IUS of Time, co-directed by Roberto F. Canuto and Xu Xiaoxi, travels to Berlin this week as part of THE URGE, a curated short film programme presented by the Positively Different Short Film Festival (PDSFF) of Athens. The screening takes place during LAUSE : UNTEN – Antidisciplinary Theater Festival, held at Die Lause in Berlin-Kreuzberg.

Rather than being selected through an open call, the invitation emerged after the LAUSE : UNTEN team discovered the film during its official selection at the 7th Positively Different Short Film Festival in Athens earlier this year and proposed bringing it to Berlin.

The screening also marks several firsts for the film: it is the first time IUS of Time has been presented within an interdisciplinary arts festival rather than a film festival, and the first time it has formed part of a benefit event, where all proceeds support the independent cultural space hosting the programme.

IUS of Time at LAUSE : UNTEN — Berlin 2026

THE URGE: Memory, Mourning and Resistance

Rather than grouping films by country, genre or style, THE URGE brings together five works connected by shared questions of collective memory, mourning, silence and resistance.

The programme includes:

• Fragments on Resistance — Levan Tskhovrebadze & Ani Kiladze (Georgia)
• Nuno — Nuno Taborda (Portugal)
• IUS of Time — Roberto F. Canuto & Xu Xiaoxi (Spain)
• Those Who Are Left — Jonathan Brunner & Laura Hornberger (Palestine/Germany)
• Nasty — Margarita Alexiadi (Greece)

Within this context, IUS of Time is read alongside films dealing with occupied territories, political violence and personal loss. Xuan — the ageing cheesemaker living under the weight of decades-old rumours in a depopulating Asturian village — becomes part of a wider reflection on what communities choose to remember, what they decide to forget, and who is expected to carry silence on behalf of others.

It is a dialogue the film had not entered before, and one that expands its meaning beyond its original cultural context.

A Festival That Exists to Defend the Space It Happens In

Running from 23 to 25 July 2026, LAUSE : UNTEN describes itself as an antidisciplinary theatre festival, moving between theatre, dance, performance, visual arts, readings, concerts and cinema while deliberately refusing fixed artistic categories.

The festival revolves around Die Lause, a self-managed cultural space in Berlin-Kreuzberg that hosts artists, creative businesses, political initiatives and community organisations.

More than a venue, Die Lause has become a symbol of resistance against displacement and the growing pressures affecting independent culture in Berlin. Through the #LauseBleibt campaign, its community continues to oppose eviction, gentrification and cuts to cultural funding.

The festival itself is therefore a benefit event: all proceeds contribute directly to the continued existence of the space. Supporting the festival also means supporting the community that inhabits it.

From Athens to Berlin: When a Film Continues Travelling

The Positively Different Short Film Festival, organised in Athens by the Greek NGO Inter Alia, is built around principles of intersectionality and social inclusion, presenting films by and about communities whose voices are often underrepresented because of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, race, disability, class or religion.

Over recent years, the festival has evolved into a trans-local platform, with collaborations and screenings extending to cities including Istanbul, Belgrade, Sofia, Zagreb, Dakar and Nicosia. Berlin now joins that network.

The journey of IUS of Time to Berlin illustrates how films sometimes continue travelling long after a festival has ended — not through new submissions, but because someone in the audience decides they deserve to be seen again.

Three Screenings in Germany

Berlin marks the film’s third screening in Germany, following its participation in the 30th OpenEyes Filmfest Marburg (2025) and the 42nd Schwule Filmwoche Freiburg (2026), where it competed in the Fabulous Shorts I programme.

Germany has become one of the countries where IUS of Time has found particularly diverse exhibition contexts, ranging from LGBTQ+ film festivals to independent cultural initiatives.

With more than 67 international festival selections across five continents and seven festival awards and distinctions — including the Director’s Choice Award at the 45th Thomas Edison Film Festival (USA) and Best Cinematography at the 4th Silicon Valley Queer Film Festival (USA) — the film continues to reach audiences well beyond the LGBTQ+ circuit where its international journey began.

Recent screenings include the 15th Sofia Pride Film Fest (Bulgaria) and the 10th Out & Loud – Pune International Queer Film Festival (India).

A Film Shaped by Memory, Landscape and Emotional Encounter

Set in the rural landscapes of Asturias, northern Spain, IUS of Time follows Luca, a young photographer searching for something he cannot yet name, and Xuan, an ageing cheesemaker carrying decades of silence and emotional restraint.

Filmed in the Picos de Europa, the cheese caves of Cabrales and villages such as Biedes or Asiegu, the landscape functions not simply as scenery but as an emotional and narrative presence.

Developed alongside the companion films Blow Down and Sunset in Paris, conceived as the Sketches of IUS, the project explores memory, belonging, masculinity and intergenerational connection through a cinematic language rooted in place.

Berlin is a case in point: a story from a handful of Asturian villages, screened in a Kreuzberg courtyard that is fighting to remain what it is, next to films from Georgia and Palestine. The landscape does not shrink the story. It gives it somewhere to stand.

More Information

Berlin becomes another stop in the growing international journey of IUS of Time, which has now been officially selected at 67 festivals across five continents.

• Official page of IUS of Time
• Complete list of festival selections and awards
• 2025 Festival Journey
• Positively Different Short Film Festival – Athens
• Die Lause – Berlin-Kreuzberg
• Watch the official trailer

Watch the Trailer

The film will screen on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at 21:00 as part of the Fabulous Shorts I — a curated program of 17 short films from Switzerland, Spain, the UK, the USA, Austria, Italy, and Slovenia, all competing for the Audience Award for Best Short Film.

The 42nd Schwule Filmwoche Freiburg runs from April 29 to May 6, 2026, across several venues in Freiburg im Breisgau, featuring a diverse program of international LGBTQ+ feature films, documentaries, and short film competitions. This year’s edition introduces a new structure for its short film section, divided into two curated blocks that allow audiences to engage more directly in the voting process for the Audience Award.

IUS of Time in competition at the 42nd Schwule Filmwoche Freiburg 2026

🗓 Date: Sunday, May 3, 2026
🕘 Time: 21:00
📍 Location: Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
🎬 Program: Fabulous Shorts I

See the Fabulous Shorts I screening program

Official festival website

Schwule Filmwoche Freiburg: over four decades of queer cinema

The Schwule Filmwoche Freiburg is one of the longest-running LGBTQ+ film festivals in the German-speaking world. Now in its 42nd edition, the festival has built a reputation for programming that balances artistic quality with cultural and political awareness.

The 2026 program places a strong emphasis on contemporary LGBTQ+ storytelling, combining international premieres, European independent cinema, and socially engaged documentaries. In addition to film screenings, the festival includes live events, panel discussions, and collaborations with local cultural institutions such as Theater Freiburg, reinforcing its role as a multidisciplinary platform for queer culture and public discourse.

IUS of Time: an expanding international festival trajectory

With over 50 international festival selections and multiple awards to date — including the Director’s Choice Award at the 45th Thomas Edison Film Festival and Best Cinematography at the 4th Silicon Valley Queer Film Festival — IUS of Time is emerging as one of the most internationally visible independent queer short films from Spain in recent years.

The selection in Freiburg adds to the film’s growing presence within the European queer festival circuit, following screenings at the 31st Chéries-Chéris – Festival du Film LGBTQIA+ de Paris, the 16th Écrans Mixtes Queer Film Festival in Lyon, the 53rd Huesca International Film Festival (Oscar & Goya Qualifying Festival), and the 63rd FICX Gijón International Film Festival.

In North America, the film has been selected at major festivals including the 43rd Reeling: Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival (USA), one of the longest-running queer film festivals in the United States, strengthening its visibility within key international LGBTQ+ exhibition platforms.

Upcoming screenings include its Australian premiere at the Geelong Pride Film Festival, marking the film’s debut in Oceania.

A film shaped by memory, landscape, and emotional encounter

Developed through an extended creative process, IUS of Time combines naturalistic storytelling with a poetic and symbolic dimension.

The film evolved alongside a series of short pieces — Blow Down and Sunset in Paris — conceived as part of the Sketches of IUS, expanding its narrative universe.

Shot on location in Asturias, including the Picos de Europa and rural villages such as Cabrales and Onís, the film integrates landscape as an essential narrative element, reinforcing its thematic exploration of time, identity, and memory.

At its core, the film presents an encounter between two characters from different generations and worlds, unfolding as both a physical experience and an emotional reconstruction shaped by absence and connection.

IUS of Time within contemporary European queer cinema

Its inclusion in the Freiburg Gay Film Festival competition highlights the film’s relevance within the current landscape of European queer cinema, where intimate, character-driven narratives continue to gain prominence.

Within the European festival circuit, IUS of Time aligns with a growing wave of queer cinema that prioritizes personal narratives, cross-cultural perspectives, and visually driven storytelling, positioning the film among emerging independent works gaining traction in international LGBTQ+ festivals.

More information

For a complete and updated list of festival selections, visit the official page of IUS of Time

Watch the trailer

The short film has been officially selected for the Gay Shorts 2026 program, which brings together international short works exploring contemporary queer storytelling. The screening will take place on May 7, 2026, at 6:00 PM at The Pivotonian Cinema in Geelong, Victoria.

Founded as a non-profit, community-driven initiative, the Geelong Pride Film Festival runs from April 30 to May 10, 2026, and presents a wide program of feature films and short film sections across the Geelong region, celebrating diverse identities, experiences, and narratives within global queer cinema.

IUS of Time within the international queer festival circuit

Set in rural Asturias, northern Spain, IUS of Time follows an encounter between a young photography student and a reclusive cheesemaker, leading to an unexpected emotional connection.

The film continues to strengthen its international presence through its selection at the Geelong Pride Film Festival, expanding its connection with global queer audiences and international programmers.

Its subtle exploration of identity, memory, and emotional connection, combined with its rural setting, has helped the film resonate across diverse cultural contexts.

More about IUS of Time on its official page.

Its inclusion in the Gay Shorts 2026 program highlights its place within contemporary LGBTIQ+ cinema and a broader dialogue on queer storytelling that transcends geographical boundaries.

An expanding international festival journey

This latest selection marks a new milestone in the international journey of IUS of Time, extending its presence to Oceania after screenings at internationally recognized festivals including the 53rd Huesca International Film Festival (Oscar/Goya qualifier, Spain), 43rd Reeling: Chicago LGBTQ+ Film Festival (USA), 31st Chéries-Chéris (France), and 63rd FICX Gijón (Spain).

The film has been featured in a wide range of international contexts, highlighting its ability to connect with diverse audiences through its intimate storytelling and universal themes. Its growing trajectory reflects not only critical recognition, but also a sustained interest from programmers focused on contemporary queer cinema and independent filmmaking.

Recent screenings in North America, at the 27th ReelOut Queer Film Festival (Kingston, Ontario) and in Europe at the 17th LGBT+ Film Festival Poland, continue to build the film’s global visibility.

With over 50 international festival selections and 7 awards to date—including Director’s Choice Award at the 45th Thomas Edison Film Festival 2026 (USA) and Best Cinematography at Silicon Valley Queer Film Festival (California)—IUS of Time stands as one of the most internationally visible independent queer short films from Spain in recent years.

A film shaped by memory, time and layered storytelling

IUS of Time emerged from a creative process that evolved organically, with the initial concept expanding into a more complex narrative structure through collaboration and experimentation.

Developed alongside writer and associate producer Enrique Pérez Romero, the screenplay went through an extensive process of refinement, combining narrative construction with visual and performative exploration. Early exercises in character development and cinematic language led to the creation of two companion pieces, Blow Down and Sunset in Paris, conceived as “Sketches of IUS” and forming part of the film’s broader creative universe.

At its core, the film explores the encounter between two characters from radically different worlds, whose brief interaction unfolds as both a realistic and symbolic experience. The narrative blends the naturalism of rural Asturias with a poetic and abstract dimension, allowing multiple interpretations to coexist: a memory resurfacing, an impossible meeting, or an emotional reconstruction shaped by absence and loss.

Shot on location in Asturias, including the Picos de Europa and municipalities such as Cabrales, Onís and Piloña, the film integrates its physical environment into the storytelling. Spaces such as traditional cheese caves and rural architecture are not only settings, but essential elements that reinforce the atmosphere and thematic depth of the film.

Through this layered approach, IUS of Time moves between realism and abstraction, connecting a personal story with broader reflections on time, identity and the traces left by the past.

The Australian premiere of IUS of Time adds a new milestone to the film’s international journey, reinforcing its place within contemporary independent and queer cinema.

Watch the official trailer:

The festival, which opens in Warsaw from April 10–18, 2026 and later expands to other cities across the country, presents a wide-ranging program of bold and socially engaged queer cinema, bringing together international works that reflect contemporary social and cultural realities.

Screening at LGBT+ Film Festival Poland – Warsaw (Kinoteka)

IUS of Time will be presented in the “Gay Stories (Shorts)” program, alongside productions from the United States, Hungary, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

Screenings will take place at Kinoteka (Warsaw):

• April 11, 2026 – 20:30
• April 12, 2026 – 18:30

Across the “Gay Stories (Shorts)” and “Gay Love Affairs (Shorts)” sections, the festival showcases a total of 11 international gay short films. IUS of Time is the only Spanish film in this selection, highlighting its growing visibility within the European festival circuit.

This selection also continues the filmmakers’ relationship with the festival, where their previous works Sunken Plum (9th edition, 2018) and Water Circles Under Cotton Clouds (14th edition, 2023) were also presented.

IUS of Time : a story of memory, identity and silence

Set in a rural village in northern Spain, IUS of Time follows a young photography student who returns to reconnect with his roots and meets Xuan, an aging cheesemaker marked by long-standing rumors about his sexuality.

Filmed in the landscapes of Asturias — including the traditional Cabrales cheese caves in Asiegu (courtesy of Quesería Ecológica Asiegu) and historic rural houses shaped by centuries of history — the film draws deeply from the atmosphere of the Picos de Europa to create an intimate and grounded visual world.

As their relationship gradually unfolds, the film explores silence, belonging and generational distance through a restrained and observational approach.

Produced by Almost Red Producciones with the support of the Principado de Asturias, the film reinforces its connection to the region both thematically and materially.

Learn more about IUS of Time.

Recognition at Rochester International Film Festival (New York, USA)

In parallel with its European festival run, the film has also been recognized at the 68th Rochester International Film Festival, one of the longest-running film festivals in the United States, founded in 1959. This year’s edition will take place from April 30 to May 2, 2026 in Rochester, New York.

The film received an award distinction from the festival’s final judging panel, further consolidating its international trajectory.

This recognition strengthens the film’s presence across the U.S. festival circuit, including screenings and awards at festivals such as the 45th Thomas Edison Film Festival (Director’s Choice Award), where the film is part of the official 2026 touring program, as well as the 27th OUTshine Film Festival, where it had its international premiere and launched its international run, followed by the Silicon Valley Queer Film Festival (Best Cinematography Award), and selections at the 43rd Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival and the 27th Spokane International Film Festival, among others.

Expanding international trajectory

With its Polish premiere and recognition at Rochester, IUS of Time continues a festival run spanning three continents: Europe, America and Asia.

The film is part of the ongoing work of Roberto F. Canuto & Xu Xiaoxi, who have collaborated for over 15 years since completing their Master’s degrees at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles. Their films have been widely presented at international festivals and are known for their cross-cultural perspective, working between Europe and Asia while focusing on intimate human stories shaped by social context and personal transformation.

The filmmakers are currently developing new fiction projects in both short and feature formats, with upcoming productions planned between Spain and China, continuing their commitment to international collaboration and auteur cinema.

Watch the official trailer:

Following its premiere at the XI CortoGijón Film Festival and its international premiere at the 27th OUTshine International Film Festival (United States), the film has enjoyed an extensive presence on the international festival circuit, with nearly 50 selections and 5 awards. Throughout this journey, IUS of Time has connected with a wide range of audiences, receiving a level of recognition that has exceeded our initial expectations.

A journey through national and international film festivals

This international presence has resulted in broad participation in film festivals around the world, spanning Europe, the Americas, and Asia. The short film has been selected both at showcases dedicated to independent cinema and at festivals focused on LGBTQ+ narratives, consolidating its position within a diverse and multicultural circuit. Full details of the international festival journey of IUS of Time can also be found on IMDb.

Among the festivals that have screened the film are the 53rd Huesca International Film Festival (Spain, Academy Awards and Goya Awards qualifying festival), the 43rd Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival (United States), the 34th Festival de Cine de Madrid FCM-PNR (Spain, Goya Awards qualifying festival), the 31st Chéries-Chéris – Festival du film LGBTQIA & +++ de Paris (France), the 63rd FICX – Gijon International Film Festival (Spain), and the 27th OUTshine International Film Festival (United States), among many others.

The international festival journey and strategy of the short film have been supported by Selected Films Distribution, responsible for its distribution. Their guidance and in-depth knowledge of both national and international circuits have been key to the film’s reach and visibility.

Awards and recognitions

During 2025, IUS of Time received five international awards and recognitions, including:

• Director’s Choice Award at the 45th Thomas Edison Film Festival (TEFF), United States.
• Audience Award Asturias at the 24th Avilés Acción Film Festival, Spain.
• Third Audience Award (LQCW × CathayPlay) at the 24th Beijing Queer Film Festival, China.
• Honorable Mention at the 1st Goitacá International Film Festival, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• Best Cinematography at the 3rd Rural and Mountain Film Festival of Cervera de Pisuerga, Spain.

The complete list of festival selections and awards can be consulted in the official festival journey document.

Dialogue with audiences

Beyond selections and awards, the most valuable aspect of this journey has been the direct encounter with audiences. Screenings of IUS of Time have sparked deep conversations and emotional responses, with encounters in cities such as Paris, Beijing, and Madrid, reaffirming our belief in the potential of the short film as a form of communication capable of crossing borders, cultures, and lived experiences.

Looking ahead

Looking toward the coming year, our goal is to continue expanding the international journey of IUS of Time, exploring new festivals — with several upcoming selections already confirmed — as well as new cities and exhibition spaces. We aim to keep creating opportunities for the film to be seen, discussed, and shared, while remaining open to new collaborations and creative projects that may emerge from this experience.

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our sincere thanks to the entire artistic and technical team, whose commitment, talent, and dedication made this project possible. We are equally grateful to festival programmers, festival teams, and, above all, to the audiences who have accompanied and supported IUS of Time throughout its journey.

The year 2025 marks a key chapter in the life of the film, and we look toward the future with optimism and a strong desire to continue sharing its journey.