Reel Affirmations LGBTQ+ Film Festival 2026

Reel Affirmations is Washington DC's LGBTQ+ film festival — one of the oldest queer film festivals in the United States, founded in 1991. The festival screens LGBTQ+ feature films, documentaries, and short films from around the world over a multi-day run in October, with screenings at venues across the DC area. Reel Affirmations occupies a specific position in the DC LGBTQ+ cultural calendar: the October timing, the political character of the city, and the festival's 30-year history give it the weight of an established cultural institution rather than a boutique programming event. Past years have screened films from dozens of countries and featured Q&A sessions with filmmakers working across the spectrum of queer cinema. The festival serves both as a cultural event and as a community gathering — the screenings, post-show discussions, and associated social events provide a concentrated period of LGBTQ+ cultural activity in the months after Pride and before the political season fully accelerates.