In an interview with the Georgia Straight's Adrian Mack, Vancouver Latin American Film Festival artistic director Christian Sida-Valenzuela said, “We are strongly LGBT.”

As in previous editions, their support of LGBT issues and people is evident in several selections they've chosen to screen at this year's festival.

On Thursday (August 31), the 1993 feature Strawberry and Chocolate will be back on the big screen.

The dramedy-romance follows the unlikely relationship that develops in Havana, Cuba, in 1979, between two very different men: a gay artist Diego tries to seduce David, a straight communist, who in turn seeks to befriend Diego to monitor him.

The themes of that film are echoed in Cuba's controversial drama Santa and Andrés, which will close the festival on Sunday (September 3).

Set in the early 1980s, the title refers to the unexpected relationship that develops between a revolutionary woman from the countryside, Santa, who is sent to guard a gay writer, Andrés, who is under house arrest for his ideas and sexuality.

"In Mexico or other countries in Latin America, this film would be very provocative," Sida-Valenzuela had told the Straight about Santa and Andrés. "We really like to show this other face of Latin America.”

Tonight (August 28) and on Thursday (August 31), Time Was Endless (Antes O Tempo Não Acabava) follows an Indigenous man who leaves his Tikuna community in the Amazon forest for life in the city of Manaus where he struggles to come to terms with his two-spirit identity.

Two-spirit people are also explored in the short film "Regalia: Pride in Two Spirits".

Directed by Vancouver's Jen Sungshine and David Ng of Love Intersections, it's a profile of Duane Stewart-Grant, a First Nations man who discusses how reclaiming his language and culture is important to his queer identity.

The film screens as part of the program Ritmos, Rhythms of Resilience on Saturday (September 2).

Also on Saturday, the short animated film “Tailor”, directed by Calí dos Anjos, screens as part of Short Films in Competition: Program 2. This Brazilian short explores the issues that transgender Bernardo, who embodies the role of both mother and father, faces.

For full details about these films and more, visit the VLAFF website.