Gay by Nature

Gay by Nature (2026)



10.0 2026 21 min Austria

Director: Isa Schieche

Cast: Helen Weber, Isa Schieche

Romance Science Fiction
In a not-so-distant tomorrow, a pair of sapphic cat-human hybrids escape their confined habitat and set off across the globe. It’s a wild, queer, post-human odyssey where peering through (human) cat-eye slits becomes the gateway to standing up against fascism.

More About This Film

Gay by Nature is an Austrian short film set in a dystopian future where two lesbian cat-human hybrids escape from an enclosure and begin exploring the outside world. The film turns its speculative premise into a playful and provocative examination of freedom, identity, sexuality, and resistance.

Isa Schieche and Helen Weber direct the 21-minute work, which combines experimental imagery, electronic music, queer performance, and posthumanist ideas. The characters Lore and Mauz move through a strange future in which their very existence challenges the social order around them.

  • Isa Schieche and Helen Weber co-directed the film.
  • Isa Schieche wrote the screenplay, while both directors appear in the cast.
  • The film premiered at Diagonale 2026 in Graz.
  • It received the Crossing Europe Award for Local Artist in 2026.
  • The production was supported by BMWKMS – Arts and Culture and runs approximately 21 minutes.

Where to Watch

Gay by Nature is primarily circulating through European film festivals and curated short-film programs, with online availability dependent on the filmmakers and festival partners.