Beijing Queer Film Festival Cancelled Amid Police Pressure
Organisers announced the abrupt cancellation of the Love Queer Film Week after repeated police calls.
What a shock for the queer film community! Beijing’s annual independent queer film festival was cancelled at the last minute.
The Love Queer Film Week was set to open on Friday in the capital, but organisers posted an Instagram statement on Thursday night saying the event “has been cancelled” and apologising for any inconvenience.
According to the statement, the festival “regrets” the disappointment for participants and audiences.
Sources indicate that police increased pressure on the festival through repeated phone calls in recent weeks, a factor understood to have forced the shutdown.
Founded in 2001 by Peking University students, the festival grew into the only mainland Chinese film event that publicly showcased LGBTQ+ films and hosted related discussions.
Authorities have become less tolerant of open feminist or LGBTQ+ dialogue, and film festivals draw particular scrutiny because they can present narratives outside the Communist Party’s worldview.
Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Maya Wang said the Chinese government under Xi is “relentlessly tightening social and ideological control,” leading to intensified scrutiny and official harassment of activities outside party sanction.
Hongwei Bao, a professor of Chinese studies at the University of St Andrews, described the festival as “a beacon for LGBT resilience” and warned that its shutdown has a chilling effect on the Chinese queer community.
In June, police harassment forced the cancellation of LGBTQ+ film screenings scheduled for Beijing’s Pride month at the Institut Français, a French cultural centre.
Despite the pressure, the festival remained popular: several international filmmakers had traveled to China for the event, and last year the festival received 200 volunteer applications—four times the number in 2024.
Beijing’s public security bureau could not be reached for comment.
The abrupt cancellation underscores the tightening environment for independent cultural events in China.
