The Virginia Queer Film Festival (VAQFF) is an annual event held at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA, showcasing international and local LGBTQ+ documentaries, short films, and feature-length films. Founded to promote visibility, it features original, independent queer cinema, workshops, and panel discussions to foster community engagement and understanding.
Held at the University Theater on the campus of Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, it is the first and only film festival in Virginia focusing on works by, for, and about the LGBTQ+ community, often focusing on Southern voices. Features include queer storytelling through films, documentaries, and the "Queer Ear" audio storytelling program, which debuts in 2026.
The fourth annual festival is scheduled for October 2026, and submissions are open. Blake Pfeil, creator/host of the award-winning podcast Abandoned:All-American Ruins, is on the board of the VAQFF.
As a non-profit, the festival aims to provide a platform for independent filmmakers not always picked up by major studios. The festival also features awards, including audience-voted categories, and serves as a community-building event that brings filmmakers and residents together for dialogue.
accessible forms of media storytelling, Queer Ear invites creators to submit sonically rich works that center LGBTQ+ experiences.
VAQFF is seeking audio-only storytelling pieces under 25 minutes in length from podcast series, anthologies, and stand-alone projects. Submissions may include narrative fiction, nonfiction, or
experimental work, with a strong emphasis on innovative storytelling and bold sound design.
While submissions are open to storytellers from all backgrounds, VAQFF is particularly committed to uplifting queer voices from Virginia and the broader Southern United States.
Selected works will be featured in a dedicated audio screening as part of the in-person Virginia Queer Film Festival, taking place October 9–11, 2026, at Old Dominion University in Norfolk,
Virginia.
Pieces may be eligible for a Queer Ear Audio Storytelling Award, which will be awarded at the discretion of the programming selection committee.
Submission Guidelines:
● Audio-only pieces must be 25 minutes or less
● Open to fiction, nonfiction, and experimental storytelling
● Projects must engage with LGBTQ+ themes
● All submissions must be converted into video files (MP4 or MOV) with English captions
● Submissions without captions will be disqualified
● Creators may use free tools such as Headliner to convert audio into video format
Submission Deadline: August 1, 2026
Submission link and information: https://filmfreeway.com/VirginiaQueerFilmFestival
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