By Basant El-Faramawy
Beijing’s annual independent queer film festival has been cancelled following what organizers describe as a sustained campaign of harassment by authorities. The festival, known as Love Queer Film Week, was scheduled to begin on Friday in the Chinese capital.
Police pressure mounts
In a statement posted on Instagram late Thursday, organizers announced the cancellation and apologized to participants and audiences. Police had reportedly increased pressure through repeated phone calls in recent weeks, according to people familiar with the situation.
Longstanding platform for LGBTQ+ voices
Founded in 2001 by Peking University students, the Beijing Queer Film Festival grew into the only mainland Chinese festival offering a public forum for films and discussions on LGBTQ+ issues. It has faced growing intolerance from authorities, who view such events as challenging the Communist Party’s narrative.
Broader crackdown on independent culture
The closure follows a pattern of suppression. The Beijing Independent Film Festival was shut down in 2014 after authorities detained its founders. Last year, a Chinese independent film festival planned for New York was cancelled after similar harassment, raising concerns about transnational repression.
Rights groups warn of chilling effect
Maya Wang, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said the Chinese government under Xi Jinping has intensified social and ideological control, targeting civil society, LGBTQ+ communities, and independent filmmakers. Hongwei Bao, a professor of Chinese studies at the University of St Andrews, described the festival as “a beacon for LGBT resilience” and warned its shutdown would have a chilling effect.
Recent cancellations signal escalating pressure
In June, screenings of LGBTQ+-themed films at the Institut Français in Beijing during Pride month were also cancelled due to police harassment. Despite the pressure, the festival remained popular, attracting 200 volunteer applications last year — four times the number in 2024. Several international filmmakers had already travelled to China for this year’s edition.
Beijing’s public security bureau could not be reached for comment.
