The Outfest Fusion QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous People of Color). Film Festival was born in 2004 out of a grassroots movement by Outfest alumni filmmakers to promote social change through the power of film. Over the past 19 years, Fusion has established itself as a leading force continuing to bring the city’s multicultural communities together to center LGBTQIA+ people of color and provide a platform to amplify our voices.

The mission of Outfest Fusion is not only to amplify these voices but also to provide access and resources specific to the needs of the QTBIPOC community. The programming at Outfest Fusion exists to directly close and challenge the systemic access gap for LGBTQIA+ people of color.

The Outfest Fusion QTBIPOC Film Festival will celebrate its 20th edition in Los Angeles from March 24th through April 2nd, 2023, and here are a few of

 

QUEERGURU’S TOP PICKS OF MUST SEE MOVIES

 

 

THE STROLL was recently the Opening Night Gala Film at London’s BFI Flare Film Fest, and Andrew Hebden, one of our Contributing Editors raved about it.  ‘The Stroll’ refers to that space unique to the LGBTQ+ community’s history. If you were too young to get into a gay bar, too queer to be accepted at home, too non-conforming to get traditional paid work, and therefore too poor to get by, then there was The Stroll. That geographical space where the LGBTQ+ community, particularly the trans community of color, hustled off the boundaries of legality to make money through sex work.

Kristen Lovell and Zackary Drucker ‘s compelling doc literally blew minds away in London …. we think other audiences will fill the same.

 

 

Little Richard : I Am Everything  It’s completely impossible not to be swept away by filmmaker Lisa Cortes’s enthusiastic admiration for Little Richard the undisputed King of Rock’ n Roll (the title that Elvis mistakenly thought was his).  Little R is a charismatic fireball whose roller coaster life on and off the stage had so many highs before it reverted back to being a convoluted mess again.  He was a troubled genius who was so good at liberating other people by example but he could never liberate himself.

This long overdue documentary  will make you fall in love with this unlikely Queer icon with the same passion as  the likes of his major fans such as Mike Jagger, David Bowie, Paul McCartney  etc

 

 

 

 

The fact that KENYATTA DO NOT WAIT FOR YOUR TURN  about the Campaign for a seat in the US Senate by Malcolm Kenyetta a black gay man has its World Premiere at the BFI Flare in London speaks volumes. The need for LGBTQ+ communities around the world to have their own representation in these troubled times is a crucial common need. Kenyatta is a natural-born leader and a queer icon, I’m sure he won’t have to wait much longer for his next turn

 

 

 

Summer With Hope : This sophomore feature film from Iranian/Canadian filmmaker  Sadaf Foroughi about a teenage swimmer trying to qualify for a national tournament is sometimes a tad difficult to follow.  However, this elegant and tragic tale is enmeshed in the social codes of modern Iran, and your patience is well rewarded. Queer Iranian films are few and far in between (the last one we reviewed was Circumstance in 2011) let’s hope the success of this one will encourage others 

 

 

 

Although there has been a noticeable increase in the success of Asian/American films (think Everyone Everywhere All at Once) hardly any have featured the Hmong community.  It is at the forefront of The Harvest written by and starring Doua Moua when he is forced to return home to deal with his stubborn ailing father,  It’s a far cry from his openly gay life in San Francisco so he is faced with the dilemma of having to accept the cultural obligation of his family or be true to his real identity

 

One of the (many) things we love and admire about OUTFEST FUSION  is that the programmers provide a showcase for a wealth of short films that deserve to find an audience.  Most LGBTQ_ Film Fests provide similar platforms, but none do so in the depth that Outfest Fusion does.

Be sure to check out the 15 Short Programs ….. it we had to pick a favorite it would be the group called I WANT TO BE ADORED.    It includes Imran and Alykhan by student filmmaker  Shakil Jessa and is a charming story of two teenage Moslem boys who discover their own sexuality when they meet each other. 

 

 

OUTFEST FUSION Film Fest  will begin on 3/24 
and end on 4/2. To see the whole program and 
book tickets check out  

https://www.outfestfusion.com/


for full reviews on over 1500 queer films check out 
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