Entertainment news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Marine Atlan’s French Oscar Hopeful ‘La Gradiva’ Takes Top Prizes at 30th Queer Lisboa – the Biggest Edition to Date
French filmmaker Marine Atlan's debut feature "La Gradiva" won the best feature film and Audience Awards at the 30th Queer Lisboa – International Queer Film Festival, cementing its status as a major work after previous success at Cannes Critics' Week. The film, which follows French students on a school trip to Pompeii and explores themes of identity and youth, is one of five finalists competing to be France's entry for the best international feature Oscar. Separately, Spanish filmmaker Lorena Ros' documentary "Up and Running" won best documentary and Audience Awards for its examination of homelessness and marginalisation amongst the trans ex-prisoner population in Barcelona.
The festival achieved record attendance with more than 11,500 admissions across 67 screenings over nine days—a 53% increase from 2025—marking its strongest edition since launching in 1997 as Lisbon's first dedicated film festival. The 30th anniversary programme was notably ambitious, featuring nine sold-out screenings and highlighting the strength of contemporary queer cinema, with works addressing themes of family, romantic and sexual relationships, and hopeful futures. Festival artistic director João Ferreira described the achievement as validation of the "artistic and political pertinence of queer cinema" three decades on.
In short
- "La Gradiva" wins top prizes at record-breaking Queer Lisboa festival with 11,500 attendees
- French film is Oscar finalist and Cannes Critics' Week winner about students in Pompeii
- Festival hits 30-year milestone with 53% attendance surge and nine sold-out screenings
Explained simply
Queer Lisboa is an international film festival in Lisbon dedicated to LGBTQ+ cinema. Established in 1997, it is one of Europe's leading platforms for such work and marked its 30th anniversary this year with record attendance, attracting more than 11,500 viewers across nine days.
"La Gradiva" is the debut feature film by French director Marine Atlan. The film follows a group of French students on a school trip to Pompeii and explores their experiences through themes of identity and youth.
The film is one of five finalists being considered as France's entry for the Academy Awards' best international feature category. The festival's record attendance and the prominence of contemporary queer cinema on its programme highlight growing audience interest in films exploring identity, relationships and personal futures.