Beijing's Independent LGBTQ+ Film Festival Cancelled Following Police Pressure

2026, October 30

China

Beijing's Love Queer Film Week, one of mainland China's oldest independent LGBTQ+ film festivals, has been cancelled shortly before its scheduled opening on Friday. Organisers announced the cancellation on social media, apologising to filmmakers and audiences. Founded in 2001 by students from Peking University, the festival had become an important public platform for independent films, discussions and international participation relating to LGBTQ+ communities.

The cancellation followed reports of repeated police telephone calls and increasing pressure on organisers in recent weeks. Human Rights Watch representatives and academics criticised the development, warning that growing restrictions on independent cultural events could further marginalise LGBTQ+ communities and filmmakers. The decision reflects wider concerns about freedom of artistic expression and the increasingly restrictive environment facing independent cultural organisations in China.