Paint the town pink this summer

The Vancouver Queer Film Festival invites fans of Vancouver’s queer arts and cultural scene to 'paint the town pink' this summer with the Celebrate Queer Vancouver project July 21 to August 21 and the 23rd annual Vancouver Queer Film Festival August 11 to 21.

“The Vancouver Queer Film Festival is a summer institution,” said Amber Dawn, Director of Programming. “In a season jam-packed with queer celebrations, we’re inviting audiences to experience the world of queer cinema, and take to the streets through the new Celebrate Queer Vancouver project. The festival’s 101 films from eighteen countries bring the world’s stories to Vancouver; Celebrate Queer Vancouver brings our stories to the world.”

Celebrate Queer Vancouver, a partnership with Vancouver 125, will bring queer art to the streets of Vancouver. Launching on July 21, the month-long celebrations include film presentations, community dialogues, a live auction, and public art plaques throughout the city. Photos featuring queer ‘chosen families’ will be installed on city lamp-posts and the public will be able to register for guided history walks.

Out On Screen’s brand marketing agency Creative B’stro made history in 2010 when they developed the first-ever custom-built iPhone app for a queer film festival. This year, the app returns loaded with new features: audiences can interact with build-your-own film schedules, venue locations, queer history facts, and a Celebrate Queer Vancouver ‘treasure trail’.

The Vancouver Queer Film Festival is Vancouver’s second largest film festival, and is programmed by Amber Dawn, winner of the 2011 Lambda Literary Award for her debut novel Sub Rosa.

Tickets for the Vancouver Queer Film Festival will be available from July 14 onward at Little Sisters Book and Art Emporium (1238 Davie Street, Vancouver), and online at queerfilmfestival.ca.