Eleven days of films. Eleven days of events. Eleven days of creating change. One story at a time. Outfest is the leading LGBTQ+ film festival in the nation championing diverse queer up-and-coming filmmakers. This year, the festival lasted from June 6-16, taking place in the film and TV capital, Hollywood. I was honored to be a part of this change with my short film, Bicultural , selected as a part of the Girls Shorts program. My experience at the festival exceeded my expectations, to say the least.
Outfest did not shy away from spoiling their filmmakers and industry professionals with screenings and networking events every day. It was summer camp with free drinks, food, a refreshing pool party, and - most importantly - provoking stories from around the world. With the central hub at the Directors Guild of America, the environment exuded a warmth of passion and a spirit of acceptance. From the moment you stepped into the lounge or theatre, you knew this was an open space to be everything that you are - whether you identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or straight - it was home away from home.
As a first time attendee, filmmaker, Ella Lentini celebrates how the volunteers and hospitality team were so generous and welcoming; it was like we created this bubble - and in that bubble wed do what we loved. Without the avidly dedicated staff as Lucy Mukerjee-Brown, Director of Programming, and the too many to name team members, OUTfest wouldnt be the largest LGBTQ+ film festival in the nation.
From the overwhelming but inspiring films, ranging from documentaries to features to short films and web series, here are a few highlights of some stories and the filmmakers themselves.
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