New four-day celebration of queer film, music, art, drag and community debuts September 24–27 in Austin, Texas
The Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce and aGLIFF—Austin’s LGBTQ+ Film Festival—announced today, in partnership with SXSW, the inaugural Big Queer Weekend, an ambitious four-day celebration of queer creativity that will transform Austin into a destination for LGBTQ+ film, music, visual arts, and community, September 24–27, 2026, in Austin, TX. More information on the festival can be found at bigqueerweekend.com.
The festival brings together six acclaimed feature films from around the world, filmmaker conversations, live music, drag performances, a Queer Artist & Artisan Marketplace, and community discussions and networking events, all designed to showcase the extraordinary depth of Austin’s LGBTQ+ creative community.
“The Big Queer Weekend represents the next evolution of queer arts programming in Austin,” said Todd Hogan, President & CEO of the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce and President of aGLIFF. “For nearly four decades, aGLIFF has introduced Central Texas audiences to groundbreaking LGBTQ+ cinema. By bringing together the Austin LGBT Chamber, aGLIFF, and a partnership with SXSW, we’re expanding that vision into something much larger—a citywide celebration where film, music, visual arts, and entrepreneurship intersect to celebrate our community’s creativity.”
Opening Night begins Thursday, September 24, with a Red-Carpet Reception at Galaxy Theatres Austin, followed by the Southwest Premiere of Lady Champagne, the outrageous new comedy from acclaimed drag performer, filmmaker, and aGLIFF alum D’Arcy Drollinger, whose cult hit Sh*t & Champagne became a festival favorite in 2021. The evening opens with the Austin premiere of Margaret Barry’s short documentary The Best Little Tiny Park in Texas, which celebrates one of Austin’s most beloved hidden landmarks, and concludes with the official Opening Night After Party at Rain on 4th, featuring filmmakers, special guests, and performers.
Throughout the weekend, audiences will experience an extraordinary lineup of award-winning documentaries and narrative features, including The Dads, by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Luchina Fisher; Give Me the Ball!, the acclaimed new documentary chronicling the remarkable life of tennis legend Billie Jean King; Out Laws, an urgent international documentary examining the colonial roots of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation worldwide; Assembly, the groundbreaking film by acclaimed artist Rashaad Newsome, presented through aGLIFF’s Queer Black Voices initiative; and the Audience Award-winning documentary WICKET, featuring Austin resident and internationally renowned breaker Gabriel “Bboy Wicket” Jaochico, who will appear live alongside filmmaker Lily Plotkin for the festival’s Closing Night conversation.
Saturday evening, The Big Queer Weekend expands beyond the theater as the Austin LGBT Chamber presents the 7th Annual Pride in Local Music, a free outdoor showcase at Drinks Backyard featuring live performances by Melissa Carper, Maru Haru, Painterly, and Steph Cash, hosted by Maxine LaQueene & Friends. The celebration will also include a Queer Artist & Artisan Marketplace showcasing more than a dozen LGBTQ+ artists, makers, and small businesses, along with food, drinks, and a special appearance and performance by Bboy Wicket ahead of Sunday’s Closing Night film.
“The Big Queer Weekend isn’t just about watching films,” Hogan added. “It’s about creating a space where queer artists, musicians, filmmakers, entrepreneurs and audiences can gather, collaborate and celebrate what makes Austin one of the country’s most vibrant creative cities.”
OPENING NIGHT | SEPTEMBER 24
Lady Champagne
USA | 2026 | 99 minutes | English | Southwest Premiere
Director & Writer: D’Arcy Drollinger | Cast: D’Arcy Drollinger, James Arthur, Jackie Beat, Seton Brown
Following its predecessor’s memorable 2021 appearance at aGLIFF, Lady Champagne reunites audiences with the unstoppable Champagne White in an outrageously camp, action-packed sequel by drag icon D’Arcy Drollinger. Wrongfully imprisoned and on the run, Champagne battles crooked cops, evil perfume moguls, and impossible odds in a hilarious celebration of drag, chosen family, and queer resilience. Featuring more than 80 queer and trans performers, the film is a dazzling love letter to 1970s exploitation cinema and DIY queer filmmaking.
Scheduled to appear for a live Q&A: D’Arcy Drollinger
The Best Little Park in Texas
USA | 2026 | 8 minutes | English | Austin Premiere
Director: Margaret Barry | Cast: Gary Schumann
A charming short documentary celebrating one of Austin’s most beloved hidden gems: BEPI Park, the tiny, art-filled traffic island tucked into the historic Clarksville neighborhood. Through the vision of creator Gary Schumann and a community of dedicated neighbors, this whimsical pocket park has become a living work of public art that embodies Austin’s quirky spirit, creativity, and commitment to finding beauty in unexpected places.
Scheduled to appear for a live Q&A: Margaret Barry & Gary Schumann
QUEER BLACK VOICES CENTERPIECE | SEPTEMBER 25
Assembly
USA | 2025 | 99 minutes | English
Directors & Writers: Rashaad Newsome & Johnny Symons | Cast: Rashaad Newsome, Kyron EL, Nekia Zulu
Assembly follows visionary artist Rashaad Newsome as he transforms a historic military facility into a Black queer utopia, blending art, AI, and performance. Through striking visuals and deeply personal performances, the film captures creativity’s transformative power as a fractured community comes together to find strength, solidarity, and liberation.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILMS | SEPTEMBER 26
Give Me The Ball!
USA | 2026 | 102 minutes | English
Directors: Liz Garbus & Elizabeth Wolff | Cast: Billie Jean King, Ilana Sheryl Kloss, Larry King, Chris Evert, Serena Williams, Elton John
An inspiring portrait of tennis legend Billie Jean King, whose fight for equality transformed sports and society. Through rare archival footage and intimate interviews, the film reveals the personal sacrifices behind King’s groundbreaking career as she challenged sexism, championed LGBTQ+ visibility, and forever changed the game on and off the court.
Out Laws
United Kingdom, Namibia | 2026 | 79 minutes | United States Premiere
Directors: James Lewis & Lexi Powner | Cast: Friedel Dausab, Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, Raven Gill
Out Laws follows three courageous LGBTQ+ activists from Namibia, Sri Lanka, and Barbados as they challenge colonial-era laws that still criminalize queer people. Blending personal stories with global advocacy, this powerful documentary is a moving testament to resilience, hope, and the ongoing fight for equality.
Scheduled to appear for a live Q&A: James Lewis and Saul Parker
The Dads
USA | 2026 | 72 minutes | English
Director: Luchina Fisher | Cast: Stephen Chukumba, Ed Diaz, AC Goldberg
A moving documentary follows a group of fathers as they navigate the joys and challenges of supporting their transgender and gender-expansive children. Through candid conversations and profound acts of love, the film offers a powerful reminder that family, acceptance, and advocacy can change lives.
CLOSING NIGHT | SEPTEMBER 27
Wicket
USA | 2025 | 75 minutes | English | Texas Premiere
Director: Lily Plotkin | Cast: Gabriel “Bboy Wicket” Jaochico, Flomaster, Aki Starr (Octaviano Cueto), Ronny Nauert
An inspiring portrait of legendary breaker Gabriel “Bboy Wicket” Jaochico, whose journey through hip-hop, identity, and self-acceptance proves it’s never too late to embrace your authentic self. Winner of the Audience Award for Best Documentary at Frameline49, the film is a powerful celebration of resilience, community, and the transformative power of living openly.
Scheduled to appear for a live Q&A: Lily Plotkin and Gabriel “Bboy Wicket” Jaochico
Aiden & Dean Don’t Fall in Love
USA | 2026 | 14 minutes | English | Southwest Premiere
Director & Writer: John La Costa | Cast: Samuel Teague, Charles “Chaz” J. Gibson, Sophia Giarman, Jackson Wiley
An award-winning short that explores the tender space between friendship and first love. With warmth, humor, and emotional honesty, the film offers a touching portrait of two young people as they learn to navigate identity, connection, and the uncertainty of growing up.
Scheduled to appear for a live Q&A: John La Costa
BIG QUEER CREATIVES BRUNCH | SEPTEMBER 27
Big Queer Creatives Brunch
Sunday morning from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Pool Deck at Hotel Indigo. $10 entry fee includes a breakfast taco buffet and an all-day pool pass at the Hotel Indigo.
TICKETS: General admission to individual film screenings is $20, with a limited number of Weekend Passes available for $50. The Pride in Local Music Showcase and the Queer Artist & Artisan Marketplace at Drinks Backyard are free and open to the public.
Tickets and complete festival information are available at bigqueerweekend.com.
SPONSORS: SXSW, Justworks, Delta Air Lines, Deep Eddy Vodka, Crunch Consulting, PrismTone Entertainment, Pearlsnap Music Group, Galaxy Theatres.
Additional support is provided by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts.
About Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce
Founded in 1997, the Austin LGBT Chamber of Commerce is Central Texas’ largest hub for LGBTQ+ and allied businesses and organizations. The Chamber’s mission is to empower and strengthen the LGBTQIA+ business community and its allies through marketing, education, and community development.
As the oldest LGBTQ+ chamber in Texas, the Austin LGBT Chamber represents hundreds of small businesses, corporations, and nonprofit members committed to advancing equality and diversity in the workplace. The Chamber hosts more than 80 events each year, advocates for economic opportunity and workplace inclusion, and fuels the next generation through the Austin LGBT Chamber Education Fund.
About aGLIFF:
Founded in 1987, aGLIFF is Austin’s longest-running film festival and became a 501(c)(3) in 1995. The festival began as a four-day event with just four films, primarily focused on coming out and the AIDS epidemic. It has grown into a multifaceted nonprofit organization with year-round community programs and events, culminating each year in the annual film festival. Originally named the Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival (1987), it now goes by simply aGLIFF.
Today, its all-volunteer board continues to curate independent films and community programming, ensuring LGBTQIA+ stories have a home on Austin screens. aGLIFF’s work is sustained by community contributions, sponsorships, and foundation grants.
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