🌈 Proudly Queer, Cinematically Fierce: 2SLGBTQ+ Film Organizations in Toronto 🎬

Hey there, wonderful filmmaker!

Happy 🏳️‍🌈Pride🏳️‍🌈, folks! Here in the ConneKt Film community, we celebrate each and every one. We also want to spotlight some of the boldest queer film spaces that are making the industry even more incredible year-round. So, today we are highlighting some Toronto-based film organizations that are working for the community!

🎥 Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival 

Celebrating their 35th Anniversary, Inside Out is Toronto’s biggest 2SLGBTQ+ film festival. Aiming to challenge attitudes and change lives through the promotion, production, and exhibition of film made by and about 2SLGBTQ+ people, Inside Out showcases global cinema works annually. To support the local queer film industry, they also do year-round development programs and community screenings.

🎥 Spindle Films Foundation 

Dedicated to the Trans, Non-Binary, Two-Spirit, and Gender-Diverse Canadian filmmakers, Spindle Films is a non-profit organization that provides support for industry newbies. Their services include (but are not limited to) mentorship programs, industry training and advocacy.

🎥 Toronto Queer Film Festival (TQFF)

Established in 2016, TQFF is a collectively run, artist-run, nonprofit organisation that provides a platform for experimental, contemporary, and social justice-themed film and video art by queer filmmakers. The festival focuses on community art exhibition spaces, emphasising works that challenge mainstream narratives and promote diverse queer voices.

🏳️‍🌈 Honourable Mentions 🏳️‍🌈

🏳️‍🌈 OUTtv

Launched in 2001 as PrideVision, OUTtv is a Canadian English-language LGBTQ+ television network and streaming service. It curates and produces queer entertainment programming including drama, comedies, documentaries and reality shows. Beyond Canada, OUTtv has expanded its services through OUTflix and OUTtv Proud to audiences in the UK, Europe and Asia.

🏳️‍🌈 The ArQuives

Founded as the Canadian Gay Liberation Movement Archives in 1973, The ArQuives maintains an extensive collection of periodicals, documents, and multimedia materials produced by and about LGBTQ2+ communities. Beyond preservation, the ArQuives functions as a living cultural hub: offering a research library, public exhibitions (including quarterly spring shows), education resources for schools, and outreach programs promoting queer and trans heritage.

A 👏🏻round applause👏🏻 for all the organisations that have been advocating for the community and continuously raising the bar for representation in Film and TV! 

With warm hugs and best wishes,
The ConneKt Film Team