IQMF: Queer Shorts

From unexpected encounters and messy desires to memories, identity and belonging, these short films bring together bold voices and personal stories that cross borders, challenge perspectives and stay with you long after the credits roll.

We are especially delighted to be screening We, the Weapon by Moe Sabbah, who was part of the IQMF Academy programme in 2018. It feels particularly special to welcome his work back to IQMF and share it with you all. Come for the shorts, stay for vibes.

We, the Weapon

Duration: 22’
Director: Mohammad Moe Sabbah (Moe Sabbah)
Language: No dialogue
Subtitles: no subtitles
Country: Lebanon and Germany
Year: 2025

Synopsis: In a confined military bunker, five men nervously await a possible enemy attack. As they eat, sleep, stand guard and spend their days together, tensions gradually rise. An unexpected emotional and intimate connection develops between two of the soldiers, challenging traditional ideas of masculinity, vulnerability and intimacy.

Florence Likes to Die

Duration: 12’
Director: Yassin Häussler
Language: English
Subtitles: English
Country: Netherlands
Year: 2026

Synopsis: During an ordinary sleepover, Florence asks her best friend Ruby to deliver a eulogy in her honour. What begins as playful role-playing gradually becomes something darker as Florence reveals her fascination with death. Through staged memorials, funeral speeches and recreated crime scenes, Ruby begins confronting her own suppressed desires for Florence, while Florence becomes increasingly consumed by her obsession with death.

Dunes Only Know

Duration: 14’
Director: Gian Luca Catalfamo and Tatiana Ivensen
Language: Italian
Subtitles: English
Country: Italy
Year: 2026

Synopsis: A middle-aged man arrives at a remote nudist beach looking for casual encounters. Instead, he encounters a group of migrants who have just arrived on the shore. As the coast guard approaches, he makes an impulsive decision to intervene, triggering a series of chaotic and absurd events. The film uses satire and surreal humour to explore desire, authority, migration and resistance.

Not Built to Last

Duration: 20’
Director: Deniz Arikan
Language: English
Subtitles: English
Country: Netherlands
Year: 2026

Synopsis: Daniel, an architectural guide in Rotterdam, takes Emre, a visiting architect from Istanbul, on a tour of the city. What begins as a professional exploration of Rotterdam’s architecture gradually develops into a more personal encounter. Through conversations about identity, belonging, freedom and intimacy, the two men discover unexpected connections. The film explores queer desire and the relationship between urban spaces and personal identity.