Utah Film Center is excited to announce a milestone in the next chapter of our annual queer film festival! Damn These Heels Queer Film Festival has been renamed Utah Queer Film Festival (UQFF), marking the festival’s growth and commitment to representing Utah’s diverse LGBTQIA+ community and its allies on the national stage for queer film festivals. This name change highlights the festival’s evolution and alignment with its vision of greater inclusion, intention, and impact.
“The festival’s rebranding reflects our enduring commitment to Utah and our profound appreciation for the steadfast support and engagement of our attendees, donors, and community partners,” says Mariah Mellus, Executive Director of Utah Film Center. “Utah Queer Film Festival invites all intersectional identities to participate in the celebration of queer stories. We are honored to present films that reflect a multitude of perspectives and experiences, grounded in unity and collectivity.”
Since its inception in 2003, Damn These Heels has grown exponentially, evolving from a handful of screenings during PRIDE into a premiere cultural event curating local and international LGBTQIA+ cinema, recently celebrating our 20-year anniversary in 2023. As the longest-running queer film festival in the Mountain West, the festival has served as an important platform for fostering meaningful film discussions, initiating dialogue with community leaders, and amplifying the voices of storytellers within the queer community.
Proudly reflecting Utah’s growing diversity, Utah Queer Film Festival will remain committed to its mission of showcasing a spectrum of LGBTQIA+ stories, voices, and experiences through the captivating medium of film. With its new name, the festival reaffirms its vital role as a dynamic platform for artistic expression, social dialogue, community and self-empowerment. We hope you join us again come October for a celebration of queer stories on the big screen. Stay tuned!
