For our 36th Festival, we’re focusing on shared connection and reflecting the sense of togetherness that has always defined our Festival and our community.
This year’s identity is inspired by collective effervescence, a term coined by sociologist Émile Durkheim to describe the energy and unity that emerge when people come together for a shared purpose. It’s that bubbling, electric feeling of connection—felt in shared spaces, collective emotion, and moments of recognition—that sits at the heart of queer gathering and storytelling.
As Toronto enters a pivotal year for sports and Inside Out honours this moment, we want to celebrate that powerful sense of togetherness. From stadiums to cinemas and across the city, these collective moments bring us together. It’s the shared pride when your team scores or a film receives a standing ovation at Opening Night, and the shared thrill when the buzzer sounds or the credits roll. Reflected through bubbles, the design symbolizes a collective identity that extends beyond the individual and grows through shared connection.
Created by Toronto-based artist Emmy Tran, whose vibrant, expressive style centres queer experience, community, and liberation, our 36th Festival celebrates connection in the collective, bringing stories and people together as one.
