Having cemented its place in the island’s cultural and cinematic landscape, Queer Wave returns to Nicosia for its 6th edition. Unfolding at NiMAC throughout this week until Sunday, the festival presents over 20 screenings, four workshops, and many parallel events highlighting the breadth of queer talent on the island – from DJ sets, to live concerts, audiovisual performances and drag shows.

Cyprus premieres, a selection of shorts, mid-lengths and features that include documentary, animation and titles as well as a tribute to the late David Lynch (1946-2025), form part of this year’s Queer Wave fabric. Just three more days remain for its 6th edition and it is packed with events and screenings!

On Friday night, the first of two readings by fisherwomxn on Learning Palestine will take place at 6pm. Cypriot filmmaker Besire Paralik’s latest documentary, One Homeland Two Homes, focusing on six queer Cypriots of the diaspora in Berlin will screen at 7pm while the programme Shorts VII: Kings, Queens & In-Betweens at 9pm will aptly set the tone for what’s to follow.

At 11pm, Drag Kings – Karagöza, Melis and Elfis – will join their moustaches for the first time in a show that promises to be blazing hot. From midnight until the early hours, the festival will once again team up with Trash Your Gender – a political laboratory to experiment with gender expression.

Saturday will begin at 3pm with a tailored masterclass and in-depth conversation with Panagiotis Evangelidis, who last year received an honorary Golden Alexander at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival for his overall contribution to cinema and culture.

At 5pm, a second round-table with participating filmmakers will offer a chance to audiences to have an open dialogue with friends in film. A queer cult classic chronicling pre-AIDS gay life in Berlin, Taxi zum Klo by Frank Ripploh, will screen at 7pm with an introduction note by Andreas Karayan.

The programme at 9pm is Shorts VIII: Focus on La Fémis, which Queer Wave is honoured to present in collaboration with the very prestigious film school in Paris. After 11pm, the night will lead to a live concert imbued with mysticism performed by Stranger in the Body – a closing ceremony for Queer Wave 2025.

On Sunday, the day will start with a lunchtime event organised with the Filipino community in Nicosia, returning to Queer Wave for a second year. From 12pm, visitors can enjoy great company and delicious treats from Luzy’s Kitchen. Traditional dances and talented performers will light up the stage at 1.30pm and at 3pm Filipino-Canadian filmmaker Seán Devlin’s Asog will be screened.

The second and final reading by fisherwomxn on Learning Palestine will take place at 6pm. The programme continues at 7pm with Marie Luise Lehner’s winner of the Berlinale Teddy Jury Award 2025: If You Are Afraid You Put Your Hand Into Your Mouth and Smile.

A lyrical send-off to the festival and the great David Lynch himself, Queer Wave 2025 will conclude with one of the filmmaker’s earliest and certainly most touching and accessible films: The Elephant Man – screening at 9pm. A second and final Mystery Act after the film will close the festival.

Meanwhile, We Wandered Through the Fog and Into a Clearing, a photography showcase by Loukia Hadjiyianni, curated by Pierre Mohamed-Petit, will be available to visit at NiMAC throughout the Queer Wave days.

6th Queer Wave

10 days of queer film screenings, workshops, discussions, and Q&As. Until September 21. NiMAC, Nicosia.