Long Beach’s 32nd annual QFilm Festival is set to light up the screen Thursday, Sept. 4 through Sunday, Sept. 7, bringing the best in LGBTQ+ independent cinema to the city.

Running since 1993, QFilms is the oldest film festival in Long Beach and remains the only one dedicated exclusively to showcasing stories that celebrate the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community.

As always, this year’s lineup offers a variety of films — from short bursts to full-length epics — that explore self-discovery, resilience, and belonging, told with artistry and heart.

One film, “How a River is Born,” written and directed by Luma Flôres, follows Ayla, a young woman navigating landscapes both real and metaphorical as she embarks on a dreamlike quest of self-discovery and desire. Another, “Dandelion,” directed by

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