Utah Queer Film Festival 2025 Showcases Local Queer Shorts

The Utah Queer Film Festival celebrates the innovative expression of the queer community with this year’s theme, “Fearless Queerness.” In a time when things seem bleaker than ever, the festival invites stories that highlight both the trials and tribulations, as well as the colors and joy that exist within the queer community. In a state that is unique for its relationship with religion, the queer experience also takes on a unique shape in response. The Utah Queer Film Festival treated us to nine short films from local Utah filmmakers. Each tells a queer story with a distinctive voice and sometimes experimental style. These films remind us that short doesn’t mean small and that big ideas can come from the unlikeliest places.

Embalmed
Director: Ryan Margetts

An exciting and attention-grabbing way to start a film festival, Embalmed is a music video by Ryan Margetts. An anthem that pleads with the audience to look around and open their eyes to the injustice that engulfs this world. The song by Callie Crofts is a stirring anthem as the lyrics paired with the visuals inspire rage to take action. It says that we are all forced to take the “anti-blood.” In other words, we need to become less human to get by in this world — but it is in being human and believing that all people are worthy of happy lives that we take the first steps in rebelling. Some would say that this music video is too broad to be part of a queer film festival, as it directly addresses a wide range of issues like racial profiling, police brutality, abortion, prison slavery, capitalism and much more. But for me, that just makes it an even greater queer feat. After all, what could be queerer than wanting everyone to experience love and equality?  

Dizzy
Director: Sam Everett

It’s always a pleasure to see animation represented at a film festival. There is a level of love and dedication for the art form that comes through in every frame of this short. Dizzy features faceless figures who love to spin; spinning brings them joy and makes them feel alive. But others have trouble spinning; it makes them dizzy, and they end up feeling broken and isolated. However, they find community with other “dizzies” that move to their own rhythm. The animation is simple, which allows it to focus more on fluidity and give the film a soft, graceful feeling that juxtaposes greatly when moments of distress arise. Pair it with the evocative score, “Tides” by Arend, and the emotions just stick with you, the thoughts of confusion, the pain of rejection, the glimpse of hope and finding a community; all these feelings are packed into this sweet animated short.

We’ve Come a Long Way
Director: Edgar Flores

This short documents conversations with senior members of the LGBTQ+ community. Each subject reminisces about their life and their experience of growing up queer in the state of Utah. It gives us insight into the uniqueness of Utah (for better or for worse) as a state whose founding and government are so closely tied to a religious body. They talk about the difficulties, but also the beauty, in the strong community they were able to create and see grow. The standout aspect of this docushort is how local it feels. From seeing the UTA Trax pull up to the station to the glimpses of various local businesses, the short reminds us that the queer community has always existed, even in a state like this. Although the director Edgar Flores is not queer himself, you can tell that he has a lot of admiration and love for the queer community. When asked why he wanted to take on this project, he explained that as a person from a marginalized group, he felt that he needed to understand the struggles of another marginalized group and create a sense of solidarity between the two. We’ve Come a Long Way is a reminder that it is never too late to start living as your most authentic self.

Greenware: My Queer Clay Body
Director: Rae Ann Luebbert

This short starts out with a display of text explaining what exactly greenware is. A form of clay that dries at various stages but is never fired, it continuously takes on different shapes and forms over time. Luebbert draws a parallel between this greenware and their own identity as a queer person — malleable yet fragile, durable yet delicate. We exist in stages that take away from us or add to us, and we can never really call ourselves a finished product. The editing of this short was incredibly interesting, starting with simply watching the clay being formed, before multiple frames of different stages of the process appearing on the screen, and later on, having different shots layered over each other. I interpreted this as a reflection of the chaos that forms us and how multiplicity exists in all of us: There is a multiplicity in being queer. Greenware: My Queer Clay Body has no score, opting to use only simple natural sounds that ground us into a natural state of being.

The Red Book
Director: Jack Hessler, Brian Durkee

Named after the records of one of the founders of psychotherapy, Carl Jung, The Red Book is a vignette that takes a look into the life of psychiatrist Dr. Graham (Bryce Bishop). Opening on his day off as he sits alone in his reading room in his pajamas, we see Dr. Graham try to relax, but there is a sense of unease to it all. His day off is disrupted when a patient (Max Schönhaar) of his finds his house and expresses their need to talk to him. The patient reveals that they have had intimate and sexual dreams about Dr. Graham and are confused about what these dreams could mean wondering if Dr. Graham has also experienced these dreams. Though Dr. Graham denies this, his actions paint a different picture. What made this short so memorable was the awkward humor that resulted from the subject matter. The idea that a man who is as unadjusted as Dr. Graham is sought out for advice and consultation, and the reactions to the confession create a tension that you just can’t help but laugh at. The comedic timing is almost Tim Robinson-esque, only not as loud. Sometimes when tackling ideas like this, a little humor goes a long way. 

Virtual
Director: Alfonso Belloso

My personal favorite short from the line-up, Virtual is a rollercoaster of emotion from start to finish. The film opens with a young woman named Dolly (Eliza Haynie) as she escapes into the virtual world via a VR headset. There, she confesses her love for the virtual fitness trainer, Mary (Cherish Clague). At first, you have to laugh at the absurdity of the situation, but as the story unfolds, you are left shocked by the twists and turns the story takes. It’s a story about grief and regret, about having the courage to take a chance. It’s a beautiful film that uses its visuals and score to full effect. Utilizing a pastel color palette, the world feels almost hazy. Add the synthetic score (which reminds me of Disasterpeace’s compositions for It Follows) and the viewer is put into a dreamlike trance that invites them to lie back and simply let the film take them where it wants. It’s not about guessing the end, but letting yourself feel what the characters feel. By the end you will find yourself emotionally renewed. 

Be
Director: Claire Timothy

A unique documentary short, Be explores three unique stories in three unique ways. The connecting throughline for each story is about how three different BYU students discovered and came to terms with their bisexual identities. Each student’s story is told using a different form of film. Claire’s story is narrated over Super 8 footage of a wedding. She talks about her fear of not finding herself attracted to men and being drawn to women. She expresses gratitude for finding a partner who understands and accepts those parts of her. Lucas’s story is told over 16mm footage of flowers and nature, which is interspersed with negative footage of instruments and other objects. It feels warmer and more personal as he talks about his faith, the punitive nature of the church, but also the love and acceptance of his family. Mira’s story was my favorite one to witness. Shot on digital, Mira’s story of an almost-relationship is retold as two actresses (McCall Brainard and Mimi Bowman) act out sweet and intimate scenes. Complete with beautiful lighting and strong direction, Timothy’s dip into more scripted pieces shows that she is a strong director capable of adapting. Each segment evokes a different feeling that leaves you with a heartwarming end. 

The Mascot
Director: Delaney Plant

An epic documentary that details the scandal that rocked BYU — Cosmo the Cougar was gay! *Gasp, Escándalo!* Well, more specifically, the person in the costume, Charlie Bird, came out as gay. After the mascot went viral for his fierce moves, Bird revealed himself as an out and proud gay man who still holds his spirituality close to his heart. While the story of Bird is the main draw, I was pleasantly surprised to find that he was not the sole focus. The documentary expands its view to the many members of the queer community who have faced discrimination and even excommunication from the LDS church, including Stacey Harkey from Utah’s own beloved sketch comedy show Studio C and Jillian Orr, the BYU graduate who famously revealed her Pride flag sewn into her graduation regalia. The documentary opens up discourse about Bird’s privilege as a good-looking white gay man who was even allowed to marry another man in the temple. Some would say he graduated from being BYU’s mascot to being the gay mascot for the LDS church. It’s a thought-provoking work that keeps you engaged from beginning to end.

Freedom Dreaming
Director: Merel Noorlander

An experimental film in every sense of the word, Freedom Dreaming is an intriguing piece that asks you to think and immerse yourself in the world they present to you. Natural landscapes spread across the screen, and a frame within them  depicting a separate space with a person appears. The more you stare at the picture, the more it stares back at you. Ambient and uneasy sounds surround the audience as poetic text scrolls across the screen. Colorful images of nature fill the screen and create an almost fantastical backdrop. The atmosphere feels natural and invites a sense of eroticism as well. A reminder that we are still connected to nature. It is a strange experience that ignites curiosity and intrigue.

Read more about local film:
Man of Action Joshua McGillis and the Haymaker Film Festival
Inaugural Orem Film Festival Debuts Ten Local Shorts