The 33rd edition of Raindance Film Festival opens on 18 June in London’s West End, stretching across ten days at Vue Piccadilly with a programme nearly twice the size of last year. The festival begins with Heavyweight, a British drama from Christopher M. Anthony that balances grit with heart, and closes with The Academy by Camilla Guttner, a quiet, observant film set in the layered world of an art school.

But some of this year’s most moving moments lie in between. In smaller screenings, modest Q&As, and stories that linger long after the credits. Raindance continues to make room for films that feel personal, and this year’s queer segment does just that.

Raindance continues to make room for independent queer cinema in London that feels personal and deeply lived. This year’s LGBTQIA+ lineup highlights new work from emerging filmmakers across the US, UK, France and Belgium, with stories that explore identity, loss, love and quiet transformation.

Top LGBTQIA+ Feature Films at Raindance 2025

A Cell Phone Movie (USA) Dir. Will Sterling
A scrappy meta comedy shot entirely on a cellphone. Sterling plays himself, an out-of-work actor making a movie about an out-of-work actor. It is lo-fi, low-budget, and full of self-aware charm.

Flamingo Camp (USA) Dir. Chris Coats
Set in Slab City, California, this documentary follows a group of queer and trans anarchists living off-grid. As summer heat and personal fractures set in, a chosen family is tested in more ways than one.

If You Should Leave Before Me (USA) Dir. J. Markus Anderson and Boyd Anderson
After the death of a loved one, two men working as spiritual guides for the deceased are forced to confront their own grief. Dreamlike and moving, the film blends fantasy with emotional truth.

Somewhere in Love / Une vie rêvée (France,Belgium) Dir. Morgan Simon
In a Paris suburb, Nicole and her teenage son Serge live in isolation and intense emotional closeness. A haunting, layered look at love, boundaries, and the spaces where they blur.

Best Queer Short Films at Raindance Film Festival 2025

Curated by Queer Filmmakers Network, the two LGBTQIA+ shorts programmes gather fresh, emotional, and bold queer storytelling from around the world.

‍LGBTQIA+ Shorts Programme 1
• Freak Dir. Claire Barnett
• I'm So Sorry Baby Dir. Friday Anderson and Kylee C. Roberts
• With Love Lottie Dir. Lily Drummond
• Pretend I'm Not Here Dir. Noah Amir Arjomand
• Miss Dir. Alexandra Stergiou
• Erion Dir. Marius Gabriel Stancu
• Bisexual Crisis!!! Dir. Lyndon Henley Hanrahan
• We Both Laughed In Pleasure Dir. Grace Pickering

These films explore identity, longing, awkward joy, and the moments we want to forget but never do.

LGBTQIA+ Shorts Programme 2

‍• Her Dance Dir. Julián Córdoba
• A Friend of Dorothy Dir. Lee Knight
• Hot Young Geek Seeks Blood Sucking Freak Dir. Heath Virgoe
• Arlo Dir. Logan Thomason
• Big Bass Dir. Drew Dickler
• Hands On Dir. Rory Kramer
• Space Daddy Dir. Stephen Carruthers

Koupepia, Dir. Yorgo Glynatsis, will be screened as part of the Raindance House Shorts & Too Far Media showcase.

From queer horror to drag absurdism to tender moments of becoming, this second collection leans into risk and reinvention.

This year’s queer segment doesn’t push for attention. It lets the stories speak for themselves, with all their rough edges and quiet truths.

Raindance Industry Events and Filmmaker Masterclasses

Raindance is not just about watching films. It is also a place to listen, share, and reconnect.

The Canon Filmmaker Lounge returns with a full schedule of masterclasses, industry talks, and networking sessions. Whether you are a new director or a curious storyteller, there is space to ask questions and hear real stories. Expect sessions on cinematography, casting, documentary ethics, and independent film production.

Tickets

Tickets and festival passes are available now via the official website:
🎟️ raindance.org/festival

From world premieres to intimate stories, Raindance invites you to get a little lost and maybe find something you did not expect.

‍FAQ

Where can I watch queer films at Raindance 2025?
You can watch LGBTQIA+ features and shorts at Vue Piccadilly in London from 18 to 27 June. Tickets are available at raindance.org/festival.

Which queer films are showing at Raindance this year?
Highlights include A Cell Phone Movie, Flamingo Camp, If You Should Leave Before Me, and Somewhere in Love, along with 15 short films curated by Queer Filmmakers Network.

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