It’s 1988 in England and Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government is about to pass Section 28, a law that prohibits the promotion of homosexuality. For Jean, a gym teacher, a law stigmatizing gays and lesbians adds an additional layer to her ongoing struggle to live her life openly. As she attempts to lead a double life, pressure mounts between her and her out and proud partner. As the issues intensify on all sides, the arrival of a new student catalyzes a crisis that will challenge Jean to her core.

*Please note that this film will not be screened with open captions but closed captions will be available. CaptiView devices are available to patrons requesting them through the TIFF Bell Lightbox Box Office.

Founded in 1980 as the Gay Community Appeal, Community One Foundation has from the start raised funds for an array of community projects and organizations, with the organization and its name evolving along with the community itself. What started as a predominantly white, middle-class collective redefined itself during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s and ’90s and continues to adapt today to better meet the needs of our Toronto communities. Supporting Our Selves is a moving exploration of more than four decades of activism, told through the lens of the Toronto-based philanthropic organization.

When Countess Irma is sent by her mother to a women-only commune in Greece to act as companion to Empress Elisabeth of Austria-Hungary, she is captivated by the eccentric recluse. She is put to the test by the Empress, also known as Sisi, with sadistic tests of athleticism and a diet of laxative teas and cocaine extracts but once she is accepted, the two women become very close. All good things may come to an end, however, when a return to Vienna threatens their routine. Set to a soundtrack that includes Portishead and Le Tigre this is the 19th century like you’ve never experienced it before.

In the early 1980s, a young doctor at UCLA reports a strange immune disorder among gay men — the world’s first warning sign of the epidemic to come. In the decades that followed, Hollywood played a critical role in the battle against HIV/AIDS as doctors, movie stars, studio moguls and activists came together to change the path of the epidemic and how the world saw it. Commitment to Life documents this incredible drama — Rock Hudson and Easy-E, Elizabeth Taylor and David Geffen, the Red Ribbon and Philadelphia, ACT UP and APLA — through the stories of those who lived through it.

Embark on a journey through themes of vulnerability and the power that lies within it with this year’s BOLD programming. This series of shorts made by Black filmmakers display the magic, vulnerability, strength, joy and raw passion that encapsulates so many Black Queer experiences. From the mystical feminine to the power of advocating for reform and holding space for community, to exploring the complexity of the Black Trans experience through the varied lenses of both fiction and non-fictional works, this series is bound to take audiences through a journey.

Destiny has been told since childhood she has seizures when she dances. When she’s challenged to face her fear and dance, Destiny makes a decision that could reveal a secret she doesn’t yet understand.

House of Tulip follows two Black trans activists as they run for office and work to build Louisiana’s first housing refuge for trans and gender non-conforming residents.

Two strangers are scared on a late walk home. As they try to escape one another, their worlds collide at an intersection, forcing them to question who they’re afraid of and why.

A portrait of dance as the greatest expression of shielding the Afro community in Quibdó. A tribute to their act of resilience and to all the lives that have been lost along the way.

Codeswitch follows a Black trans person as they navigate the barbershop, illuminating the complexity and dynamism of gender expression.

The story of Donna Hylton and her project ‘A Little Piece of Light,’ a nonprofit focused on supporting black women and LGBTQ+ individuals in the prison system.