Frameline Information

Frameline's mission is to change the world through the power of queer cinema. As a media arts nonprofit, Frameline's programs connect filmmakers and audiences in the Bay Area and around the world. Exhibition Founded in 1977, the San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival is the longest-running, largest and most widely recognized LGBTQ film exhibition event in the world. As a community event with an annual attendance of 60,000+, the Festival is the most prominent and well-attended LGBTQ arts program in the Bay Area. Frameline also presents year-round exhibitions, including Frameline Encore, a free film series highlighting diverse, socially relevant works. Year-round programs also include members-only sneak previews and special events, as well as special screenings and events featuring directors, actors and other queer media icons. Distribution Established in 1981, Frameline Distribution is the only nonprofit distributor that solely caters to LGBTQ film. Frameline's collection has over 250 award winning films and we have partnerships with universities, public libraries, film festivals, and community groups. In 2008, Frameline Distribution launched Youth In Motion, a program that provides free LGBT-themed films and curriculum resources to California Gay-Straight Alliances. In 2011, we launched Frameline Voices, a new effort to showcase diverse LGBTQ stories with an emphasis on films by and about people of color, transgender people, youth, and elders. The content featured on Frameline Voices is free and you can now enjoy the best of our distribution collection anytime on your computer, Smartphone, TV, or other device. Filmmaker Support Since 1990, more than 143 films and videos have been completed with assistance from the Frameline Completion Fund. Grants are awarded annually and provide much-needed support to filmmakers for their final editing and lab work. Once completed, these films often go on to receive international exposure. Submissions include documentary, educational, narrative, animation, and experimental projects about LGBTQ people and their communities.