In June 2025, our founding Executive/Artistic Director Madeleine Lim had the honor of receiving a Pride Commendation from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

Supervisor Connie Chan presented this recognition during Pride Month for Madeleine’s accomplishments as an award-winning filmmaker and 25 years of building QWOCMAP – Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project.

In her speech, Madeleine shared the story many of you know – how being among a few queer woman of color at film festivals led her to ask: “If we are not the ones telling our own stories, who will?”

Listen to the speech on Instagram or Facebook, or read the transcript below.

“For about 2 or 3 years, at every Film Festival that I attended, whether it was LGBTQ film festival, or people of color film festival, or human rights film festival, I found myself among one handful of queer women of color filmmakers. And it occurred to me, if we are not the ones telling our own stories, our own lives, our own communities, our own experiences, who will?

I knew as an independent filmmaker I would make one film every 3-5 years because of the fundraising involved. But I knew if I taught filmmaking, I could teach an art form that is so expensive, that has an economic barrier associated with it. In one year, if I have 40 participants, in 10 years I would have had 400 participants.

In 25 years, we have had over 500 films created by our queer women of color, nonbinary transgender people of color communities. 500 plus films. No other arts institution in the world has this collection of films about our community.

I was so not trying to start a nonprofit. I was really trying to make change, and it happened to be through film and teaching.

We just presented our annual Film Festival, it was our 21st Queer Women of Color Film Festival a couple of weeks ago at the Presidio Theatre. We had over 1,500 people come through the 3 days. We screened over 49 films through 7 screening programs.

It took us 20 years to grow our organizational budget to $500,000. 20 years. Because racism, sexism, homophobia are blatant in fundraising. Queer women of color are constantly perceived as a niche within a niche within a niche, when in fact we are really bridges. When that happens, our lives are devalued, our work dismissed.

This years marks our 25th anniversary of our organization. It’s a huge milestone for us. However, in March unfortunately we had a grant, two grants actually, from the San Francisco Human Rights Commission cancelled.

$500,000 is half of our organizational budget. It was not fair, it was wrong, it was unjust, and unfortunately there is no recourse. It would have supported a 2nd year of our queer and trans Black filmmakers artist fellowship. No similar program exists in the entire country, except here in San Francisco at QWOCMAP. The second grant would have supported a queer and trans apprenticeship program. It would…both grants would have developed workforce, would have been workforce development.

There were 38 organizations that got their grants cancelled. They were all people of color led organizations that served people of color communities.

So San Francisco is a beacon, shining brightly globally. This beacon is made up of hundreds of diverse, multiple lights. Lights that are our grassroots community-based nonprofit organizations that provide a much-needed anchor, especially right now during this tumultuous, unpredictable, stormy period. Hundreds of local lights coming together to create this global beacon that we live and call home in San Francisco.

I implore you, support your local anchor arts and culture organization. QWOCMAP is queer-led, immigrant-led, people of color led. Protect the most vulnerable among us. Because if we don’t, who will?

We are celebrating Pride. To be honest, my heart is heavy. These budget cuts have had an emotional, physical, mental impact toll on all of us. We have been operating on reserves all year. It’s our 25th anniversary and I am afraid that our doors might not stay open after this year.

So thank you for this recognition, it is much appreciated, and happy Pride everyone.”

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 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.”

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.”