In 2017, Queer Lisboa enters its third decade of existence with the screening of 90 films from 32 countries. In addition to the retrospective dedicated to the multimedia artist Shu Lea Cheang, taking place at Cinema São Jorge and MNAC – National Museum of Contemporary Art, and the long awaited debut of the film God's Own Country by British filmmaker Francis Lee on Opening Night, Queer Lisboa 21 will host many more surprises and international guests.

After we celebrated a round-the-clock birthday in 2016, the record number of films our programmers watched this year, have allowed us to build a program that seems to trace narrative, aesthetic, formal, and even ideological lines, which allow us to anticipate queer cinema directions for which we will certainly be attentive in the coming years.

Of the 32 countries present, the US is the most represented, with 21 films. Germany and France are represented, in ex-aequo, with 12 films each, followed by Brazil, with 10 films.

The competitions of Queer Lisboa 21 are composed not only by the "classic" narratives and themes of queer cinema, but also of films that speak of religion, migration, racism, borders, disability, politics, while at the same time risk transdisciplinarities, break canons of the cinema of gender, embrace new audiovisual languages ​​and new models of relation of the spectator with these languages. Back then are the Competitions of Feature Films, Documentaries, Short Films, In My Shorts and Queer Art.

The Panorama section gains a new breath this year with the screening of eight films: four fiction films and four documentaries. Highlight to 1:54, by the Canadian director Yan England, who will be in Lisbon, in collaboration with the Canadian Embassy in Portugal. The film stars Antoine-Olivier Pilon (the protagonist of Mommy, by Xavier Dolan). Quand On A 17 Ans, by André Téchiné, one of the most acclaimed filmmakers after the Nouvelle Vague, will have its national premiere at Queer Lisboa.

The Hard Nights section will feature Colby Keller, one of the most popular porn actors of the day, as well as recent films by Koichi Imaizumi, Sky Deep, Marit Östberg and Francy Fabritz.

Music returns with the section Queer Pop, with a program centered on the work of George Michael and another focused on the new values ​​of queer music from Brazil.

Queer Lisboa 21 will end with the screening of Anna Muylaert's much-applauded Mãe Só Há Uma, which has been awarded at Berlinale in 2016.

During the festival there will also be several parties. The Opening Party will take place at the Fontória club and will feature the music of the trio Asneira (António Almada Guerra, João Villas-Boas and Tiago Pinhal Costa). On the 21st, Queer Lisboa joins the collective Groove Ball for a party at Rive-Rouge, while a day later the party will be held at the Construction club, where Colby Keller will be present. The Closing Party takes place on the Titanic Sur Mer and Sky Deep and Simºne will be playing.

The full schedule of Queer Lisboa 20 can be found here and the schedule of screenings here.