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Cinema Diverse 2026 Schedule Highlights: Spotlight on Closing Weekend
10:00AM In a Whisper SPONSORED BY THE DESERT FILM SOCIETY (111 min.) After living for many years in Paris, a young woman returns to Tunisia to attend the funeral of her uncle. Staying in the family home shared by three generations of women, she is confronted with unspoken tensions, resurfacing memories, and shifting family relationships. In French with English Subtitles
11:45AM THEATRE TWO: Shorts: Sometimes We Grieve (84 min.) A Sunny Day in London 13 min. WORLD PREMIERE Haunted by the man he never forgot, Lee returns to London in search of Benjamin—the love who once felt like home. After Midnight 15 min. Locked out at 2:00 a.m., Leo reluctantly wanders a deserted college campus with a virtual stranger he has just met online. CLUTTER 15 min. Jean has a no nonsense attitude to both her cleaning job and her affluent clientele. But faced with the aftermath of a grieving drag queen’s night of hedonism, she is forced to confront the pain of her own loss, and the repercussions of a deep rooted prejudice. Floss Every Day 12 min. Grieving the loss of someone dear and finding solace in his drink, a lonely man must move through his feelings before he can get himself unstuck. I’m Doing Fine 14 min. I’m Doing Fine follows a home aide in his 50’s forced to face his own mortality, the passing of his closest confidant, and losing the keys to his apartment all in the span of one day. In Every Single Room 16 min. Fresh off a heartbreak, 30-something Lenny returns to the beach town they used to visit as a teenager where their queer identities first unfolded. the layover 14 min. Prepared to spend his Christmas alone, a newly single man unexpectedly takes in his ex-boyfriend’s grieving mother.
NOON THEATRE THREE: Shorts: Three Decades to Remember (104 min.) April 14, 1982 16 min. On the eve of recording Thriller, Michael Jackson’s carefully controlled world is unexpectedly disrupted by an encounter with a hotel room service attendant. Here, Queer, and On TV 16 min. Before YouTube, “Lavender Lounge” lit up public access TV with a ’90s queer and trans dance party and groundbreaking show, capturing San Francisco’s first Dyke March and the first official Pride video. Thirty years later, creator Mark Kliem brings rare footage to light, reuniting the original crew with younger generations when queer history is again under attack. Kansas, 1989 13 min. The story of a Midwestern teen in the 80s on the verge of coming out, and the night of danger that changes the course of his life. Lesbians in Boystown 27 min. LESBIANS IN BOYSTOWN reveals the forgotten history of lesbians and queer women in West Hollywood, the first “gay city” in the U.S. The documentary honors lesbian activism through Dyke Marches, the AIDS crisis, nonprofit organizing, and grassroots work ensuring that this legacy is remembered despite our culture’s predilection towards lesbian invisibility. Shelly’s Leg 17 min. In 1970, an eccentric young stripper named Shelly Baumann loses her leg in a freak parade canon accident, then uses her settlement money to open ‘Shelly’s Leg’ disco – one of the nation’s first and most consequential openly gay spaces. Narrated by Oscar-nominee, Kathleen Turner. Spinach 15 min. WORLD PREMIERE. In the neon soaked shadows of 1989, an experimental immersion into queer nightlife and the silent encroaching AIDS crisis reveals that for a generation under siege, survival is the ultimate revolutionary act.
2:00PM THEATRE ONE: There’s Something About Oakwood (91 min.) Saved from demolition in the 1970s by a group of gay men and widows, the Historic Oakwood neighborhood of Raleigh, NC has become a haven of inclusive community with a unique social contract and a packed schedule of intergenerational partying, but will it stand the tests of time and change that threaten its future?
2:15PM THEATRE TWO: Our Family Pride (107 min.) When a husband and father of three finally comes out in his 50s, his family must confront decades of buried pain, unexpected truths, and new beginnings. This heartfelt comedy-drama explores the challenges of living authentically and the extraordinary power of love, acceptance, and finding your way back to one another.
2:30PM THEATRE THREE: Summer Lost (82 min.) WEST COAST PREMIERE Determined to hide his terminal illness while attending a wedding, one man expects only to say goodbye. Instead, an unexpected romance forces him to confront his past, embrace the present, and discover that love can transform even life’s final chapter.
4:30PM THEATRE ONE: Bookends (99 min.) After a devastating breakup, Nate reluctantly moves in with his spirited grandparents, only to find himself navigating family secrets, his grandfather’s advancing dementia, and an unexpected new romance. Anchored by a remarkable cast, this heartfelt dramedy explores love, memory, and the ties that bind generations together.
4:45PM THEATRE TWO: TRANS RISING (94 min.) A documentary that provides an opportunity to meet the colorful and accomplished transgender community in Amsterdam. In this film, you will meet beauty queens, the parents of transgender children, a former Special Forces police officer, a singer and lead actress in the acclaimed film, “Call Me Agnes,” the founder of Amsterdam Trans Pride festivals and the Deputy Mayor/Alderman of Amsterdam. In English and Dutch with English Subtitles.
5:00PM THEATRE THREE: Myrna’s Deal with the Dead (50 min.) Myrna’s outrageous saga continues as she teams up with psychic Dixie Longate to track down a kidnapped heir, unravel family secrets, and survive another round of outrageous twists, scandal, and murder. This delightfully campy telenovela-style comedy delivers nonstop laughs while supporting LGBTQ+ youth through Julian’s Fountain of Youth.
7:00PM THEATRE ONE: Downtown (98 min.) Set against Amsterdam’s vibrant gay nightlife in the 1980s, three young men forge an unforgettable bond as love, friendship, and freedom flourish in the shadow of the emerging AIDS crisis. Both joyous and heartbreaking, this poignant drama celebrates a generation whose courage and resilience forever changed LGBTQ+ history.
7:15PM THEATRE TWO: Velvet Vision – The Story of James Bidgood (and the Making of Pink Narcissus) (91 min.) A vivid portrait of visionary artist James Bidgood, whose dazzling photographs and cult classic Pink Narcissus forever changed queer visual culture. Blending fantasy, history, and intimate reflection, this documentary celebrates a groundbreaking creative whose imagination transformed beauty, desire, and cinematic art into something truly timeless.
7:30PM THEATRE THREE: Teenage Wasteland: Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen (80 min.) Filmed live at New York’s iconic Dixon Place, this acclaimed off-Broadway concert film finds veteran actor David Dean Bottrell hilariously revisiting the awkward, heartbreaking, and unforgettable years of adolescence. By turns laugh-out-loud funny and deeply touching, these true stories celebrate the messy journey of growing up, queer identity, and self-acceptance.
11:30AM THEATRE ONE: Sweet Nothing (80 min.) As he sets out to book a drag queen for an event, Jack Bledsoe is forced to confront the prejudice he’s long hidden from others—and himself. This heartfelt drama explores internalized homophobia, unexpected self-discovery, and the courage it takes to embrace authenticity and love.
NOON THEATRE THREE: Shorts: For the Girls (102 min.) Allora 10 min. When Francesca brings her girlfriend home to meet her traditional Italian grandfather, hidden jealousies and long-buried secrets threaten to unravel their relationship. Blue Berri 17 min. Celia and Judit have shared a secret special relationship for years. Dancing in Argentina (in San Francisco) 13 min. A short musical tango film about the resilience of love when faced with oppression and disappearance. Two women, Gaby and Kara, meet and dance at a San Francisco tango club, but both must face their own ancestral trauma before they can truly love. 
Find Another Girl To Fix 5 min. Out and proud lesbians Jennifer Corday and Cathy DeBuono star in this campy, mid-century Palm Springs frolic as Corday lays down the ground rules for the relationship. Fish & Chips 13 min. Fab plans a surprise for Cassie on their first anniversary, but Cassie’s rough day, coupled with a party popper mishap, leads to a heated argument over dinner options. What starts as a takeaway tiff over Caribbean or pizza spirals into an identity battle, revealing deep-seated resentments about their racial and queer identities. Ronita Rambo 13 min. Ronita Rambo, the sharp-tongued waitress of a rural Missouri diner, has everyone’s order memorized – but not a clue how to text her new crush. Enlisting the help of two gay teens, she takes an unexpected leap toward love and authenticity. Since She Left 13 min. A woman facing midlife returns to her hometown and questions her life, love and sexuality. TRAPPED 18 min. Two neighbors forced to confront the truths they’ve been avoiding when they become stuck in an elevator together.
2:00PM THEATRE ONE: Barefoot Boy (97 min.) WEST COAST PREMIERE Against the striking backdrop of Salt Lake City, legendary choreographer Bill Evans reflects on a remarkable life shaped by artistry, resilience, and the struggle to embrace his queer identity. At 82, he returns for one final career-defining performance, confronting the past while inspiring a new generation of dancer
2:15PM THEATRE TWO: Beginning While Ending: A Life Like Most Others (102 min.) What are you doing with your one wild and precious life? This uplifting documentary follows a spirited nonbinary octogenarian and their LGBTQ+ chosen family as they navigate aging with humor, resilience, and purpose. A heartfelt celebration of love, identity, and the courage to find joy, healing, and hope at every stage of life.
2:30PM THEATRE THREE:
FEATURE: Pieces of Lilo (90 min.) When the death of his abusive father unleashes decades of long buried trauma, Jerry is consumed by haunting memories, terrifying hallucinations, and long-hidden secrets. As reality begins to unravel, he spirals toward a devastating psychological breaking point from which there may be no return.
4:30PM THEATRE ONE: An Island Away From You (102 min.) Heartbroken after a painful breakup, a talented chef escapes to Gran Canaria with his best friend, only to fall in love with the island’s vibrant culture, irresistible cuisine, and one person he never expected: his best friend’s charming father. A heartfelt romance about second chances and unexpected love. In Spanish with English Subtitles.
4:45PM THEATRE TWO: Julian (91 min.) Fueled by love and a bold dream, Fleur and Julian set out to marry in every country where same-sex marriage is legal. As their extraordinary journey unfolds, joy, hope, and heartbreak collide in a deeply moving testament to love, equality, and the precious fragility of time. In English, French and Dutch with English Subtitles
5:00PM THEATRE THREE: Rank and File: A New Compilation. Join us for stories of two generations of LGBTQ+ folks – Baby Boomers and The Silent Generation – as they share stories of growing up, coming out, and making their way in a world that was often far different, and yet, sometimes not so different from our own. Local interviews. Panel with interviewees.
7:00PM THEATRE ONE: Love Loaded (98 min.) WEST COAST PREMIERE A sultry 1958 Los Angeles nightclub becomes a powder keg of secrets when famed torch singer Didi Scanlon is drawn into a web of betrayal and murder-where every lover, every rival – and everyone in the room is armed. Someone attempts to murder Dr. Jack Scanlon just as former singing partner of Didi Scanlon returns.
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