Shanghai Queer Film Festival, launched in September 2017, is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit event, and aims to help facilitate and promote the work of filmmakers from Chinese and other Asian backgrounds.
[3] CINEMQ, launched in 2015, is a volunteer-run, not-for-profit collective, focused on queer short film from Asia and around the world.
It also hosts workshops, Q & A Sessions and panel discussions with some of the leading figures in Chinese LGBT cinema.
[6] A formal, fully fledged film festival was founded in 2015 by Matthew Baren and Alvin Li.
The first festival was themed, 'Queer Family,' and featured film screenings, including live Q & A sessions and workshops.
[citation needed] The 2016 festival was held June 17–26, with the theme 'gender,' with a program of films on gender minorities.
According to festival director and programmer Matthew Baren, "Film is very important to the LGBT movement in China.