Longinotto, Marlon T. Riggs, Lana and Lilly Wachowski, Lisa Cholodenko, Sally Potter, Ventura Pons, and Yonfan.
The retrospective covers broad artistic movements, from the avant-garde experimental films of Kenneth Anger to the mainstream sci-fi storytelling of Lana and Lilly Wachowski, the creators of The Matrix franchise.
Previous iterations of Queer Lisboa have similarly kicked off with vibrant musical fantasies celebrating Portuguese-language cinema.
Reflecting on the 30th edition, festival directors stated that the 2026 schedule successfully bridges a past that imagined alternative ways of living, a present that reflects current realities, and a future that the festival continues to view with hope despite challenging times.
