The programme for the fifth edition of the Endimaris Sitges LGTBIQ+ Film Festival was unveiled today at the Casino Prado, the venue for the festival, cementing it as a can’t-miss event for film lovers. The presentation was led by Owen John Holden, the festival director, together with the Sitges city councillor for culture, Albert Oliver-Rodés; the president of Casino Prado Suburense, Carme Artigas; and the president of Colors Sitges Link, Prado G. Velázquez.

This year’s festival continues to emphasise diversity and dialogue between artistic disciplines, and once again places Sitges at the heart of a unique programme that is committed to the ways differences enrich our society. “Sitges City Council will always support the Endimaris Festival, because here in Sitges, we stand for diversity, freedom and culture as a tool for transformation,” said the city councillor for culture, Albert Oliver-Rodés, in his welcoming remarks. “We are proud to host a festival celebrating such a wide range of identities and experiences.” Meanwhile, festival director Owen John Holden outlined the programme for this year’s edition of Endimaris Sitges, noting its “strong selection of films premiering in Spain and Catalonia that will stir consciences and arouse passions.”

One example is the film that will kick off the festival on 30 October, Plainclothes, directed by US filmmaker Carmen Emmi (Don Quixote: The Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha) and starring Russell Tovey (Years and Years) and Tom Blyth (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes). Emmi’s second feature film tells the story of an undercover agent assigned to lure and arrest gay men who defies professional orders when he falls in love with a target. Stunningly beautiful, it won the Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast at the Sundance Film Festival.

Closing out the festival on 9 November will be Cel meu, infern teu [My Heaven, Your Hell]. Directed by Valencian filmmaker Alberto Evangelio and starring Tania Fortea and Victor Palmero, it tells the story of an impossible love between Adela and Victoria, conditioned by repression and societal rejection in 1960s and ‘70s Spain. An award-winning director and screenwriter, Evangelio has received over 200 prizes for his short films, including at the Sitges Fantastic Film Festival (Spain), Clermont (France) and BIFAN (South Korea).

Duro and Azul de niño, the Catalan selection

The Endimaris CAT+ section of the festival, featuring the Catalan premiere of Catalan films, includes Francesc Cuéllar’s Duro [Tough], a film about gender violence structured around various standalone stories starring Omar Ayuso, Ernesto Collado, Carlos Cuevas and Diana Gómez; and Raul Guardans’s Azul de niño [Blue for a Boy], starring Eva de Luís, Raul Guardans and Tony Corvillo, which explores the limits of desire, betrayal and the need for understanding in an intimate story about the hidden truths behind relationships.

High-profile international premieres

Endimaris Sitges 2025 will also be presenting major international premieres, such as Korean director Joonho Park’s debut feature 3670, which tells the moving story of Cheol-jun, a gay man from North Korea seeking love and happiness through his friendship with a South Korean man, Young-jun. Starring Youhyun ChoKim and Hyeon-mok, it’s been a box office hit in South Korea and a gem for Catalan audiences to discover.

Another highlight will be Things Like This, directed by activist and director Max Talisman, who also co-stars alongside Joey Pollari (Monster). The film follows Zack Anthony, a struggling writer, and Zack Mandel, a talent agent assistant trapped in a failing relationship, who uncover a shared past that feels like fate.

The Casino Prado cinema will also host a screening of Liam Calvert’s A Night Like This, starring Alexander Lincoln (In From the Side), Jack Brett Anderson (The Great) and David Bradley (The World’s End). An exploration of the relationship between Lukas, a broke actor, and Oliver, a privileged, self-assured businessman, it’s already earned several awards at festivals such as FilmOut San Diego in the United States.

Other films in this section include Terry Loane’s Tomorrow’s Too Late, about the transition process of trans singer Dylan Holloway; The Secret of Me, directed by Grace Hughes-Hallett; Toutes pour une [All For One], French director Houda Benyamina’s unique take on The Three Musketeers; and Argentine director Nicolás Teté’s Lo que escribimos juntos [What We Wrote Together]. 

Awards for Molt lluny and the Mostra Cinema Fire LGTBIQ+

Endimaris Sitges 2025 will also be awarding two special prizes. Barcelona’s Mostra Cinema Fire LGTBIQ+ film festival will receive the Special Endimaris Award in recognition of its tireless work over the course of three decades as a cornerstone of LGTBIQ+ visibility through cinema.

The Endimaris Cinema Award 2025, meanwhile, will go to Gerard Oms’s Molt lluny [Away] for its powerful depiction of what it means for a young man surrounded by straight peers to come to terms with his own identity and try to move forward in an environment dominated by toxic masculinity. The award also includes a special recognition of Mario Casas’s memorable and deeply moving performance, which conveys authenticity in every gesture, word and movement.

The festival will also include the screening of the short films competing in the official selection. The panel for the edition will be made up of activist Max Talisman, singer and actress Rocío Sainz, and journalist David Àvila, host of the Ja m’entens podcast, who will assess over 30 short films on LGTBQ+ themes.

Special guests

Endimaris Sitges will also be rolling out the red carpet to welcome directors, actors and leading names from the LGTBQ+ community and the film world. Guests will include activist Max Talisman, directors Carmen Emmi, Alberto Evangelio and Gerard Oms, actor Russell Tovey and producer Dani Chavarriaga, among others.

In addition to the premieres and competing shorts, the festival will also feature industry events, special sessions for schools and a fun screening (dress code included) to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Tickets for the screenings will be available from 13 October at www.endimarissitges.com