Outfest is an

LGBTQ LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, Gay men, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (sexuality and gender), questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, Asexuality, asexual, ...

-oriented nonprofit that produces two

film festival A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theater, cinemas or screening venues, usually annually and in a single city or region. Some film festivals show films outdoors or online. Films may be of recent ...

s, operates a movie streaming platform, and runs educational services for filmmakers in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. Outfest is one of the key partners, alongside the

Frameline Film Festival The Frameline Film Festival (also known as San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival and formerly known as San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival; San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival) is an annual event that ...

, the

New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Film Festival NewFest: The New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Film Festival, put on by NewFest (legal name The New Festival, Inc.), is the largest LGBTQ film festival in the United States and one of the most comprehensive forums of national and inte ...

, and the

Inside Out Film and Video Festival The Inside Out Film and Video Festival (formerly, Inside Out Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival), also known as the Inside Out LGBT or LGBTQ Film Festival, is an annual Canadian film festival, which presents a program of LGBT-related film. Th ...

, in launching the North American Queer Festival Alliance, an initiative to further publicize and promote LGBT film.

History

In 1979, John Ramirez and

Stuart Timmons Stuart Timmons (January 14, 1957 – January 28, 2017) was an American journalist, activist, historian, and award-winning author specializing in LGBT history based in Los Angeles, California. He was the author of ''The Trouble With Harry Hay: Fo ...

, two students at the

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...

(UCLA), founded a gay film festival on campus. By 1982, it had become known as the "Gay and Lesbian Media Festival and Conference." The name was changed to Outfest in 1994. In 1996 Outfest began a relationship with

Sundance A Sun Dance is a Native American ceremony. Sun dance or Sundance may also refer to: Places ;Canada * Sundance, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood * Sundance, Manitoba, a ghost town ;United States * Sundance, New Mexico, a census-designated pl ...

, another film festival. 2004 Was the first year the idea of a queer film festival curating around people of color came about. Outfests then executive Stephen Gutwilig and Kirsten Schaffer are the name behind the idea. In 2005 UCLA Film & Television Archive and Outfest teamed up to save movies and videos made by LGBTQ people. They called this project the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project. Since, Outfest and UCLA have continued to grow their collection making it one of the biggest attainable resources for moving images. In September 2016, Outfest held its first traveling film festival in

Northampton, Massachusetts The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of Northampton (including its outer villages, Florence, Massachusetts, Florence and ...

, at the

Academy of Music Theatre The Academy of Music Theatre is located in and owned by the City of Northampton, Massachusetts. History The Academy of Music was built by Edward H. R. Lyman in 1890. Lyman earned his wealth as a tea and silk merchant. He lived in New York Ci ...

. The 2018 Outfest film festival was held at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles, California. In 2019 the executives of the Outfest film festival decided it was time for a change in location once the Directors Guild of America began renovating. The TCL Chinese Theater also in LA, then became the new home for Outfest film festival. In June 2020, Outfest partnered with Film Independent to launch the United in Pride digital film festival. Outfest was also one of the key partners, alongside the

, the

and the

, in launching the North American Queer Festival Alliance, an initiative to further publicize and promote LGBT film.Jeff Ewing
"Major LGBTQ Film Festivals Partner To Create The ‘North American Queer Festival Alliance’ (NAQFA)"
''

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...

'', June 17, 2020. In January 2022, Outfest celebrated its 26th queer brunch at Sundance.

Programs

* Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival – Eleven days of world-class films, discussions and parties. Founded in 1982. * Outfest Fusion QTBIPOC Film Festival – A multi-week celebration of feature and short films, workshops and panels, and parties which center the spectrum of QTBIPOC stories and experiences. Founded in 2003. * Outfest UCLA Legacy Project – The only program in the world dedicated to protecting LGBTQ+ films for future generations. * Outfest Forward – Developing the next generation of artists and filmmakers through education and mentoring * The Outfest Legacy Awards -- Awards ceremony that highlights and congratulates LGBTQIA+ achievers in the industry

Initiatives

Youth Outfest supports youth through education, mentoring and access to meaningful LGBTQ stories. It also includes: * Free memberships to youth age 21 years and younger * OutSet: The Young Filmmakers Project a Collaboration between Outfest and Los Angeles LGBT center. Lasting half a year filmmakers create their own short films. * Emerging Leaders Council Alumni Outfest promotes works by its alumni and encourages them to help educate new and upcoming filmmakers.

Awards

Outfest Los Angeles gives annual awards in 16 categories. Awards are given by Grand Juries, festival audiences and the Programming Committees. Jury awards are given for: * US Narrative Feature * International Feature * Screenwriting * Performance in a Feature Film * Documentary Feature Audience Awards are given for: * First Narrative Feature * Narrative Feature * Documentary Feature * Narrative Short Film * Documentary Short Film Programming awards are given for: * Freedom Award * Outstanding Emerging Talent * Outstanding Artistic Achievement Outfest also presents the Outfest Legacy Awards every fall.

References

External links

*
Outfest UCLA Legacy Project
at

UCLA Film & Television Archive The UCLA Film & Television Archive is a visual arts organization focused on the preservation, study, and appreciation of film and television, based at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). As a nonprofit exhibition venue, the archive ...