Outfest Fusion QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) Film Festival is here! Presented by Comcast NBCUniversal, the organization recently unveiled its list of productions showcasing the lives of queer, trans, Black, Indigenous, and people of color.
From April 16 to 20, the festival offers 10 feature films, 41 short films, a one-minute movie contest sponsored by Hyundai, two drive-in experiences at Los Angeles's Exposition Park, and a dozen workshops and panels for filmmakers and the general public.
Not only does the festival bring much-needed visibility to marginalized filmmakers, but it is also a platform to show off their amazing work. This year, audiences have to option to stream the event on-demand for $10 each or enjoy it in full with a festival pass.
Check out a full list of the features and short films available at the 2021 Outfest Fusion Film Festival below!
All Boys Aren’t Blue
Directed by Nathan Hale Williams
Summary: Actors Bernard David Jones, Dyllon Burnside, Thomas Hobson, and Jenifer Lewis 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 the film tackles issues of Black masculinity and Black queerness. Each character represents Johnson at different stages of their life and chronicles their story of growing up and challenging gender identity norms, as well as learning to adapt to HIV/AIDS.
Caught (Caer)
Directed by Nicola Mai
Summary: In this innovative blend of documentary and fiction, Rosa and Paloma, two trans Latina sex workers in Queens, New York, fight transphobic violence, persecution from the police, and defend their cases of trafficking in an increasingly anti-migration political environment in the U.S. Written, produced, and edited in collaboration with the TRANSgrediendo Intercultural Collective (whose members also star), a grassroots nonprofit organization defending the rights of transgender Latina migrant women.
Chosen Fam
Directed by Natalie Tsui, Lindsay Sunada
Summary: In season one, an indie rock band surmounts personal drama to land the gig of the century.
Crystal Diaries
Directed by Enyce Smith, Gina Lamb
Summary: Five members of the Los Angeles LGBTQ+ House & Ball Community share intimate stories of their experiences with methamphetamine addiction in response to the death of Ballroom community member Gemmel Moore, who died in the home of Democratic political fundraiser Ed Buck. What results is a stirring portrait of a community banding together to heal and support, to create awareness, and to protest the justice system’s response to Moore’s death.
Forgotten Roads (La Nave Del Olvido)
Directed by Nicol Ruiz Benavides
Summary: Claudina is a repressed woman from the countryside. Following the death of her husband, she meets Elsa, who opens Claudina’s eyes to the possibility of real love. However, under the judgment of a conservative town in the south of Chile, Claudina begins a journey toward queer self-acceptance. But she soon learns true happiness requires leaving everything she knows behind.
Kapana
Directed by Philippe Talavera
Summary: In the first gay love story out of Namibia, George, a middle-class insurance broker, lives openly and with acceptance from his family, while his new boyfriend remains in the closet. But, he is gnawed at by traditions of masculinity and the desire for acceptance from his peers. In a country where same-sex relationships are still criminalized, the men begin a romance that challenges them to shed societal expectations to truly flourish.
Ma Belle, My Beauty
Directed by Marion Hill
Summary: In Marion Hill’s Sundance hit, passions and jealousies are reignited when Bertie and Lane, two women who were formerly polyamorous lovers, reunite at a gorgeous country villa in the south of France. To help Bertie with a creative roadblock, her husband Fred secretly invites Lane to stay with them — a not-so-pleasant surprise for Bertie. But, old resentments, simmering tension, and sexual chemistry combine into an explosive reunion. Despite this, the reunion examines the issues that arise in a non-traditional relationship.
Nowhere (La Cuarta)
Directed by David Salazar, Francisco Salazar
Summary: Adrian and Sebastian, are a Colombian couple living together in New York City. They are on the fast track to professional and romantic success. But when Sebastian is faced with immigration complications, his status in the U.S. may rely on help from Adrian’s family back in Colombia — who do not know Adrian is gay. Fearing rejection from his family, but at risk of losing Sebastian forever. As a result, Adrian must choose which path to take.
See You Then
Directed by Mari Walker
Summary: A decade after abruptly breaking up with Naomi, Kris invites her to dinner to catch up on their complicated lives, relationships, and Kris’ transition. Over the course of a one-night encounter, they engage in a series of increasingly intimate and vulnerable conversations. Shortly after, a shocking revelation is unveiled. Above all, Walker’s debut shows no matter how much you change, a part of you will always stay the same.
Summertime
Directed by Carlos Lopez Estrada
Summary: Over the course of a hot summer day in Los Angeles, the lives of 25 young Angelenos intersect. However, through poetry, they express life, love, heartache, family, home, and fear. But one just wants to find someplace that serves good cheeseburgers.
Unapologetic
Directed by Ashley O’Shay
Summary: After two police killings, Black millennial organizers challenge a Chicago administration complicit in state violence against its Black residents. This deep look into the Movement for Black Lives is told through Janaé and Bella. The two fierce, queer-identified abolitionist leaders, from the police murder of Rekia Boyd to the election of mayor Lori Lightfoot.