Its been 17 years since UCLA Film & Television Archive partnered with Outfest to create the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project for LGBT Moving Image Preservation. This essential development was formed to confront the fact that historically queer cinema and related moving images documenting the LGBTQ+ community have been tragically underseen and woefully under-cared for by mainstream society at large.
The Project is committed to sharing LGBTQ+ moving images in order to bring diverse communities together to discuss differing, often radical explorations of sexual orientation and gender identity, From this shared vision the Pioneers of Queer Cinema program was conceived with the hope to introduce and reacquaint audiences with landmark queer works and their makers while inspiring new conversations and renewed action surrounding the complex obstacles LGBTQ+ communities continue to face.
It is a queer cineaste (and historian) dream project and the reason we so wish we could be in LA. Screening across 12 nights starting on Jan. 7, “Pioneers of Queer Cinema” will showcase 33(!) landmark LGBTQ+ works and their makers, with in-person guests including filmmakers Donna Deitch, Arthur Dong, Zackary Drucker, Rob Epstein, Jennie Livingston, Jenni Olson, Jan Oxenberg, Peggy Rajski and Gus Van Sant!
January 7, 2022 - February 27, 2022 Billy Wilder Theater
