easy as going to the movies.

Earlier this month at the High Point Theater near Forest Park, Cinema St.

Louis presented its 19th annual QFest, a week-long celebration of LGBTQIA+ film and culture.

The fully submission-based festival gives local moviegoers a chance to enjoy vendors and films set around a relevant theme for the year.

"I wanted to make sure that everybody sees themselves on screen.

That this is not just a place where people come to see films, but they feel like they're part of a community.

And I think all of our festivals do that, but especially QFest."

Emmett has been with Cinema St.

Louis for two years.

The non-profit's main focus is engaging with the St.

Louis community through curated film exhibitions, like QFest, and other educational programs.

It's about creating cinematic experiences that enrich and build local community.

If you have traditionally been pushed to the margins, it can be really isolating.

And to not only come here and be in community and see yourself on screen, and then, you know, for some of our films, we're having conversations after them.

I think that is just so important.

Some people feel like saying, like, a safe space is sort of trite, but it really is, and I think it's okay to acknowledge that.

- That experience of seeing yourself or queer people on the big screen does have an impact.

According to an accelerating acceptance study by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, when non-LGBTQ+ people see queer representation in media, familiarity increases by 34%, and 78% of non-LGBTQ+ Americans do believe everyone should be represented in media.

I've had so many conversations with people who felt seen because they've seen a film here, or we programmed something that they haven't seen before, or they want to be a filmmaker because they are part of our education program or have seen something here.

And sort of helping give people that power, I think it's so important.

I don't like it when people say that we're giving a voice to somebody, because everybody's always had a voice, it's just that not everybody has listened.

And so we are here to do that.

- From June 12th to June 21st, QFES featured nine films, local vendors and more centered around the theme, Out Loud.

A reflection of visibility, resilience and joy at a moment when living openly can still feel like an act of courage.

- You don't have to be LGBTQ to connect with somebody in the film.

A lot of them are just about people's dreams.

A lot of them are about people having rough times and everybody has hard times and everybody has dreams.

And so you'll be able to see yourself on our screens no matter how you identify.