The Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (HKLGFF) returns for its 37th edition from September 4 to 20, 2026, presenting its largest programme in recent years with 37 feature films and 38 shorts, according to festival organizers and reporting by Asian Movie Pulse. The event has grown from underground beginnings in 1989 into a major cultural sanctuary, showcasing international queer cinema while spotlighting a new generation of local filmmakers.
Opening Night Highlights Featuring RuPaul and Joan Chen
The festival kicks off on September 4 with two distinct opening films, according to festival announcements. That! Playing alongside it is Chinese-Canadian filmmaker He Xiaodan’s Montréal, My Beautiful, which stars two-time Golden Horse Best Actress winner Joan Chen as a repressed immigrant mother who reconsiders her life after meeting a free-spirited younger woman played by Charlotte Aubin, according to Asian Movie Pulse. He Xiaodan is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony for a post-screening Q&A.
Six Emotional Moods Replace Traditional Categories
Breaking from traditional genre categories, HKLGFF organizes its 2026 selection around six distinct emotional moods, as detailed by festival materials: “Love” explores heartfelt queer romance; “Laugh” celebrates queer humour; “Reflect” looks back at queer identity and history; “Thrill” offers adrenaline-fuelled suspense; “Pride” takes the social pulse of pride globally; and “Remember” features a retrospective of German queer cinema legends Rosa von Praunheim and Monika Treut in partnership with the Goethe-Institut.
Centrepiece Spotlights and Closing Films
The newly introduced Spotlight strand features José Mari Goenaga and Aitor Arregi’s Maspalomas—which won the Sebastiane Award at San Sebastián and earned actor José Ramón Soroiz both a Silver Shell and a Goya Award—alongside Sophie Heldman’s Berlinale selection The Education of Jane Cumming, according to Asian Movie Pulse. Closing out the festival are Japan’s Busan International Film Festival winner Tiger, starring Takashi Kawaguchi as a gay masseur, and Avid Liongoren’s animated feature ZsaZsa Zaturnnah, which brings Carlo Vergara’s Filipino queer superhero to the screen. Both director Liongoren and creator Vergara will attend the closing ceremony for a Q&A.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the 37th Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival take place?
The festival runs from September 4 to 20, 2026, according to festival schedules.
How many films are featured in the 2026 line-up?
The 2026 programme features 37 feature films and 38 short films, marking the festival’s largest line-up in recent years.
What are the opening films for HKLGFF 2026?
That!
Join the Conversation
Which films are you most excited to see at this year’s HKLGFF? Share your thoughts in the comments below, or subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on international queer cinema.