Lisa Dettmer, Host and Co-Founder of KPFA Women’s Magazine interviewed QWOCMAP’s Executive Director Madeleine Lim and Managing Director Kebo Drew about our 22nd annual International Queer Women of Color Film Festival.
“SF Frameline, QWOCMAP and remembering Jill Lessing.” Broadcast June 8, 2026
“You have to be able to imagine a better world to get to a better world. And so this is one of those times where we get to watch films that look at the issues that are definitely very much on our minds all the time, and we get to think about what types of world we want.”
Listen to the interview in KPFA: https://kpfa.org/episode/womens-magazine-june-8-2026/
Or in Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXDnIopO8t8
Dennis Harvey highlighted the 22nd Festival in his “Screen Grabs” roundup column in 48 Hills.
“Screen Grabs: Audre Lorde rises again at Queer Women of Color Film Fest”
Published June 7, 2026.
“Features include a revival of the award-winning 1995 A Litany for Survival: The Life and Work of Audre Lorde, a portrait of the late (in her words) “Black, lesbian, feminist, mother, warrior poet” whose principle subject was social injustice in all forms; and a new documentary, Quba!, which looks at the oppressive past history and improving current state of LGBTQ rights in Cuba. Some filmmakers will be present at the Presidio Theater’s on-site screenings in SF, and the festival is not just free (though online ticket registration is required), but takes pains to be accessible for a full range of patrons with disability issues.”
Read the article: https://48hills.org/2026/06/screen-grabs-audre-lorde-rises-again-at-queer-women-of-color-film-fest/
Frank Sterling, Host of Full Circle on 94.1 KPFA interviewed QWOCMAP’s Executive Director Madeleine Lim and Managing Director Kebo Drew about our 22nd annual International Queer Women of Color Film Festival.
“Full Circle.” Broadcast May 29, 2026.
“Those of us who are queer and trans in our families and in our culture, we have had to build those bridges and be those bridges. And so that really is what our film festival is… it’s a space that centers our experiences as queer and trans people of color. And then we invite everyone to come and celebrate with us.”
Listen to the interview in KPFA: https://kpfa.org/player/?audio=478575
Or on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXDnIopO8t8
The San Francisco Bay Times published an article about QWOCMAP’s 25th anniversary, written by Managing Director T. Kebo Drew, CFRE.
“Why Our Stories Matter More Than Ever: QWOCMAP at 25”
Published June 12, 2025
Read the article: https://sfbaytimes.com/why-our-stories-matter-more-than-ever-qwocmap-at-25/
“Our film festival is unique: it’s completely free, fully accessible, and open to everyone, with ASL interpretation, audio description, open captions, and COVID-conscious protocols. We believe our community deserves good things—including the chance to see ourselves as the complex, powerful people we’ve always been.
Queer and trans stories have survived book burnings and budget cuts, library raids, and legislative attacks. Our dreams will survive what’s coming. When we’re erased from the status quo version of history, we stitch fragments of the past into vibrant new stories. When someone attempts to silence us, we sing louder. When they try to steal our futures, we dream bigger, brighter, bolder.
Come dream with us. All of our lives depend on it.”
KPFA’s Womens Magazine broadcasted an interview with founder and Executive/Artistic Director Madeleine Lim about our 21st annual International Queer Women of Color Film Festival.
“Celebrate Queer Pride with SF Frameline and QWOCMAP film festivals”
Published June 9, 2025
Listen to interview here: https://kpfa.org/episode/womens-magazine-june-9-2025/
“This Monday June 9th at 1-2pm pm on KPFA Radio’s Women’s Magazine I will be talking about the two most important Queer film festivals in the U.S., the San Francisco Frameline LGBTQI + film festival and QWOCMAP…In the second half of the show I talk to Madeleine Lim, founder and executive director of the Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project or QWOCMAP. QWOCMAP presents their 21st annual International Queer Women of Color Film Festival this year and it is offered for free, and runs from June 13th-15th at San Francisco’s historic Presidio Theatre in the Presidio National Park. And we talk to Kirthi Nath who is an award winning South Asian lesbian filmmaker, whose lushly beautiful and touching film PARAMITA is being featured at QWOCMAP. For more info check out the website at qwocmap.org/festival."
The SF/Arts posted about our 21st annual International Queer Women of Color Film Festival.
“2025 International Queer Women of Color Film Festival”
Published June 2025
Read the article: https://sfarts.org/event/2025-international-queer-women-of-color-film-festival-51YbMCK3QSGSx25zBsh1qK
“The fest’s theme, “Fierce Determination,” says it all about a carefully curated program embracing an array of subject matter, relationships, travails, cultures and fights against adversity with an emphasis on variety and self-acceptance– on earth and other places. Take futuristic excursions like “Mother of the Closet,” where a queer black student and her lover are transported to another dimension, and “I Am Glitching,” in which a robot designed for peak perfection finds beauty in flaws.”
48 Hills published an article about QWOCMAP’s first-ever satellite screening of our International Queer Women of Color Film Festival—Queer Asian World Cinema, part of San Francisco’s first Chinatown Pride celebration.
“BIG WEEK: First-ever Chinatown Pride procession presents local heritage, al fresco drag”
Published May 21, 2025
Read the article: https://48hills.org/2025/05/big-week-first-ever-chinatown-pride-procession-presents-local-heritage-al-fresco-drag/?ref=newsletters.48hills.org
“This first-time special Chinatown Pride, Bay Area QTAPI week, and AANHPI Heritage Month program by International Queer Women of Color Film Festival was so popular it sold out well in advance—but never fear, because the selection of shorts is available for free online! Thusly, you will not have to miss out on such gems as Myra Angeline Soriaso’s A Catholic Schoolgirl, in which a young Filipina pines for a nun, nor the heartbreak of Bùi Phương Thảo’s Mom, I just broke up with a girl.
The KTVU published an article about the 20th anniversary International Queer Women of Color Film Festival.
“Queer Women of Color Film Festival celebrates 20 years in San Francisco”
Published June 14, 2024
Read the article: https://www.ktvu.com/news/queer-women-color-film-festival-celebrates-20-years-san-francisco
“The goal of the Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project (QWOCMAP) is to serve as a bridge between various communities.
Founder Madeleine Lim points out, many queer characters on screen, all the way through the 1980s, were not portrayed in a positive light.
“Almost all of our queer characters were dead, murdered, or depressed,” Lim said. “To have a happy ending in a film, it shouldn’t be a big deal, but you know, sometimes it still is.”
The festival showcases themes of perseverance, activism, and love, while exploring the complexities of ethnicity in the LGBTQ+ community.”
48 Hills published an article about our 20th annual International Queer Women of Color Film Festival.
“Screen Grabs: A joyful reunion at 20th Queer Women of Color Fest”
Published June 11, 2024
Read the article: https://48hills.org/2024/06/screen-grabs-a-joyful-reunion-at-20th-queer-women-of-color-fest/
“Celebrating its own milestone 20th anniversary this weekend is the International Queer Women of Color Film Festival, an occasion whose significance for past attendees is noted by the theme “Joyful Reunion.” This year’s three-day event will take place Fri/14-Sun/16 at the Presidio Theatre Performing Arts Center in the Presidio National Park (not to be confused with the nearby Presidio Theater, a commercial cinema on Chestnut), and admission is entirely free, though online reservations are encouraged.”
The Bay Area Reporter published an article about the 20th anniversary International Queer Women of Color Film Festival.
“Queer Women of Color Film Festival turns 20”
Published June 10, 2024
Read the article: https://www.ebar.com/story/333688/
“The groundbreaking International Queer Women of Color Film Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary at the Presidio Theatre this weekend with a theme of “Joyful Reunion.” The theme is a celebration of coming together in its third year at its new home theater after COVID-19.
“This anniversary is such a privilege,” said Madeleine Lim, founder, executive, and artistic director of the Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project, which produces the annual film festival.”
