Also known as "The Gay Brothers," this short film showed two men dancing together.
Best Picture at the Academy Awards and also depicted one of the earliest onscreen same-sex kisses.
Alfred Hitchcock's "Rope" tells the story of two heavily coded gay men who murder one of their classmates for the sheer thrill of it.
The well-known drama includes clear, coded gay subtext between troublemaking teen protagonist Jim Stark (James Dean) and his new classmate, Plato (Sal Mineo who later came out)
Robert Aldrich's film about the breakdown of an aging lesbian TV actress included a lesbian sex scene that broke down a major taboo associated with the Code's erasure of gay characters on screen.
John Director Waters, challenged the concept of camp by making deliberately filthy, transgressive films that let their queer, outcast characters gleefully behave badly.
William Friedkin's "Cruising" was reviled by many gay viewers, with one pamphlet saying that, in the film, "gay men are presented as one-dimensional sex-crazed lunatics."
Donna Deitch's "Desert Hearts" tracks the romance that develops between repressed English professor Vivian and free-spirited rancher's daughter Kay. It's regarded as the first mainstream lesbian film with a happy ending.
Jennie Livingston's acclaimed documentary chronicles New York City's Black and Latino Harlem drag ball scene of the late 1980s, bringing the vital subculture into the public eye in a major way.
Director Cheryl Dunye plays a Black lesbian filmmaker working on a project about "The Watermelon Woman," an obscure 1940s Black actress.
Hedwig Robinson, a gay East German rock singer develops a relationship with a younger man, Tommy, becoming his mentor and musical collaborator, only to have Tommy steal her music and become a rock star.
Ang Lee's film about the long-term secret romance between two cowboys (Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger) made history as one of the first big mainstream movies that centered on a gay love story. The film became a critical and box office success and won three Oscars, proving to Hollywood that LGBTQ+ stories had a place outside of strictly independent filmmaking.
Lesbian filmmaker Dee Rees arrived on the scene with her 2011 debut narrative feature film, "Pariah." The semi-autobiographical film centers on a Black Brooklyn lesbian's experiences with coming out and reckoning with her identity.
Moonlight tells the story of a young Black gay man named Chiron as he grows up and comes to terms with his identity. It made history as the first LGBTQ+ movie and the first movie with an all-Black cast to take home the top prize.
Director Wanuri Kahiu's "afro bubblegum" film "Rafiki," which tells a love story between two teenage girls, became the first Kenyan film to screen at the Cannes Film Festival.
The animated documentary "Flee" centers on a man identified as Amin Nawabi, a refugee from Afghanistan who left his country for a new life in Denmark, as he shares a painful hidden past ahead of marrying his soon-to-be husband.
In the early 1960s, Agnes Torres — a pseudonymized transgender woman — participated in sociologist Harold Garfinkel's gender health research at UCLA, making her the first subject of an in-depth discussion of transgender identity in sociology.
Looking for plans after Fairy Tales tonight?
Our friends and incredible supporters of the festival, KNetic, are hosting a Circus-themed party with Queer performers and wild vibes!
Bring your KNetic energy to the door and say you’re from Fairy Tales for $10 off your ticket, and a free one month membership!
#QueerJoy #LetsDance #KNeticRocks
💃✨FILM SPOTLIGHT✨💃
🪩 Feel the beat. Witness the beauty. This is Ballroom, and we ARE SO READY. 🪩
This Is Ballroom (Salão de Baile) is a powerful documentary that takes you deep into the vibrant ballroom scene of Rio de Janeiro.
Through dazzling performances, raw personal stories, and behind-the-scenes moments, this award-winning film reveals the fierce artistry, chosen family, and pure joy that define this electrifying movement.💃🏾🌈
This isn’t just about voguing and shade. This Is Ballroom explores identity, community, and resistance with heart and pride. With international acclaim from festivals in Portugal and Norway, this is a MUST SEE!
🎉 Presented by our fabulous friends at @blackprideyyc —because what’s a celebration without good people and a snack or two? ❤️🍿
🌈Come for the show - stay for the vibes
📆SATURDAY, JUNE 14 | 9:30 PM
📍Contemporary Calgary
Link for tickets in the bio
#ThisIsBallroom #SalaoDeBaile #FairyTalesFestival #BlackPrideYYC #Rio #BallroomCulture #QueerFilm #ChosenFamily #LGBTQResistance #DanceIsPower #AwardWinningDoc #DanceYYC #SaturdayMood
🏳️🌈✨FILM SPOTLIGHT✨🏳️🌈
They said it was a phase, but what if it was everything?
Get ready to feel SEEN 🌈
Not That Kind of Phase is a tender, funny and fearless collection of short films that explore the beautifully honest journey of growing up queer.
From awkward first dates to punk-rock heartbreak, stolen moments, and profound revelations, these stories don’t just revisit the queer coming-of-age experience; they honour it.
🌈The Ick – Two young men meet for a first date. Things are going well until a revelation is made.
🌈I Had Sex But.. – A filmmaker explores intimacy and the emotional aftermath
🌈Su Twice – After being accused of theft at work, Su must decide between truth and self-protection
🌈Dandelion – finding love and heartbreak in the queer punk scene
🌈Kotowari – A poignant exploration of cultural identity and personal boundaries
🌈Theo’s Friend – a heartfelt exploration of friendship and growing up queer in a conservative environment.
🔥PLUS a pre-show intro by the kind and incomparable filmmaker & curator @thekylemarshall —don’t miss it!
📅SATURDAY, JUNE 14 | 9:30 PM
📍Contemporary Calgary
Link for tickets in bio!
#NotThatKindOfPhase #FairyTalesFestival #QueerComingOfAge #ShortFilmSpotlight #LGBTQCinema #QueerStoriesMatter #TheKyleMarshall #QueerYouth #PunkLove #ComingOutStories #FairyTalesAfterDark
🌈 NIGHT 1 was pure QUEER MAGIC 🌈
From the opening of 🎬Pride VS Prejudice, 🎬Tangled Hearts & Quiet Revolutions and The Astronaut Lovers, powerful panels, FIERCE performances and pre-shows and all of the LOVE in the lobby - Fairy Tales is officially off to a fabulous start ❤️
And we’re just getting STARTED!
Don’t miss out - grab your tickets at at the door or 🔗 in bio, gather your friends and get ready for an EPIC night and weekend 🔥
Will we see you there?
#CalgaryQueerArts #YYCArts #CalgaryEvents #QueerFilmFest #QueerFilms #YYCBuzz #WeekendVibes #QueerArt #QueerArtist
🎸✨FILM SPOTLIGHT✨🎸
❤️🔥The FIERCEST love stories are the ones we write for ourselves.
1-800-On-Her-Own is a raw, electrifying deep dive into the life of punk-folk powerhouse @anidifranco, an artist who didn’t just make music, she made waves. 🌊
From founding Righteous Babe Records to fighting for reproductive rights, queer liberation, and radical independence, this intimate documentary reveals the soul of a woman who never stopped choosing her own path. 🤘
🔥 PLUS – We’ve got a SURPRISE for you—the incredible singer-songwriter, @amy_hef, will open the show with a powerful live mini-set!
It’s UNFILTERED, It’s UNFORGETTABLE, It’s FIERCE 🔥🤘
This is the Alberta Premiere you don’t want to miss! 🎸
📅SATURDAY, JUNE 14 | 7:00 PM
📍Contemporary Calgary, Dome Theatre
🔗 in bio for tickets!
#AniDiFranco #FairyTalesFestival #QueerCinema #PunkFolkIcon #QueerLiberation #ReproductiveRights #RighteousBabeRecords #IndieMusicDoc #LGBTQFilm #AlbertaPremiere #FeministFilm
🌈✨ DJ SPOTLIGHT ✨🌈
We’re absolutely MESMERIZED to welcome Subliminal Rabbit to the festival lineup - a multimedia force that’s keeping Calgary’s underground scene deliciously magical! 🎨🎧✨
Fresh off creating mind-bending visuals for the Vienna Opera House and a feature in Mascular Magazine, Subliminal Rabbit is mixing raw DIY energy with high-art sophistication! This boundary-pushing artist serves pure imagination behind the decks and crafts immersive experiences that blur the lines between visual art, fashion, and sound.
His recent commission by Alphabet Mafia inspired a collection of hand-painted vintage pieces, while his DJ sets at Warm Leatherette and Pansy Club prove the dance floor is just another canvas! 🎨🔥
Currently creating waves in both international galleries and local queer spaces, Subliminal Rabbit continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible when art meets activism! Get ready for an experience that’s equal parts sonic journey and visual feast!
Plus, entrance is FREE while you browse our incredible artist market! 🌈🎨
📅 FRIDAY, JUNE 13 📍 Contemporary Calgary - Atrium
Performance Schedule:
• First Set: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
• Second Set: 8:30 PM - 9:30 PM
#SubliminalRabbit #FairyTales2025 #FridayVibes #DJSpotlight #MultimediaArt #QueerMusic #2SLGBTQIA #CalgaryQueerArts #ContemporaryCalgary #YYCArts #FestivalVibes #FreeEntry #ArtistMarket #UndergroundScene
🚿✨FILM SPOTLIGHT✨🚿
💘LOVE shows up when we least expect it 💘
Sauna reminds us what’s possible when we STAY OPEN to it!
🚿Johan keeps all doors open when it comes to both love and sex. He finds freedom in Copenhagen’s only gay sauna, Adonis, where he not only works but also shares experiences with the other guests.
For Johan, the city is a boundless paradise of opportunities filled with bars, parties, and one-night stands. But it is only when he meets William, a trans man, that he experiences love up close. 💘
The two must face the true meaning of intimacy as their love is put to a tough test, living in a society governed by rigid ideas about gender, love, and identity.
Sauna is a bold and intimate exploration of love, desire, and identity in a world still marked by limits.
📅SATURDAY, JUNE 14 | 7:00 PM
📍Contemporary Calgary, Heather Edwards Theatre
🔗 in bio for tickets
#LoveStory #FilmFestival #QueerFilms #FairyTales2025 #Sauna #QueerLove #LGBTQIA #QueerEvents #CalgaryArt #CalgaryFilm
🎶✨FILM SPOTLIGHT✨🎶
When everything changes, who do you become?
Really Happy Someday explores just that in a vulnerable and powerful story of self-discovery and what it truly means to find your VOICE. ✊
🏳️⚧️Z, is a trans masculine singer, who bombs a pivital musical theatre audtion, unable to control his own voice after starting testosterone nine months earlier.
To save his own life and livelihood, Z must rediscover himself and his voice.
If you’ve ever felt lost or had to rediscover who you once were, this film is for you.
It’s about resilience, starting over, and the radical, beautiful power of finding yourself —the kind of love story we’’ve always needed 🩵
📅SATURDAY, JUNE 14 | 4:30 PM
📍Contemporary Calgary, Dome Theatre
Link in bio for tickets!
#ReallyHappySomeday #QueerFilm #FairyTales2025 #TransVoices #TransMasculine
#TransStory #TransJoy #TransRepresentation
#Healing #SelfLove #QueerLove #FindingYourVoice #CalgaryTheatre #CalgaryFilm
🥊✨FILM SPOTLIGHT✨🥊
Get ready to feel INSPIRED, and SHAKEN to your core, Neirud serves up a daring excavation of memory, identity, and rebellion 💥
When Neirud passed, she left behind no answers, just silence, questions, and a shroud of mystery. But as the filmmaker begins to piece together the life of her enigmatic aunt, she uncovers the jaw-dropping truth. 😮
🎪Behind the shadows lies Gorilla Woman, Neirud’s controversial wrestling persona who lit up the ring in an underground all-female circus troupe across Brazil in the ‘60s and ‘80s.
Neirud is a powerful reckoning with the past, uncovering a taboo-breaking love story and revealing the surpising nature of Neiruds role in her own family.
💫 Expect to feel wonder, heartbreak, empowerment, and a fierce connection to the stories we inherit and the ones we’re never told.
🫶 JOIN US for a special pre-show presented by our community partner @coloresyyc! Trust us you won’t want to miss this!
📅SATURDAY, JUNE 14 | 4:30 PM
📍Contemporary Calgary, Heather Edwards Theatre
Link in bio for tickets!
#FairyTales2025 #FilmFest #YYCFilms #QueerFilms #QueerArtist #2SLGBTQIA #RepresentationMatters #YYCArts #Neirud
🔥✨FILM SPOTLIGHT✨🔥
❤️🔥Get ready to feel the sizzle of that SLOW BURN, Before the Break offers a cinematic glimpse into moments of buildup!
It might just be the moment you’ve been waiting for 😉
If you’ve ever felt the ache of something about to change, the sharp edge of a goodbye, or the breath before the confession, Before the Break offers a collection of powerful shorts that is going to hold you right there. 👀
Each of these films teeters on the edge of a revelation, a rupture, a reckoning, focused on the buildup: the charged silence before love is named, the weight of longing before it tips into action, the quiet heartbreak before goodbye.
✨Stimulants & Empathogens – A crush that collides with class, family, and identity.
✨Tapage – A night of escape turns into a lesson in letting go.
✨175 – A poignant love story focusing on the months leading up to the legalization of same-sex marriage in the UK.
✨Lost Hearts – A brief connection. A death. In 1992 Paris, memory and grief entwine as Julien looks back
✨The Dinner – There are some issues which cannot be left for later
Intimate, political, and deeply human, these shorts explore what happens just before everything changes and we’re here for it! 😍
📅 SATURDAY, JUNE 14 | 2:00 PM
📍Contemporary Calgary, Dome Theatre
Link in bio for tickets!
#BeforeTheBreak #FairyTalesFilmFestival #FairyTalesYYC #QueerCinema #QueerFilmFest #Emotional #SlowBurn #CinematicFilms #ShortFilmSpotlight #FilmFestFeels #YYCEvents
Calgary Queer Arts Society honours and acknowledges Moh’kinsstis, the lands and oral practices of the Blackfoot Confederacy: Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani Nations; the îethka Nakoda Nations: Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Goodstoney; and the Tsuut’ina Nation. We also recognize this territory as home to the Otipemisiwak Métis Government, Districts 5 and 6. Finally, we acknowledge all nations, genders and spirits who live, work, and play across Turtle Island.
We are only the latest to live, create and gather here, and so it is only right that we should acknowledge those who have come before us; their feasts and family gatherings, art, music, dance, storytelling and ceremony, that have been happening right here, on this land, for more generations than any of us can count.
As we enter and care for the relationships made possible through our work, we see every gathering as an opportunity to engage and walk a path of reconciliation; in doing so, we hope to build connections of inclusion, respect, and shared creativity.
