Festheart LGBT+ Film Festival Estonia
About This Event
Festheart, Estonia's LGBT+ film festival, kicked off in 2017 in Rakvere, a small town in northern Estonia. Keio Soomelt organises it, with MTÜ Sevenbow at the helm. In 2020, it expanded to Tartu.
Rakvere city council initially refused to fund the festival, but Festheart took them to court - and won, twice. After that, the council complied with the ruling and handed over the cash, as reported by ERR.
The festival spans two weekends, one in each city. In 2025, it ran from 26 to 28 September in Tartu at Elektriteater, and from 3 to 5 October in Rakvere at Rakvere Teatrikino. Dag Johan Haugerud's "Dreams (Sex Love)" opened the festivities, followed by after-parties hosted by the Tartu drag collective House of KuKo. You can buy festival passes on festheart.ee.
To get to the festivals from Tallinn, it's about 90 minutes to Rakvere by bus, and around two and a half hours to Tartu. A tenth edition is listed for late September and early October 2026, but the programme wasn't up on the festival's site when we checked. As for 2027, no dates had been announced.
Where to stay during Festheart LGBT+ Film Festival Estonia
via Stay22Schedule & Sub-Events
+ Add EventDetailed schedule coming soon.
Check the official website for the latest programme.
Practical Tips
Discover Baltic Queer Cinema
Festheart offers a unique opportunity to see films from and about the Baltic region's LGBTQ+ community.
Engage with Filmmakers
The festival often includes Q&A sessions, providing a chance to discuss the films and their themes directly with the creators.
Check for Tallinn Screenings
While primarily held in Rakvere and Tartu, inquire if any screenings or related events are scheduled in Tallinn during the festival period.
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