The Beijing Queer Film Festival, an annual event dedicated to LGBT+ cinema, was cancelled on the eve of its scheduled start amid reported pressure from Chinese authorities. The festival, set to open on Friday, announced its cancellation on Thursday via an Instagram statement, citing circumstances beyond their control.

Founded in 2001 by students from Peking University, the festival is one of the few platforms in mainland China focusing specifically on queer issues through film. Organizers indicated that repeated phone calls and other forms of state pressure contributed to the decision to halt the event.

This cancellation reflects a broader trend under the administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping, which has seen increased restrictions on LGBT+ activism and representation. While China decriminalized homosexuality in 1997, the government continues to withhold legal recognition for same-sex relationships and has intensified efforts to diminish queer visibility. These measures include censoring media content with same-sex themes, sidelining advocacy organizations, and removing popular LGBT+ dating applications.

Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director Maya Wang observed that Beijing’s authorities have been tightening ideological control, subjecting activities not officially endorsed by the state to heightened surveillance and interference. The cancellation of the Beijing Queer Film Festival is viewed by some as part of this broader clampdown on social and cultural expressions outside the parameters sanctioned by the ruling Communist Party.

The festival’s cancellation comes amid growing concerns about shrinking public spaces for LGBT+ individuals and related cultural events in China, raising questions about the future of queer visibility and advocacy in the country.