Queer filmmakers are creating bold, meaningful work in a time when visibility is both powerful and contested. This panel explores what it means to continue making art while navigating the political realities surrounding LGBTQ+ rights, representation, and safety. We will look at how artists are building spaces that feel genuinely inclusive, how they respond to backlash and censorship, and how their work extends beyond the screen to foster real community. At its core, this conversation is about resilience, intention, and the role of storytelling as both expression and action.

Moderator: Stacy Jill Calvert, Director of Programming
Panelists: Andria Wilson-Mirza, Fawzia Mirza, Janet Chen (Ma), Joao Dall’Stella