Salt Lake City has a queer film festival on the calendar for next month, and it's a big one. The Utah Queer Film Festival runs from November 6 to 8 at the Utah Film Center's Geralyn White Dreyfous Building, and it's packing in 36 films over those three days. The festival is celebrating its 23rd year of highlighting LGBTQIA+ stories, which is a hell of a run for an event that started out under the name 'Damn These Heels'.
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The theme this year is "Queer Films, Queer Futures," and the lineup is split between 11 full-length features and 25 shorts. There's a lot to choose from, so it's worth digging into the program before you commit to a ticket. One of the more recognizable names attached is Elliot Page, who narrates 'Second Nature'. The festival also leans into its cult roots, bringing back 'By Hook or by Crook', and the closing night is built around 'Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror', directed by Linus O'Brien. O'Brien is the son of Richard O'Brien, and he's flying in for a live Q&A, which is the kind of detail that makes these festivals worth catching in person rather than waiting for a stream.
That Q&A is a good reminder of why the live format matters here. A big part of the draw is the chance to hear from the filmmakers and actors after the credits roll, and that's woven throughout the weekend. If you can't make the in-person screenings, there's a virtual option: a selection of films will be available to stream from November 9 to 15, so you can catch up on what you missed or rewatch something you loved. Tickets and passes are sold through UQFF.org, and it's the kind of event where planning a couple of days in advance pays off more than walking up on the night.
The venue itself is worth a mention. The Geralyn White Dreyfous Building opened in September 2025 at 375 W. 400 North, and it's built for this kind of thing, with an 180-seat screening and event room, co-working spaces, and conference rooms. It's a comfortable size for a festival like this, and it gives the whole weekend a real home rather than a makeshift space. Between the 36 films, the live Q&As, and the virtual window that follows, there's plenty of ways to take it in, whether you're there for the whole weekend or just dropping in for a couple of screenings. If you've been meaning to catch a queer film festival and haven't yet, this is a solid place to start, and it's an easy one to build a weekend around.
Published Date
16 October 2026
