Festival Data:

• Established: 1990
• Genre: Gay - Lesbian (click to see)
• Attendance: 15000
• Media Attendance: 65
• Accredited Industry Attendance: 120
• Total Number of Films Submitted: 1500
• Total Number of Films Screened: 130
• Total Screenings: 57
• # of Shorts Screened: 85
• # of Features Screened: 45

• Competitive

Festival Website:

Festival Description:

Hamburg International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival is Hamburg's third largest film event and screens over 50 programs and 130 films from around the world in five cinemas over six days. Roughly 10 people work - on a non-salaried basis - throughout the year to organize each festival. They are in turn supported by an army of volunteers during the festival week. The team's aim is to remain independant and to offer a festival that is accessible to the widest audience possible. Alongside entertaining feature films, the festival provides a place for movies that cover current debates in the queer community and beyond. This regularly includes the organization of workshops, film talks and much more. A permanent section of the festival is devoted to films with transgender and intersexual subject matter. Great documentary and feature films on sometimes challenging topics always find a home at the festival. And the audience welcomes these films.

HILGFF has a jury, and a Jury Award. The winner for best feature-length film is awarded with 5,000 Euro! All other prizes awarded by the Festival are audience awards. The director of each winning film receives an award and a cash prize of 1,000 Euros. Audience Awards are:

The URSULA is the prize for the best short film.

She is awarded in three categories: best Gay, Lesbian and "Gender Bender" short.

The GLOBOLA goes to the best feature.

The DOKULA is awarded to the best feature-length documentary. (Sponsored by gay-web e.V.)

"Made in Germany" is the competition for German-made shorts. (The prize is a distribution contract with Edition Salzgeber)

1990, the year the world changed: Gorbachev was elected head of state in the USSR, the WHO decided homosexuality should no longer be classified as an illness, the Berlin Wall was torn down, and Hamburg witnessed the birth of its first Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. A true novelty for German cinemas, here was a festival organised by lesbians and gay men, who set out to counter stereotypical representations of homosexuality in film. Sidelining mainstream productions, the HILGFF featured independent homosexual filmmakers, half-forgotten classics, and a wide array of short films. Cultural events accompanied the program, and Rosie’s café at the Metropolis offered lots of opportunities for the community to chat with international guests.

Film Submissions:

• Call for Entry: http:/ / www.lsf-hamburg.de/ english-info/ submit-a-film.html