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Festival

July 1, 2025

Frameline49 Awards: “Queer Filmmaking Triumphs”

Frameline is pleased to announce the winners of the juried and Audience Awards at the 49th San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival (Frameline49). The world’s largest and longest-running queer media festival presented nearly 150 films from 40 countries, brought 200 filmmakers from around the world to the Bay Area, and, across its 11-day run, sold out a remarkable 50 screenings. As noted by the San Francisco Chronicle, Frameline49 is evidence that “queer filmmaking triumphs,” even in the face of today’s challenging landscape.

During the Closing Night screening of James Sweeney’s Twinless, Frameline49 recognized its jury award winners. For decades, Frameline has presented the Outstanding First Feature Award, as well as honors in the Outstanding Documentary Feature, Outstanding Narrative Short, and Outstanding Documentary Short categories. Additionally, since 1984, festival-goers have been responsible for selecting the Audience Awards for Best Narrative Feature and Best Documentary Feature.

This year, Rafaela Camelo’s The Nature of Invisible Things (A Natureza das Coisas Invisíveis) was awarded the Outstanding First Feature Award. Presented to a notable narrative feature from an emerging voice in LGBTQ+ cinema, the recipient is determined by the San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle. Kangyu Garam’s Lucky, Apartment (럭키, 아파트) and Carmen Emmi’s Plainclothes received Honorable Mentions.

Outstanding First Feature Award: The Nature of Invisible Things, directed by Rafaela Camelo

Jury Statement: “Beautiful, deep, funny — Brazilian director Rafaela Camelo has composed an intimate tour de force that begins with two little girls, the daughters of nurse and patient, desperate to be noticed. Their summer of finding who they are, the end of invisibility, will evoke longing and a sense of loss they won’t soon forget — nor will we. The Nature of Invisible Things is among the best of international cinema this year and we may expect to see their nomination at the Academy Awards.”

Honorable Mention for Outstanding First Feature: Lucky, Apartment, directed by Kangyu Garam

Honorable Mention for Outstanding First Feature: Plainclothes, directed by Carmen Emmi

Juried by film festival notables, the Outstanding Documentary Feature Award was given to Kimberly Reed’s I’m Your Venus, which was recently acquired by Netflix. Kim A. Snyder’s The Librarians received an Honorable Mention. The jury comprised of Jim Farmer, Festival Director at Out on Film; James Woolley, Executive Director at Miami Film Festival; and Lu Linares, Programming and Industry Manager at Inside Out.

Outstanding Documentary Feature Award: I’m Your Venus, directed by Kimberly Reed

Jury Statement: “In a year of extraordinary documentaries, I’m Your Venus stands out as a film of exceptional power and complexity. This work by award-winning filmmaker Kimberly Reed deals with themes such as allyship, legacy, and justice, putting a human face on both the late Venus Xtravaganza (featured so prominently in Paris Is Burning) and her grieving family as they try to deal with the unsolved murder of a loved one. Through Reed’s intimate approach, we are introduced to parts of Venus’ life we have never seen before, including the stories of the Pellagattis, her biological family, and her profound influence on the current members of House of Xtravaganza, her chosen family. The jury awards the Best Documentary Feature to I’m Your Venus, a film that is haunting and heartbreaking and shows the horrors trans people face on a daily basis, but also one that offers some optimism and a glimmer of hope and acceptance in an uncertain world.”

Honorable Mention for Outstanding Documentary Feature Award: The Librarians, directed by Kim A. Snyder

Jury Statement: “As we see a wave of hate inundating our lives, we must turn to our communities and stand together as we navigate these uncertain waters. Libraries — and the wonderful humans behind the counter, our librarians — have long been a safe space for many of us, offering the chance to discover unknown worlds through pages. This documentary highlights the outstanding work of librarians across the United States who are standing their ground and offering us a powerful lesson in true allyship. Through Kim A. Snyder’s lens, we are guided with care and understanding through a reality of hatred and censorship that, not long ago, felt unimaginable. The jury awards the Honorable Mention for Outstanding Documentary Feature to The Librarians for its impactful portrayal of the real-life heroes defending our right to knowledge and visibility.”

Juries also convened to recognize May Kindred-Boothby’s The Eating of an Orange with the Outstanding Narrative Short Award, with Francisco Lezama’s An Odd Turn (Un movimiento extraño) receiving an Honorable Mention. The Narrative Short jury comprised of actor Marié Botha (Slave Play. Not a Movie. A Play.), filmmaker and editor Elliott Breeden, and director Chris Molina, whose feature Fallen Fruit screened at Frameline48.

Outstanding Narrative Short Award: The Eating of an Orange, directed by May Kindred-Boothby

Jury Statement: “The jury awards The Eating of an Orange for its striking visual sensibility and nuanced emotional architecture. May Kindred-Boothby constructs a world where color operates as emotional logic — muted tones enforce order and sameness, while bursts of saturated orange and green ignite transformation. With vivid, surreal animation and a sensual command of form, the film navigates longing, disobedience, and sensory freedom with both control and abandon. It’s a work that speaks through image as much as idea — bold, embodied, and formally exhilarating.”

Honorable Mention for Outstanding Narrative Short Award: An Odd Turn, directed by Francisco Lezama

Jury Statement: “The jury recognizes An Odd Turn for its inventive layering of the political, the mystical, and the mundane. Francisco Lezama builds a world where inflation, clairvoyance, hookup culture, and workplace dynamics collide with deadpan ease. The film’s off-kilter pacing and dry wit keep the viewer slightly unmoored, while its attention to emotional detail brings surprising depth. It’s a singular and quietly audacious work — both grounded in the present and tuned into something stranger just beneath the surface.”

For the Outstanding Documentary Short Award, the jury — which consisted of filmmaker Elina Street (whose film My Best Friend screened at Frameline48), film producer Felix Mack, and festival alum Nick Friedman — awarded Lydia Cornett and Brit Fryer’s Tessitura, with Jeremy von Stilb’s AutoErotica: We Buy Gay Stuff and Jen Rainin and Rivkah Beth Medow’s Thanks, Babs! — which both played in this year’s Homegrown shorts program — receiving Honorable Mentions. 

Outstanding Documentary Short Award: Tessitura, directed by Lydia Cornett & Brit Fryer

Jury Statement: “An absolutely fascinating deep dive into the rarely seen world of trans opera singers. We were truly wowed by the originality of this short and the clever structure of the acts relating to the subject matter itself.”

Honorable Mention for Outstanding Documentary Short Award: AutoErotica: We Buy Gay Stuff, directed by Jeremy von Stilb

Jury Statement: “A lovely tribute to an important San Francisco cultural institution, highlighting the need to preserve and celebrate queer culture.”

Honorable Mention for Outstanding Documentary Short Award: Thanks, Babs!, directed by Jen Rainin & Rivkah Beth Medow

Jury Statement: “It’s impossible not to fall for Babs in this intimate, gentle, and real portrait.”

The Festival’s attendees also voted on Audience Award winners. Fresh off its world premiere, Lily Plotkin’s Bay Area-based WICKET, about San Francisco’s legendary Bboy Wicket, won the Frameline49 Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Frameline49 Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature: WICKET, directed by Lily Plotkin

In the other category, Louise Weard’s uncompromising trans epic, Castration Movie: Pt. I, and Ivona Juka’s Beautiful Evening, Beautiful Day (Lijepa večer, lijep dan), which had its International Premiere at the Festival, shared the Frameline49 Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature.

Frameline49 Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature (tie): Beautiful Evening, Beautiful Day, directed by Ivona Juka

Frameline49 Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature (tie): Castration Movie: Pt. I, directed by Louise Weard

“In their own ways, all of the Audience Award-winning films and our jury selections meet the moment,” Frameline Executive Director Allegra Madsen noted. “Some are more immediately obvious than others: Croatian Oscar contender Beautiful Evening, Beautiful Day examines the intersection of art and activism in the face of authoritarian rule, while Castration Movie: Pt. I sees trans filmmakers coming together to make their film no matter what — and sharing their own stories in the face of harmful media bias and misinformation.”

AJ Dubler, Carmela Murphy, Remi Gabriel, & Daisy Friedman with Frameline's Allegra Madsen & Colin Higgins Foundation's Joel Moffett

Prior to the Festival, Frameline announced the winner of the annual Out in the Silence Award. Generously underwritten by Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson, the award honors an outstanding film that highlights brave acts of LGBTQ+ visibility. This year’s recipient is Grace Hughes-Hallet’s The Secret of Me, which centers on Jim Ambrose, who, after learning he was born intersex, helps uncover the truth about a bigoted medical study that harmed thousands of children. Additionally, in partnership with the Colin Higgins Foundation, Frameline awarded Colin Higgins Youth Filmmaker Grants to A Bird Hit My Window and Now I’m a Lesbian by Carmela Murphy and AJ Dubler and Barbie Boy by Remi Gabriel, which both screened at the Festival alongside films by past grantees in the Outside Voices: New Leaders in Queer Cinema Supported by Colin Higgins Foundation showcase. 

Full List of Winners

Outstanding First Feature:
The Nature of Invisible Things (A Natureza das Coisas Invisíveis), directed by Rafaela Camelo

Honorable Mentions:
Lucky, Apartment (럭키, 아파트), directed by Kangyu Garam
Plainclothes, directed by Carmen Emmi

Outstanding Documentary Feature:
I’m Your Venus, directed by Kimberly Reed

Honorable Mention:
The Librarians, directed by Kim A. Snyder

Outstanding Narrative Short:
The Eating of an Orange, directed by May Kindred-Boothby

Honorable Mention:
An Odd Turn (Un movimiento extraño), directed by Francisco Lezama

Outstanding Documentary Short:
Tessitura, directed by Lydia Cornett & Brit Fryer

Honorable Mentions:
AutoErotica: We Buy Gay Stuff, directed by Jeremy von Stilb
Thanks, Babs!, directed by Jen Rainin & Rivkah Beth Medow

Audience Award for Narrative Feature (tie):
Beautiful Evening, Beautiful Day (Lijepa večer, lijep dan), directed by Ivona Juka
Castration Movie: Pt. I, directed by Louise Weard

Audience Award for Documentary Feature:
WICKET, directed by Lily Plotkin

Out in the Silence Award:
The Secret of Me, directed by Grace Hughes-Hallett

Colin Higgins Youth Filmmaker Grants:
A Bird Hit My Window and Now I’m a Lesbian, directed by AJ Dubler & Carmela Murphy
Barbie Boy, directed by Remi Gabriel