Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest’s 15th edition runs from 13 to 21 September 2025 in East London. The headline screening is Niñxs and the closing night film is Brigitte’s Planet B.
The festival program is filled with great stories. Highlights of the festival include the provocative film This Is Rockbitch X, along with a diverse schedule of workshops, panel discussions, exhibitions, and performances.
On Sunday, September 14, Fringe! will launch its screening program with the film Niñxs, a joyous, genre-defying coming-of-age documentary that took eight years to create in the Mexican town of Tepoztlán. At the centre of the story is Karla, a teenage transgender girl whose life challenges expectations. Rather than being a tale of tragedy, it is filled with punk parental love, loyal friendships, and laughter. Directed by Kani Lapuerta, the film offers a vibrant portrait of trans youth thriving in a supportive environment, as Karla imagines her own future. The kickoff screening for Fringe! sweetened by Happy Endings’ delicious ice cream treats.
This Is Rockbitch X is on Saturday, September 20. It is a compelling documentary directed by BAFTA-nominated filmmaker Norman Hull. The film chronicles the radical British feminist rock collective Rockbitch, known for their pagan rituals and fearless stage performances. Their bold challenge to traditional notions of female sexuality, combined with their anarchic humour, remains a vital act of queer feminist defiance. This Is Rockbitch X is being screened as part of the Potent Portals series, alongside April Daneau’s Iconic and Lydia Garnett’s Last Exit on Bethnal. Additionally, underground club legend Hannah Holland will DJ the afterparty.
Brigitte’s Planet B features on the closing night, Sunday, 21 September. This is a documentary and follows a journey with Brigitte Baptiste, Colombia’s renowned ecologist, public intellectual, and transgender icon. Directed by Santiago Posada, the film explores the queerness of nature and the diversity that sustains life.
From queer Indigenous communities and Amazonian medicines to transgender species and digital animations, the documentary encourages reflection on queerness and transness as nature’s strategies for survival. With stunning visuals and intimate insights, it offers a profound encounter with Baptiste, who is known for pioneering Queer Ecology, leading Colombia’s Humboldt Institute, and advocating for biodiversity and trans rights.
The complete 2025 programme of screenings, workshops, panel talks, exhibitions, performances and digital programme can be found at https://www.fringefilmfest.com/festival-programme-2
