The 22nd edition of the Andalusian International Queer Film Festival kicks off with a historic program that includes two Teddy Awards and recognition of Samantha Hudson.
- The festival is celebrated from March 12 to 22 in emblematic venues in Seville, consolidating itself as the lighthouse of LGTBIQ+ culture in the south.
- The big star of the edition is ‘Iván & Hadoum’, by Andalusian Ian de la Rosa, recent winner of the Teddy Award at the Berlinale.
- Samantha Hudson will receive the 2026 Andalesgai Award for her transgressive career and her tireless fight against hate speech.
Seville is once again dyed with the colors of diversity. Tomorrow, Thursday, March 12, 2026, the 22nd edition of Andalesgai, he Andalusia International Queer Film Festival. Organized by the Triángulo Andalucía Foundation, this event is not just a film showcase; It is a space of resistance and celebration where the realities of all of us take on the big screen. In a global context where our identities are once again under the microscope, Andalesgai emerges as a necessary lighthouse. As Raúl González, president of the Foundation, says, queer cinema illuminates stories that the dominant gaze prefers to leave in the shadows.
From the Berlinale to the Nervión Cinemas: An international poster
What makes Andalesgai 2026 an edition to remember is its overwhelming connection with the international circuit. The festival brings to Seville the best of the Berlinale, including two films awarded the prestigious Teddy Award.
The opening gala promises to be an explosion of humor and feminism with the screening of ‘Lesbian Space Princess’. This Australian animated film, directed by Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese, introduces us to Saira, a space princess on an intergalactic mission to rescue her ex-girlfriend. It is the perfect example of how queer cinema can reappropriate genres such as science fiction from a pop aesthetic and a radically free perspective.
But if there is one name that resonates strongly this year, it is that of Andalusian Ian de la Rosa. His debut work, ‘Ivan & Hadoum’, arrives in Seville with the Teddy Award under his arm. The film takes us to the greenhouses of southern Spain to tell us the love story between Iván, a trans man, and a Moroccan companion. For Rainbow readers, this is a must-see: a work that unites trans identity, migration and Andalusian roots with exquisite sensitivity.
More than cinema, a community network
From the Rainbow editorial team, we highlight that Andalesgai has understood that visibility does not end when the projectors are turned off. The structure of the festival this year places a special emphasis on community building. The sessions of “Coffee with Buns”, “MariCafé Shorts” y “Trans and Coffee Shorts” They are essential. They are not just showings of short films; They are meeting spaces where lesbians, bisexuals, gay men and trans people can discuss their own narratives in a safe and close environment.
Furthermore, the festival does not forget the most complex problems. The screening of the documentary ‘Chemsex’, by Emma Demar, followed by a discussion with activist Avelino Piedad (Mr. Avelain), demonstrates Andalesgai’s commitment to health and harm reduction.
Awards and Closing: Recognition of transgression
The final touch will come on March 22 with the closing gala at Platea Odeón Plaza de Armas. The jury, made up of figures of the stature of the actress Peace of Alarcón (Carmen Award 2025), the director Pablo Tocino and the cultural manager Juan Carlos Roldán, will have the difficult task of choosing the winners among gems like the Brazilian ‘Ato Noturno’, the French ‘La Petite Dernière’ (awarded in Cannes) or the Colombian ‘It rains on Babel’.
However, honorary awards already have owners. Samantha Hudson will collect the Andalesgai 2026 Prize, a more than deserved recognition for an artist who has known how to turn provocation into a political tool against hate. Along with her, the writer and filmmaker Abdellah Taïa will receive the Honorary Triangle for their work making visible the LGTBIQ+ realities in the Arab world, a necessary cultural bridge in our diverse Andalusia.
Dear reader, Andalesgai is proof that our culture is more alive than ever. Which film on the schedule arouses your most curiosity? Do you think that festivals like this are the best response to the attempts to set back our rights? We read you in the comments.
