Pink Screens 2025
Since its first edition at the turn of the millennium Pink Screens has grown from a modest festival of underground queer films into one of Brussels’ most anticipated cultural events. Organised by the non‑profit Genres d’à côté, the festival was born out of a desire to make space for films that depict sexualities and identities often ignored by mainstream cinema. Over the years it has become a joyful, sometimes radical celebration of diversity that still clings to its DIY roots.
In 2025 the festival returns for its 24th edition, running from 30 October to 10 November. As usual the beating heart of the programme will be the intimate Cinema Nova, an independent cinema tucked away behind the Bourse. Film lovers flock to the Nova to catch features, shorts and documentaries from around the world that explore the fluidity of gender and desire. Screenings are interspersed with debates, cabaret shows and late‑night parties in nearby bars. Other venues across the city also take part; in previous years films and events have popped up at the Cinematek, Beursschouwburg, Recyclart and outside in improvised locations, creating a festival that spills beyond the cinema into the streets of Brussels.
What makes Pink Screens special isn’t just the films, though the programming is always rich. It’s the way the festival feels like a meeting point. Volunteers, activists, artists and curious neighbours mingle in the foyer, share a beer between sessions and stay long after the credits to talk. Discussions after screenings are relaxed and often take surprising turns: a filmmaker might unpack why they chose to tell a story through animation, an activist might recount the political struggles behind a film’s subject, or an audience member might share how seeing a trans character reflected their own journey. You never quite know what you’ll learn or who you’ll meet.
Genres d’à côté consciously keeps the festival accessible. Ticket prices are kept low, many events are pay what you can, and there are plenty of free exhibitions and workshops. Films are subtitled in multiple languages where possible, and there is an emphasis on creating a safe, respectful space where everyone’s identity is affirmed. Beyond the screenings, Pink Screens regularly invites collectives working on feminist and queer issues to curate evenings that mix films with live performance, drag shows, DJ sets and poetry. Those nights have a carnivalesque feel; you’ll see people in glitter and latex dancing alongside families with young children. It’s a reminder that the queer community in Brussels is as varied as the films on screen.
The 2025 edition is expected to continue pushing boundaries. Genres d’à côté has already issued a call for submissions and is looking for films that rethink the way we talk about sexuality and gender. Over eleven days there will be a wide range of genres: intimate coming‑of‑age stories, provocative documentaries about sex work and migration, experimental shorts that blend video art and dance, and comedies that laugh at the absurdity of heteronormative norms. The organisers are also planning a series of conversations about representation in the age of streaming and about how queer filmmakers navigate censorship in different countries. As always, there will be a selection of Belgian and European works sitting alongside films from Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
If you’ve never been to Pink Screens before, don’t expect a polished, corporate festival. Part of its charm is that it still feels hand‑made. Volunteers run the bar, the programme guide might be photocopied, and seats are often improvised. That roughness is intentional; it makes the event feel like a living, breathing space rather than a slick product. Regulars will tell you that some of their best memories come from moments between films — meeting a director at the bar, spontaneously joining a parade through the city centre, or watching drag performers take over a tram. There’s something liberating about a festival that doesn’t try to be perfect.
As October draws closer the full programme will be announced on the festival’s website. Keep an eye on the daily schedule; some screenings sell out fast, while others are added at short notice. Whether you’re a long‑time supporter of queer cinema or just curious to see stories rarely shown on the big screen, Pink Screens offers an opportunity to immerse yourself in a world of imagination and solidarity. It’s not just entertainment — for many attendees it’s a yearly ritual that reminds them they aren’t alone.
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Pink Screens 2025
Since its first edition at the turn of the millennium Pink Screens has grown from a modest...