39th OUTFEST Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Film Festival
AUGUST 13-22, 2021
The world’s leading LGBTQ+ festival will be held August 13-22, 2021 and will return with outdoor events, indoor screenings for vaccinated attendees, and available via streaming for those who wish to experience the festival from their own home.
The festival will kick off opening night for its first ever outdoor gala with Cinespia at Hollywood Forever on August 13, with a screening of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie - a big screen adaptation of the smash hit, award-winning West End musical that will feature in person appearances from Max Harwood, Lauren Patel, and director Jonathan Butterell, as well as Bianca del Rio. The festival will close out at the iconic Orpheum Theatre on August 22 with a screening of Fanny: The Right to Rock - a film about the first female rock band to release an album with a major label- to be followed by a live reunion performance by Fanny.
The nearly 200 hand-picked films represents nearly every genre and includes the voices and stories from the entire rainbow of the queer community including a significant number of first-time directors. The global program slate features over 50 international films and 15 languages representing countries like South Korea, Nigeria, Mexico, Cuba, Palestine, Israel, Brazil, Bulgaria and Croatia. Los Angeles continues to be a trailblazer for multicultural LGBTQIA+ representation in entertainment.
The festival will include seven world premieres across features, U.S narrative, documentary, Platinum, special events, and episodics including the latest creation from the legendary Charles Busch (Psycho Beach Party, Die, Mommie, Die!), The Sixth Reel; U.S. narrative and absurdist comedy, Homebody; Outfest alum Jeffrey Schwarz’s true story of Gloria Swanson’s quest to star in a Sunset Boulevard musical, Boulevard! A Hollywood Story; investigative documentary on Ed Buck, Gemmel and Tim; Lyle Kash’s meta-critique on trans representation, Death and Bowling; portrait of Los Angeles Latina transgender activist, Bamby Salcedo, La Queenciañera; and the Grindr-produced comedy series, Bridesman. Outfest LA will also showcase the international premiere Sediments that centers around six trans women in León for the weekend who explore the land, themselves, and each other.
Centerpiece films will include Tribeca Film Festival prize-winner The Novice (US Centerpiece); a portrait of RuPaul’s Drag Race season one winner BeBe Zahara Benet spanning sixteen years, Being BeBe (Documentary Centerpiece), that will include a special live performance by BeBe; the world premiere of The Sixth Reel (Special Tribute Centerpiece) that will begin with a special memorial tribute to producer and Outfest alum Ash Christian; and Bo McGuire’s Southern drama Socks on Fire (Platinum Centerpiece).
Outfest Los Angeles’ Platinum Section showcases the bold innovators and cutting edge creators of experimental LGBTQ media and performance; this year the lineup includes Sundance hit We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, radical UK doc Rebel Dykes, and a shorts showcase that includes Paul Reubens as a transforming fish in the world premiere of JB Ghuman’s animated The Crown and the Shadow, with additional voice roles played by Geri Halliwell and Tatum O’Neal. These and the many more films in this program hope to expand viewers’ minds and sensibilities around LGBTQIA+ art and culture. The Platinum celebration will culminate in the Platinum Alchemy Party at Bar Franca in downtown Los Angeles, featuring live performances by Aziza Bijoü, Ryan Cassata, Sebastian Lust, and DJ theywept.
The Legacy section will feature screenings of classic LGBTQ feature films, including the world premiere of a new restoration of Maria Maggenti’s 1995 teen romance The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love, completed with Preservation Funding provided by the Sundance Institute; a 15th anniversary screening of the Echo Park-based coming-of-age tale Quinceañera directed by Richard Glatzer & Wash Westmoreland; and the U.S. premiere of 1983’s newly restored Vestida de Azul (Dressed in Blue), a stylish, groundbreaking Spanish doc about the lives of tran sex workers that recently featured memorably in HBOMax’s hit series Veneno.
2021 OUTFEST FULL FESTIVAL LINEUP:
OPENING NIGHT
EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE directed by Jonathan Butterell
Inspired by true events, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is the film adaptation of the awardwinning West End musical about Jamie New (Max Harwood), a teen in a blue-collar English town dreaming of becoming a fierce, proud drag queen. His BFF Pritti (Lauren Patel) and loving mum (Sarah Lancashire) shower him with support as drag legend Miss Loco Chanelle (Richard E. Grant) mentors him toward his stage debut. But it’s not all rainbows for Jamie as his unsupportive dad (Ralph Ineson) and an uninspired career advisor (Sharon Horgan) attempt to rain on his aspirations. In rousing musical numbers, Jamie and his community inspire one another to face adversity and step into the spotlight.
CLOSING NIGHT
FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK directed by Bobbi Jo Hart
Rock out with the groundbreaking Fanny — the first all-female rock band to release an album with a major label.
U.S. CENTERPIECE
THE NOVICE directed by Lauren Hadaway
A college freshman becomes unhinged when her compulsive obsession with climbing the ranks of the varsity rowing team pushes her to the very edge.
DOCUMENTARY CENTERPIECE
BEING BEBE directed by Emily Branham
Shot over a period of 15 years, this intimate portrait captures the incredible rise of the first ever winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race—the legendary BeBe Zahara Benet.
SPECIAL TRIBUTE CENTERPIECE
THE SIXTH REEL (World Premiere) directed by Charles Busch & Carl Andress
When the death of a close friend unearths the long-thought lost final reel of a classic undiscovered film, Jimmy (Charles Busch - Psycho Beach Party and Die, Mommie, Die!) and his social circle of obsessive collectors each concoct wild, underhanded schemes to cash in on a big sale of the film.
U.S. NARRATIVE
ALL BOYS AREN’T BLUE directed by Nathan Hale Williams
Actors Bernard David Jones, Dyllon Burnside, and Thomas Hobson bring to life the words of Black non-binary author George Matthew Johnson’s transparent and sparkling memoir, aided by director Nathan Hale Williams’ visual poetry and vocal work from Jenifer Lewis as Johnson.
FIRSTNESS directed by Brielle Brilliant
A wayward father and his non-binary child each try to bloom in the desert as they both navigate unlikley connections.
HOMEBODY (World Premiere) directed by Joseph Sackett
Nine-year-old Johnny sends his spirit into his babysitter's body in this genderqueer body-transfer absurdist comedy.
LANGUAGE LESSONS directed by Natalie Morales
Adam and Cariño meet when Adam’s husband gifts him Spanish lessons online. After tragedy strikes, their small digital window into one another’s lives begins to widen.
MA BELLE, MY BEAUTY (Online Only) directed by Marion Hill
Sparks fly when Bertie and Lane, two women who were formerly polyamorous lovers, reunite at a secluded farmhouse in the south of France.
POTATO DREAMS OF AMERICA directed by Wes Hurley
Potato, a young gay man, leaves the Soviet Union along with his mother, for a strange and unpredictable new life in America.
SEE YOU THEN directed by Mari Walker
A decade after abruptly breaking up with Naomi, Kris invites her to dinner to catch up on their complicated lives, relationships, and Kris’ transition.
WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING directed by Sean King O’Grady
Trapped with her family for days after a freak storm with no sign of rescue, queer teen Melissa comes to realize that she and her girlfriend may have conjured the untold horrors lurking just outside the door.
INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE
THE BEST FAMILIES directed by Javier Fuentes-León
A birthday dinner hosted by two aristocratic families in Peru turns into all-out class warfare when long-hidden secrets come to the surface.
BOY MEETS BOY directed by Daniel Sánchez
After a night of partying, Harry meets Johannes and spends 15 hours wandering around Berlin, as they begin a journey of romance and self-discovery that could end in heartbreak.
A DISTANT PLACE directed by Kun-Young Park
Jin-woo, a taciturn rancher choosing to live an isolated life in the Korean countryside finds his quiet world turned upside down when an old university friend shows up.
FIREBIRD directed by Peeter Rebane
Based on a true story, a dangerous love triangle takes shape between a young private, a female secretary, and a dashing fighter pilot during the Cold War.
JUMP, DARLING directed by Phil Connell
After a bad breakup, a down-and-out drag queen flees to the countryside to live alongside his sharp-tongued grandmother who finds herself in a state of decline.
KNOCKING (Theatrical Only) directed by Frida Kempff
A Swedish woman looking to make a fresh start hears an ominous knocking noise in her new apartment building, which indicates one thing: someone's here.
LEADING LADIES directed by Ruth Caudeli
Five women reunite for a dinner party where desires are unearthed, secrets are revealed and all is not what it seems. Will these women stay friends or will the secrets divulged tear them apart?
LOVE, SPELLS, AND ALL THAT directed by Ümit Ünal
Eren returns to the tiny Turkish island where she grew up to find her childhood sweetheart, Reyhan. Can they re-capture the love that put a spell on them 20 years ago?
SWEETHEART directed by Marley Morrison
Teenaged AJ ruefully attends a family vacation in Dorset, but the arrival of a lovely young lifeguard challenges her commitment to moodiness.
DOCUMENTARY
BOULEVARD! A HOLLYWOOD STORY (World Premiere) directed by Jeffrey Schwarz
Outfest alum Jeffrey Schwarz’s amazing true story of Gloria Swanson’s attempt to get a musical version of Sunset Boulevard made, and the bizarre love triangle that derailed the whole venture.
CRYSTAL DIARIES directed by Enyce Smith and Gina Lamb
&
GEMMEL AND TIM (World Premiere) directed by Michiel Thomas
Two differing but complementary films examine the deaths of Gemmel Moore and Timothy Michael Dean at the West Hollywood home of businessman and political donor Ed Buck.
EVERYTHING AT ONCE directed by Alberto Fuguet
Erotic photographers Paco and Manolo, a couple of thirty years, reveal their process in which their male subjects bare all and release their inhibitions for their camera.
INVISIBLE directed by T.J. Parsell
Lesbian country music songwriters talk about what it’s been like to write some of country music’s greatest hits, but still not being able to be who they are and acknowledged as queer women.
LADY BUDS directed by Chris J. Russo
Sneak Preview Screening
Six plucky women turn the cannabis industry into a community, following its legalization in California in 2016, and become modern-day pioneers along the way.
MY NAME IS PAULI MURRAY directed by Betsy West and Julie Cohen
Pauli Murray’s many accomplishments and challenges are spelled out in this deep dive into one of the most influential lawyers, activists, and clergypeople in recent history.
NO STRAIGHT LINES: THE RISE OF QUEER COMICS directed by Vivian Kleiman
NO STRAIGHT LINES highlights the careers of five pioneering queer comic artists and the massive ripple their impact made in the community, its history, and its future.
NORTH BY CURRENT by Angelo Madsen Minax
Filmmaker Angelo Madsen Minax confronts family trauma after the unexpected death of his niece in this moving personal essay.
RAW! UNCUT! VIDEO! directed by Alex Clausen and Ryan A. White
Chronicling the legacy of gay porn studio Palm Drive Video, this provocative documentary celebrates the hardcore, blue-collar fetish and kink films released in reaction to the surging AIDS epidemic.
SEDIMENTS (International Premiere) by Adrián Silvestre
Six trans women in León for the weekend explore the land, themselves, and each other, exposing layer after layer of earthen richness.
PLATINUM SECTION
SOCKS ON FIRE directed by Bo McGuire
Platinum Centerpiece
Old family wounds are opened as the filmmaker’s once beloved aunt, now a religious homophobe, endeavors to cast out her gay, drag-queen brother from the family.
Will include a pre-show drag performance emceed by director Bo McGuire
DEATH AND BOWLING (World Premiere) directed by Lyle Kash
In a meta-critique on trans representation, a transgender actor struggles with what it means to be seen after the beloved captain of his lesbian bowling league dies and a mysterious stranger shows up at the funeral.
REBEL DYKES directed by Harri Shanahan and Siân A. Williams
A sexy, gritty, ride through the dyke community of late 1980s London with a rebel band of outcast women depicted through animation, archival footage, and interviews.
WE’RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD’S FAIR directed by Jane Schoenbrun.
Alone in her attic bedroom, teenager Casey becomes immersed in an online role-playing horror game, wherein she begins to document the changes that may or may not be happening to her.
SPECIAL EVENTS
AIDS DIVA: THE LEGEND OF CONNIE NORMAN
Seizing her power as she confronts her mortality, trailblazing trans activist Connie Norman evolves as a voice for the AIDS and queer communities of early 90's Los Angeles.
BALONEY
The men behind San Francisco’s wildly popular gay All-Male Revue reveal all in this look behind the curtain.
**Screening will be accompanied by a live Baloney show and a Q&A moderated by RuPaul’s
Drag Race star BenDeLaCreme!
THE EXTINCTION OF FIREFLIES directed by James Andrew Walsh
When playwright James invites a legendary TV diva, as well as his actor friend, to workshop his new creation over a long weekend, the feedback is unforgettable.
LA QUEENCIAÑERA (World Premiere) directed by Pedro Peira
A portrait of a Los Angeles legend, Latina transgender activist and founder of TransLatin@ Coalition, Bamby Salcedo.
THE LEGEND OF THE UNDERGROUND directed by Giselle Bailey, Nneka Onuorah
(Free Screening)
Several bold and charismatic queer youth in Nigeria fight against anti-LGBTQ laws in this urgent documentary.
PROGNOSIS - NOTES ON LIVING by Debra Chasnoff
When maverick Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Debra Chasnoff is diagnosed with stage-4 cancer, she faces down injustice as she always has: with her camera.
SHIT & CHAMPAGNE directed by D’Arcy Drollinger
San Francisco’s legendary stage show is adapted to the screen with great flourish in this hilarious, over the top, 70s inspired romp.
Everything you’ve heard about it is true! Once you see it, you’ll never be the same! Witness the shocking phenomenon, that is…SHIT & CHAMPAGNE!
THIS IS JESSICA directed by Andrea Meyerson
Jessica Bair, a longtime LGBTQIA+ rights advocate with Human Rights Campaign, shares her struggle to remain in her Mormon faith despite coming out as transgender.
TRANS & NON-BINARY SUMMIT
The 5th Annual Trans & Nonbinary Summit is a celebration of commUNITY, taking place Saturday, August 21st. This year's summit consists of 3 separate back-to-back programs - the summit Keynote Address & "Post-Pose: The Future of Trans & Nonbinary Storytelling" Panel featuring established and emerging trans & nonbinary creators, such as Zackary Drucker and Our Lady J, a Shorts Program highlighting up-and-coming trans & nonbinary filmmakers, and a Table Read premiere of Razor Tongue Season 2 by Rain Valdez, read by a robust cast of trans & nonbinary actors. The summit will culminate with a mixer celebration.
LEGACY
THE INCREDIBLY TRUE ADVENTURES OF TWO GIRLS IN LOVE dir. Maria Maggenti
World Premiere Restoration! Theatrical Only
Laurel Holloman and Nicole Ari Parker starred in this winning 1995 romance, an iconic example of early 1990s queer cinema and indie film, in which working class Randy and popular, affluent Evie navigate the tricky terrain of revealing their new relationship to friends and family. Outfest is proud to present the world premiere of this new restoration, completed with Preservation Funding provided by the Sundance Institute.
QUINCEAÑERA (15th ANNIVERSARY) dirs. Richard Glatzer & Wash Westmoreland
Theatrical Only
As Magdalena's 15th birthday approaches, her simple Echo Park life is complicated by the discovery that she's pregnant. Kicked out of her house, she finds a new family with her great-granduncle and gay cousin.
VESTIDA DE AZUL (DRESSED IN BLUE)
U.S. Restoration Premiere! Theatrical Only
Recently spotlighted in the HBOMax series Veneno, this landmark 1983 Spanish documentary reveals the daily lives of several trans sex workers in Madrid, who candidly discuss their personal experiences and histories.
