Outfest


Outfest is an LGBT-oriented film showcase and festival in Los Angeles. Outfest is a leading LGBTQ+ organization with a stated mission of promoting equality by creating, sharing and protecting LGBTQ+ stories on the screen. Outfest is the first and only one Oscar/ Academy awards qualifying LGBTQ+ film festival in the world.

History

In 1979, John Ramirez and Stuart Timmons, two students at the University of California, Los Angeles 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 September 2016, Outfest held its first traveling film festival in Northampton, Massachusetts at the Academy of Music Theatre.
In June 2020, Outfest inaugural joined in Pride Digital Film Festival opens in collaboration with Project Include through Film Independent. The festival 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.

Programs

Youth
Outfest supports youth through education, mentoring and access to meaningful LGBT stories
Alumni
The Outfest Alumni program is committed to the continued support and growth of our 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:
Audience awards are given for:
Programs awards are given for:
Outfest also presents the Outfest Achievement Award, the Outfest Honors, the Outfest Screenwriting Lab Award and the Screen Idol Award.