TQFF 2026 Call for Film Submissions and Symposium Proposals!
Submission deadline: March 9, 2026
Festival dates: October 16-18, 2026
For the 10th annual Toronto Queer Film Festival, we are soliciting films and symposium proposals on the theme of “Pissed Off, Still Laughing.” Outlined below are this edition’s theme, our call for film submissions, and our call for symposium proposals.
TQFF distinguishes itself from other festivals and arts organizations that serve the LGBTQ2S+ community by focusing on experimentally formal and social-justice focused film and video and by encouraging the submission—and prioritizing the programming—of work by and about Queer and Trans People of Color, Indigenous people, people with disabilities and the work of local, low-income, DIY, and/or emerging filmmakers.
The 2026 Toronto Queer Film Festival and Symposium is generously funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and Toronto Arts Council.
2026 Festival Theme: Pissed Off, Still Laughing
For the past ten years, TQFF has been active throughout ongoing political turbulence and collective resistance. TQFF was founded the same year that Black Lives Matter interrupted the Pride Parade in Toronto, an action that led to a short-lived uniformed police ban. This historical flashpoint marked a return to the ethos of Pride as Protest, a slogan that has persisted over the last 9 years and has become a tenet of Toronto’s grassroots queer movements. Another Pride sit-in disruption took place in 2024, this time staged by Queers 4 Palestine, whose slogan of “No Pride in Genocide” echoes earlier interventions and signals a growing coalition between queer-led movements in the city. In times of fierce struggle, queers have come to the front every time and have argued that, to say we are queer and here, is to fight for radical alternatives to the world we live in.
That alternative encompasses the range of emotions that are felt on the frontlines of these intersectional and internationalist movements. Rage may be the most apparent, but in the midst of these upheavals, joy persists – in making, in playing, in building stronger communities and solidarities with each other during the sit-ins, marches, and solidarity fundraisers that queers have organized.
In that spirit, we invite films and symposium programs that explore:
- World-Making and the Precarity of the Present: as we lose rights and spaces that were built and won in recent history, we turn towards community building, new imaginings, and queer futures.
- Intergenerational Struggles: connecting past movements, such as queer, anti-racist, and feminist film festivals of the 90s, with the organizing efforts of today.
- Joy and Rage: celebrating queer expression and resilience as queer artists while resisting ongoing systemic oppression.
Submit Your Film For TQFF 2026
For the 10th annual Toronto Queer Film Festival, we are soliciting film, video, and animation on the theme of “Pissed Off, Still Laughing.” We welcome all genres and on-screen media.
Submit your film through FilmFreeway.
TQFF is an artist-run festival. We commit to the ethical treatment of artists in two concrete ways: we do not charge submission fees, and we pay screening fees to all artists whose films are selected, according to IMAA & CARFAC standard rates.
Propose a Symposium Program for TQFF 2026
The Toronto Queer Film Festival is seeking proposals for its annual Symposium around the theme of “Pissed Off, Still Laughing.” Please note that unlike past TQFF symposiums, all accepted programs must be delivered in-person
In alignment with the guiding principles of TQFF, we ask that submissions to this symposium uphold the principles of decolonization and liberation for all, by prioritizing Indigenous sovereignty, Black liberation, anti-racism, accessibility, prison abolition, and a borderless world.
The TQFF Symposium invites cross-disciplinary practitioners, both within and outside of media and film arts, to explore topics relevant to the theme of Pissed Off, Still Laughing. Creative engagement such as visuals, clips, performances, poetry reading, and other hybrid forms of presentations are highly encouraged.
A Note About Academic Paper Submissions: to keep in line with the intentions of TQFF as an accessible and alternative creative venue, we are at this time discouraging the submission of traditional academic papers and presentations that utilize academic jargon. We recommend presentations that actively engage with what will primarily be a non-academic audience. For those who wish to present research, we require that you indicate the format and content of your presentation.
We highly suggest taking a look at previous programming from our previous years when considering your submission: TQFF Archive
Everyone is welcome to apply. This is a paid opportunity for all involved if selected.
Submit your proposal through our 2026 Symposium form. Please include the following information in your submission:
- Name
- Affiliation (Institutional, collectives, ad-hoc groups, etc., if applicable)
- Presentation format (i.e. paper, roundtable, workshop, creative)
- Presentation title
- 250-word abstract or description
- The email address you can be contacted at
- Accessibility needs