Colorado's CinemaQ Festival focuses on films from LGBTQ+ community

Denver Film 's CinemaQ Film Festival explores the issues and diverse stories within the LGBTQ+ community. The festival features a selection of curated movies, panels and discussions.

CinemaQ opens with a screening of My Old Ass, a feature film starring Maisy Stella and Aubrey Plaza. A teen comes face-to-face with her nearly 40 year old self and advice is given. The festival closes with a presentation of All Shall Be Well, which is a family drama that explores the legal rights of same-sex couples.

"CinemaQ and this film festival is so important because in today's day and age as much as the LGBTQIA+ community gets to take a bunch of footsteps forward, we're often given a bunch of footsteps back," said Keith Garcia, programmer for the CinemaQ Festival. "Film is just a powerful medium to tell these stories. No better way to inform, educate, entertain; but also change minds with meeting real people."

This year the festival is adding a new program called BLQ, which includes screenings of films that focus on Black queer stories, a discussion with Black queer creatives about their experiences, and a mix and mingle event. Denver Film is partnered with Black Pride Colorado for these new events.

"It's a particular community that doesn't often get their voices heard at full volume; and film is such a powerful medium that it was time to kind of bring that to the foreground," Garcia told CBS News Colorado.

In addition to the film lineup, there will be an Opening Night Sweet 16 Party to celebrate the festival's anniversary; and the CinemaQ Marketplace featuring goods from local, queered-owned businesses.

LINK: For Tickets & Information about CinemaQ Film Festival

The CinemaQ Film Festival runs August 8 – 11, 2024 at the Sie FilmCenter.