CINEMANIA acts in support of sexual diversity

Institutional positioning

Since its founding, CINEMANIA has been committed to reflecting the diversity of experiences that make up Francophone societies. This commitment includes the representation of sexual and gender diversity, both through the stories told and through the artists, filmmakers, and protagonists who bring these stories to life.

Aware of the essential role played by an international festival in highlighting narratives that are still too often marginalized, CINEMANIA implements a careful and proactive editorial policy, aimed at :

• Supporting the visibility of LGBTQIA+ characters, stories, and creations
• Promoting authentic, complex, and non-stereotypical representations
• Welcoming and supporting queer artists and professionals in events, discussions, and professional activities

This commitment is also supported by structured collaborations with key community partners, notably FIERTÉ MONTRÉAL and the IMAGE+NATION festival (co-presenting films, discussion panels, etc.), aimed at increasing the visibility of LGBTQIA+ works and talent, while creating spaces for engagement between our audiences and respective cultural ecosystems.

CINEMANIA maintains a practice of ongoing vigilance: each year, both qualitative and quantitative criteria are integrated into the editorial process to assess the presence of LGBTQIA+ themes, artists, and professionals across its various sections and activities.

This long-term vision seeks to promote a diversity of perspectives, career paths, and identities within contemporary Francophone cinematographies.

Mesurable indicators

CINEMANIA tracks the presence of films addressing sexual and gender diversity themes.

General programming : presence of stories related to sexual and gender diversity

Representation of LGBTQIA+ artists and professionals

(percentage of participation)

In other components of the festival (masterclasses, panels, international delegations, professional activities), CINEMANIA also ensures balanced representation of LGBTQIA+ artists and professionals whenever it is relevant artistically and thematically.

To further strengthen its commitment to sexual diversity, CINEMANIA focuses its efforts on three priority areas :

A. Programming & talent scouting 

• Increase the presence of LGBTQIA+ stories each year across all sections (competitions, galas, documentaries, short films).
• Strengthen editorial and professional collaborations with FIERTÉ MONTRÉAL and IMAGE+NATION to enhance monitoring, discover new talent, and develop cross-initiatives.
• Establish resource and network sharing to ensure proactive tracking of Francophone and international queer works.

B. Dialogue spaces & professional representation

• Develop more CINEMANIA PRO panels on LGBTQIA+ issues: on-screen representation, storytelling challenges, funding structures, and support for queer artists.
• Invite more LGBTQIA+ filmmakers, actors, producers, and programmers to juries, masterclasses, and professional meetings, as artistically relevant.

C. Overall goals 2026–2028

• Gradually achieve a minimum threshold of 40% of films addressing LGBTQIA+ themes in the general programming, with a strong presence in every section and competition.
• Reach a minimum threshold of 40% LGBTQIA+ artists and professionals in juries, invited film teams, and professional activities.
• Formalize an annual public report on LGBTQIA+ representation within the festival.
• Increase the visibility of queer artists in spaces for discussion, reflection, and professional development.