Outfest

Outfest is an LGBTQ-oriented nonprofit that produces two film festivals, operates a movie streaming platform, and runs educational services for filmmakers in Los Angeles. Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival is an Oscar/Academy awards qualifying LGBTQ+ film festival.

For the Philadelphia LGBT street festival, see OutFest Philadelphia.

Outfest
LocationLos Angeles, United States
Founded1982
Founded byJohn Ramirez
Stuart Timmons
LanguageEnglish
Websiteoutfest.org

History

In 1979, John Ramirez and Stuart Timmons, two students at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) founded a gay film festival on campus.[1] By 1982, it had become known as the "Gay and Lesbian Media Festival and Conference". The name was changed to Outfest in 1994.[2][3]

In September 2016, Outfest held its first traveling film festival in Northampton, Massachusetts, at the Academy of Music Theatre.

In June 2020, Outfest partnered with Film Independent to launch the United in Pride digital film festival.[4] Outfest was also one of the key partners, alongside the Frameline Film Festival, the New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Film Festival and the Inside Out Film and Video Festival, in launching the North American Queer Festival Alliance, an initiative to further publicize and promote LGBT film.[5]

Programs
  • Outfest Los Angeles LGBT Film Festival – Eleven days of world-class films, discussions and parties.
  • Outfest Fusion LGBT People of Color Film Festival – Spotlighting the diversity of the LGBT community.
  • Outfest UCLA LegacyProject – The only program in the world dedicated to protecting LGBT films for future generations.
  • Outfest Forward – Developing the next generation of artists and filmmakers through education and mentoring.

Initiatives

Youth

Outfest supports youth through education, mentoring and access to meaningful LGBT stories

  • Free memberships to youth age 21 years and younger
  • OutSet: The Young Filmmakers Project a Collaboration between Outfest and LifeWorks
  • Emerging Leaders Council

Alumni

Outfest promotes works by its alumni and encourages them to help educate new and upcoming filmmakers.

Outie awards

Outfest gives annual "Outie" awards in 16 categories. Awards are given by grand juries, festival audiences and the Program Committees. Jury awards are given for:

  • US Narrative Feature
  • Screenwriting
  • Actor in a Feature Film
  • Actress in a Feature Film
  • International Feature
  • Documentary Feature

Audience awards are given for:

  • First Narrative Feature
  • Narrative Feature
  • Lesbian Narrative Feature
  • Documentary Feature
  • Narrative Short Film
  • Documentary Short Film
  • Soundtrack

Programs awards are given for:

  • Freedom Award
  • Outstanding Emerging Talent
  • Outstanding Artistic Achievement

Outfest also presents the Outfest Achievement Award, the Outfest Honors, the Outfest Screenwriting Lab Award and the Screen Idol Award.

See also

References
  1. "Our History". UCLA Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Campus Resource Center. UCLA. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  2. Susan King (July 7, 2011). "Outfest 2011 film festival to open Thursday in Los Angeles". Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  3. Mark Olsen (July 5, 2009). "At Outfest, redefining gay film". Retrieved March 22, 2012.
  4. "Outfest Partners With Film Independent's Project Involve To Launch Inaugural UNITED IN PRIDE". broadway world. June 11, 2020. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  5. Jeff Ewing, "Major LGBTQ Film Festivals Partner To Create The ‘North American Queer Festival Alliance’ (NAQFA)". Forbes, June 17, 2020.
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