Frameline, San Francisco’s prominent LGBTQ+ film festival, will present a notable 50 editions when it kicks off next month from June 17-27. To mark the occasion, Frameline has focused on three selections for opening night, centerpiece, and Pride kickoff films.
Launching the 2026 version on opening night at San Francisco’s Castro Theater will be Darcy Drollinger Champagne ladywhich Drollinger wrote, directed and starred in as a sequel to Shit and champagne. A champagne exotic dancer is framed for murder and thrown into “Lady Prison.”
White stages a major escape using her arsenal of disguises, one-liners and dance moves to take down an evil perfume empire in this slapstick drag exploitation comedy. The project, which was filmed entirely in San Francisco, co-stars Matthew Martin and features appearances from drag performers Alaska Thunderfuck, Varla Jean Merman, Jackie Pitt, Peaches of Christ, Nikki Jez and others.
Then on June 25, Frameline50 will present Brydie O’Connor Barbara forever At the Castro Theater, a documentary explores the life, work, and legacy of lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer. It will be a full circle moment of sorts for Hammer – known for works like 1974 Flaw tactics1992 Nitrate kisses And 2008 The horse is not a metaphor – She screened films at the festival and won the Frameline Award in 2000.
The third selection revealed today is that of Jennifer M. Crute Honky Jesuswhich will be shown at the Castro Theater on June 26. Served as Pride’s debut film, Hunky Jesus lives up to its title by focusing a lens on the Pride competition held every Easter by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the burlesque nuns of drag in San Francisco. The doc is narrated by George Takei and features Sister Roma and Honey Mahogany.
“San Francisco doesn’t just watch movies, we make them, open them, and remake them in our image,” said Allegra Madsen, executive director of Framline. “These three films are San Francisco stories about the artists, activists, drag queens, dykes and queers who built this city’s culture and dared to put it on screen.” “Frameline opening its 50th year with them, in the Castro, seems less like coincidence and more like fate. Fifty years later, Frameline is still history in the making.”
Frameline will launch a festival hub at the Castro’s Hamburger Mary’s location on May 14, and will remain open through June 14. It will reopen from June 18 to 26 during limited hours during the festival. Frameline50 is presented by official festival partners Alaska Airlines, Amazon, Comcast NBCUniversal, Gilead, Hilton San Francisco Union Square, Parc 55 Hotel and PACT Studio. The full program of the festival will be revealed on May 13.
More information about tickets and the festival in general can be found here.
