Palm Springs ShortFest 2025 – GayLA! Feature

Dates & Venue

• Taking place June 24–30, 2025, at Festival Theaters in Palm Springs, the 31st edition of ShortFest will showcase 311 short films from 64 countries across 51 curated programs

Queer Cinema Highlights
The “GayLA!” showcase, part of the Queer Cinema Today strand, will feature moving LGBTQ+ work including:

• Boulevard! A Hollywood Story, a documentary profiling queer struggle and visibility

• Sweetheart (UK), a tender queer romance screening under the Gayla! banner

• Additional selections—Love, Spells and All That, Moneyboys, No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics, The Swimmer, and Valentina—will offer diverse global LGBTQ+ perspectives

This year’s ShortFest not only celebrates on-screen representation but also brings a host of queer filmmakers for screenings, Q&As, and panels. Their presence is anticipated to spark rich, reflective conversations around queer identity, artistry, and representation on the short form.

(Each part of GayLA! programming or related queer-themed shorts)

• Boulevard! A Hollywood Story – A heartfelt documentary dive into queer legacy and community.

• Sweetheart (UK) – A moving romantic drama exploring queer love in contemporary UK.

• Love, Spells and All That, Moneyboys, No Straight Lines, The Swimmer, Valentina – These globally sourced shorts bring nuances of LGBTQ+ life from Turkey, Austria, USA, Israel, Brazil, and beyond

Beyond queerness, the festival’s robust programming includes short film gems like Dragfox (“star-driven,” featuring Ian McKellen), Learning How to Drive (Alicia Silverstone), Main Man (Haley Joel Osment & Finn Wittrock), and many more.

• Films & Panels: Performative Q&As follow each program; the ShortFest Forum on June 27–29 features industry talks and networking

• Awards: Oscar-qualifying prizes (5 categories) and cash awards totaling ~$25,000–30,000 announced June 29; the Best-of-Fest screening will cap the week on June 30.

As part of ShortFest’s commitment to diverse storytelling, the GayLA! lineup channels the pulse of global queer cinema—blending personal narratives, cultural commentary, and historical reflection. The attendance of Damian Joseph Quinn, Jamie Clayton, and other queer creatives shows ShortFest’s support for voices that envision, challenge, and celebrate queer lives and identities.