ATLANTA — Aug. 19, 2026 — One of America’s preeminent LGBTQ+ film festivals, the Oscar®-qualifying and USA TODAY “10Best” Out On Film” (#OOF26) invites the community to be part of “The World We’re Making” as the nonprofit festival kicks off its 39th year of bringing the best in LGBTQ+ films, documentaries, and shorts to local, national, and international audiences — in person and via the festival’s virtual platform. Presented by GILEAD, all festival screenings, Q&As, and panels will take place at the historic Landmark Midtown Art Cinema. Passes and tickets are on sale now at festival.outonfilm.org. OOF 2026 Teasers: LINK
Every ticket helps create spaces where LGBTQ+ stories can be seen, celebrated, and shared, and helps build “The World We’re Making.” This year’s theme reflects the power of queer cinema to not only tell our stories, but to help shape the world around us. Every screening, filmmaker, volunteer, audience member, sponsor, and conversation contributes to building a more connected, visible, and inclusive future.
This 39th festival offers a diverse selection that includes 38 features (26 narrative films and 12 documentaries, four of which are streaming-only films); an episode of an upcoming TV series; 108 shorts; three music videos; and five episodics for a total of 155 films. In all, Out On Film will host 10 world premieres, five international premieres, 11 U.S. premieres and more than 20 regional premieres as part of the 2026 festival.
“Coming off of a record-breaking 2025, we are extraordinarily proud to present our largest festival ever, one that shines a spotlight on cinema and voices around the world,” said Out On Film Festival Director Jim Farmer. “It’s also wonderful to be able to offer so many Atlanta-area films and filmmakers, including some exciting world premieres.”
“’The World We’re Making’ feels especially meaningful and empowering right now,” said new Out On Film Executive Director Cindy L. Abel. “We’re not waiting for a better world to be handed to us, we’re building it, frame by frame and story by story, together. There’s something powerful about experiencing these films in a room full of people and discovering the conversations and connections that begin when the credits roll. We hope audiences leave a little more hopeful, a little more connected, and certain that the world worth making is already under construction — right here, right now.”
Out On Film continues to build on its national recognition. Earlier this year, “Two People Exchanging Saliva,” directed by Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh (France/USA), which qualified for Oscar® consideration through Out On Film in 2025, tied for the Academy Award® for Best Live Action Short. The 2025 festival also welcomed more than 17,000 attendees across in-person and virtual programming, featured 155 films, hosted 43 filmmaker conversations and special events, and reached audiences in 254 cities across 13 countries through its virtual platform.
Seven films awarded grants from Out On Film’s Filmmaker Fund are in the line-up, including Charlene Fisk’s “Call and Response” and Hannah Alline’s “Scissors.” Reel Resistance Fellowship (a six-month in partnership with Atlanta Pride) recipient films include Carlo Velayo’s “The Center” and “Beyond The Doors of Club 708.”
OPENING NIGHT — Thursday, Sept. 24, 7 p.m.
EAST COAST PREMIERE
Expected in attendance – writer/director Gary Jaffe and actor Michael Hsu Rosen
Before I Do (U.S., 85 min., Writer/Dir. Gary Jaffe) — The festival’s Opening Night film explores a lakeside bachelor party weekend that devolves into comedic chaos when the groom and his best man’s past romantic feelings reignite, entangling the wedding party in pre-wedding drama. The film stars Cole Doman (“The Mastermind”), Michael Hsu Rosen (“Sex Lives of College Girls”), Nico Greetham (“Love, Victor”), Robin de Jesús (“tick, tick…Boom!”) and Jared Reinfeldt (“Feud: Capote vs. The Swans”). Clip: LINK
CENTERPIECE FILM – Sunday, Sept. 27, 6:15 p.m.
Give Me The Ball! (U.S., 102 min., Dirs. Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff) — Billie Jean King is a global icon whose impact on tennis and equality resonates around the world. But the personal turmoil behind this transformational figure has in many ways remained hidden from view. In “Give Me the Ball!,” we come to understand the sacrifices King was forced to make behind the scenes, even as she fought high-profile battles for the professionalization of her sport and equal treatment for women. From struggling to escape an unhappy marriage and hiding her sexual orientation to facing an eating disorder and staring down misogyny at every turn, her march to triumph was a long and often lonely one. This is a woman whose saga cuts deeper than her victory in the “Battle of the Sexes” showdown, and the film showcases King like the persistent fighter she had to become. Through a trove of rarely seen archival material and powerfully honest interviews with King, this film explores the depths of agony she endured so that others might follow a less painful path. It is the story of selflessness, struggle, and triumph that shines an unforgettable light on a figure who is widely admired but, until now, never properly understood.
CLOSING NIGHT — Sunday, Oct. 4, 6:30 p.m.
La Bola Negra [Spain, 157 min., Dir. Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi)
LOGLINE: A bold tapestry spanning nearly a century of Spanish history, La Bola Negra tells the story of three generations of men whose lives are intimately connected through desire, pain, and love in this celebrated film from Cannes-winning directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi.
SYNOPSIS: From Cannes-winning directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi — known together as Los Javis — La Bola Negra follows three generations of men across pivotal moments in Spanish history, bound by pain, desire, and love. Carlos (Milo Quifes) longs to belong in a fractured Spain. Sebastián (Guitarricadelafuente) finds connection across enemy lines. And Alberto (Carlos González) uncovers a long-buried family secret — one that finally gives voice to truths the past tried to erase. Co-written by Calvo, Ambrossi, and Alberto Conejero, and adapted from Conejero’s play La Piedra Oscura, the film also stars Miguel Bernardeau (Rafael), Goya winner Lola Dueñas (Teresa), Academy Award® winner Penélope Cruz (Nené), Golden Globe winner Glenn Close (Isabelle), and Emmy-nominated Julio Torres (Juan Pablo).
Clip: LINK
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Desert Hearts (U.S., 96 min., Dir. Donna Deitch, set to appear) — Based on Jane Rule’s 1964 novel, Desert Hearts, this romantic drama has become a bonafide lesbian classic. While waiting for her divorce papers, repressed literature professor Vivian Bell (Helen Shaver) finds herself unexpectedly attracted by a carefree, spirited young woman named Cay (Patricia Charbonneau). Trailer: LINK
Tip Toe (U.S., 45 min., Dir. Peter Hoar) — Out On Film is excited to screen the first episode of the upcoming STARZ drama “Tip Toe,” created and written by Russell T Davies (“Queer as Folk,” “It’s a Sin”) and directed by Peter Hoar. Leo (Alan Cumming) and Clive (David Morrissey) have lived next door to each other in Manchester for almost 15 years. Leo runs Spit & Polish, a gay bar, and Clive is an electrician with two teenage sons. But just as life should be settling down for both, the world around them is growing more tense. Words become weapons, opinions become radicalized, and gradually the two neighbors become deadly enemies in a tense, thrilling drama that spotlights the prejudices that have started to creep back into our lives. “Tip Toe” premieres Friday, October 2 on STARZ with new episodes available to stream weekly on Fridays only on the STARZ app, and all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms.
The 2026 Rising Star Award will be presented to actor/singer/director Jelani Alladin. whose short film, “Next Year,” will have its world premiere at the festival. On TV, Alladin starred as ‘Marcus Gaines’ in the acclaimed 2023 miniseries “Fellow Travelers,” as well as ‘Will Campbell’ in “The Walking Dead: World Behind.” In film, he recently starred in “tick, tick…Boom!” and “Strangers On a Beach.” After his memorable performance as the title character in Disney’s “Hercules” at the Public’s Delacorte Theatre, Alladin made his Broadway Debut as ‘Kristoff’ in “Frozen the Musical,” which earned him a Drama Desk and Drama League nomination for his performance.
REEL RESISTANCE FELLOWSHIP SHOWCASE
(in conjunction with Atlanta Pride)
Partnering with Atlanta Pride, the Reel Resistance Fellowship is a six-month program designed to empower LGBTQ+ filmmakers across Georgia to explore and document our community’s rich and complex history through short-form documentaries and narrative films. Each year, up to five filmmakers — emerging or established — will be selected to create 8–10 minute films that spotlight pivotal people, places, and movements that have shaped queer life in Georgia. This project is funded in part by grants from The Community Corps, South Arts, and Larch Creative Fund, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and Georgia Council for the Arts.
- BEYOND THE DOORS OF CLUB 708 (U.S., 11 MIN., DIR. MALACHI “SEVEN” KING)
- EIGHT HEELS AND A HARD TRUTH (U.S., 8 MIN., DIR. AUBRIANNA ESCALERA)
- MEET US AT THE WINECOFF (U.S., 14 MIN., DIR. JESSE GRAINGER)
- THE CENTER (U.S., 10 MIN., DIR. CARLO VELAYO)
- WHEN WE RISE IN THE SOUTH (U.S., 10 MIN., DIR. BRAD BAILEY)
ADDITIONAL FEATURE FILMS
Black Burns Fast (South Africa, 97 min., Dir., Sanduela Asanda) — At a prestigious South African all-girls boarding school, awkward, daydreamy 17-year-old scholarship student Luthando has learned to make herself invisible. The arrival of confident, free-spirited Ayanda draws her into an unfamiliar social world—and a secret romance—forcing Luthando to confront her identity, her sexuality and the expectations that have kept her small. Sandulela Asanda’s warmhearted feature debut is a vibrant, imaginative celebration of queer Black girlhood and the courage to take up space. Trailer: LINK
The Divine Tragedy (Mexico, 101 min., Dir. Sergio Tovar Velarde) — This comedy-drama follows Cristián, a former telenovela actor and refined traditionalist homosexual who must move in with his hedonistic, younger gay half-brother Roy after his wealthy husband of 24-years leaves him. Starring Artús Chávez, Pablo Gómez, and Eduardo España. (In Spanish, with subtitles). Trailer: LINK
Dreamers (U.K., 68 min., Dir. Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor) — Isio, who fled homophobia in Nigeria, is detained and placed in an asylum removal center after living in the U.K. undocumented for two years. Inside she meets Farah, a pragmatic and charismatic roommate who understands the system’s cruelty all too well. As feelings develop and appeals are repeatedly rejected, the pair must decide whether survival means obedience or rewriting the rules. Inspired by writer-director Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor’s (“Blue Story”) own experience, “Dreamers” features astonishing lead performances by Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ (“007 First Light”) and Ann Akinjirin (“I May Destroy You”). Trailer: LINK
SOUTHEASTERN PREMIERE
Ephemera (Singapore, 83 min., Dir. Shan Jiang) — On her last night in Shanghai, Chinese-American actress Asher asks out her hip-hop dance teacher Tori, sparking an electric, city-wide romance that must end by sunrise. It’s a sapphic “Before Sunrise” with tons of charm. (English and Mandarin Chinese, with subtitles). Clip: LINK
Gugu’s World (Brazil, 93 min., Dir. Allan Deberton) — Gugu is an effeminate boy who dreams of becoming a great soccer player. Raised by his grandmother with Alzheimer’s, he will do anything to hide her illness so he won’t have to live with his father, who doesn’t accept him at all. (In Portuguese, with subtitles). Trailer: LINK
U.S. PREMIERE
I Come Home (Canada, 95 min., Dir. Glen Wood) — In Glen Wood’s arresting and complex feature debut, Christine and longtime partner Alex (Carlos Gonzalez-Vio) are finding their way with a younger new partner, Stephane. When Christine discovers she’s unexpectedly pregnant, tensions arise. As they are attending the wedding of Christine’s sister, the throuple must navigate judgmental relatives as well as their own complicated feelings.
In A Whisper (France/Tunisia, 113 min., Dir. Leyla Bouzid) — In this exquisite drama, Lilia returns to Tunisia for her uncle’s funeral and reunites with a family that knows nothing about her life in Paris, especially not about the woman she loves. Determined to confront her family’s secrets as they gather and old friends resurface, Lilia is reminded of why she left Tunisia in the first place and sets out to unravel the mystery of her uncle’s sudden death. Leyla Bouzid crafts an intergenerational tale of tenderness, love and secrets with hints of a detective story and playful formal elements that are peppered into this touching family drama. (In French, with subtitles). Trailer: LINK
WORLD PREMIERE
In Between {U.S./Filmed in Atlanta, 84 min., Dir. Nicholas Molencupp and Juli-Ann De Barros)
When a new romance exposes his deepest insecurities, Nick, a “husky” gay man, must learn that being seen — and staying seen — can be its own kind of love story. Filmed in Atlanta with a local cast, this infectiously entertaining queer romantic dramedy that asks what happens when the person rejecting you is yourself? When Nick finally attracts the British Adonis he’s always wanted — only to be treated as a shameful secret — he must choose between shrinking himself for love or embracing the messy, beautiful work of loving himself first. Trailer: LINK
Ivan & Hadoum (Spain, 100 min., Dir. Ian De La Rosa) — In a greenhouse in southern Spain, Iván, a trans man, falls in love with his newly hired co-worker, migrant Hadoum. But his long-awaited promotion, and the idea of becoming Hadoum’s boss, interferes with their relationship, forcing Iván to decide what kind of person he wants to be. Winner of the Teddy Award for Best Feature at the Berlin International Film Festival. (In Spanish, with subtitles). Trailer: LINK
Loves Company (U.S., 95 min., Dir. Jason Laurits) — After a series of misfortunes, washed-up television “icon” Blake de Troy (Jack Plotnick) — best known for his appearances on the long-off-the-air gameshow “The Hollywood Surprise” — is rescued from a car accident by his biggest (and only living) fan Antoinette Funk (Rachel Dratch). Bedridden in the Everglades swamps, Blake believes that he’s been kidnapped by the sweet-natured but slightly deranged Antoinette. Desperate for a career boost, Blake soon realizes that maybe a kidnapping scandal is just the shameless publicity he’s been looking for. Trailer: LINK
GEORGIA PREMIERE
A Man Walks Down the Street (Israel, 131 min. Dir. Asaf Yecheskel) — This is the story of Raanan, a middle-aged man who, for the first time, faces his internalized homophobia, and tries to make amends with his past. (In Hebrew, with subtitles). Trailer: LINK
Maspalomas (Spain, 115 min., Dir. Aitor Arregi and Jose Mari Goenaga) — Accustomed to enjoying the debaucherous queer enclave of Maspalomas, 76-year-old Vicente (José Ramón Soroiz, who won the Goya Award for Best Actor) finds himself at a crossroads when he must trade the intoxicating pleasures of his Canary Islands retreat for a conservative retirement community. Anchored by a strong central performance, this magnificent drama is a life-affirming, tender portrait of what it means to stand firm in your identity — no matter your circumstances. (In Spanish, with subtitles). Trailer: LINK
On The Road (Mexico, 93 min., Dir. David Pablos) — Veneno, a rebellious young drifter, frequents roadside diners where he sleeps with truck drivers. Urgently needing a ride, he meets Muñeco, a hard-edged driver who keeps to himself. He convinces Muñeco to take him deep into the hyper-masculine world of long-haul trucking across the north of Mexico. As they travel together and an unexpected intimacy builds between them, shadows from Veneno’s past resurface, putting both their lives at risk. (In Spanish, with subtitles). Trailer: LINK
SOUTHEASTERN PREMIERE
Out of the Woods (U.S., 92 min., Dir. Sal Bardo) — Max (the excellent Frances Fisher) is slowly losing her memory. When she reunites with an old friend, Diana, a hidden part of herself is reawakened and she’s forced to choose between spending the precious time she has left with the woman she’s always loved or remaining faithful to her husband in Sal Bardo’s rich feature debut. Trailer: LINK
Madfabulous (U.K., 108 min., Dir. Celyn Jones) — A riotous, uncompromising celebration of otherness inspired by the unlikely British aristocrat who bankrupted his estate, lived fast and died young. The film is inspired by Henry Paget, 5th Marquis of Anglesey, who smashed society’s notions of class, gender and decorum, squandering a multimillion fortune before his untimely death. Callum Scott Howells (“It’s a Sin”) and gay icon Rupert Everett headline the stellar cast. Trailer: LINK
Ride or Die (U.S., 85 min., Dir. Josalynn Smith) — Paula reconnects with her high school crush, Sloane, the summer after college. Sloane seems like a salve to Paula’s summer of discomfort and ennui with her parents. Sharing similar familial issues, Paula and Sloane quickly bond and embark on a road trip from St. Louis, Missouri to California. As their journey progresses, Paula realizes she doesn’t know her dream girl as well as she thought. Clip: LINK
Seventeen (Canada, 89 min., Dir. Justin Ducharme) — Over the course of a single day three urban Indigenous peoples’ lives intersect in the city of Vancouver through chance, relation and the shared experience of familial and colonial displacement.
Skiff (Belgium, 106 min., Dir. Cecili Verheyden) — Fifteen-year-old Malou grows up in a small town with her two brothers and their mother. She excels at the local rowing club, but gets bullied by her teammates. While her mother is trying to start dating again, the one person she can turn to is her older brother Max. But when Malou has a crush on Max’s new girlfriend Nouria, her life is turned upside down. (In French & Flemish, with subtitles). Trailer: LINK
Something You Should Know About Me (U.S., 123 min., Dir. Andy Fidoten) — Executive produced by Lilly Wachowski, this charming, authentic comedy revolves around cartoonist Al, a trans man in love with his best friend, himself a trans man. But a rowdy queer cartoonist camp weekend changes everything for Al in this new film full of queer joy. Clip: LINK
Test (U.S., 113 min., Dir. Sam McConnel) — An amateur bodybuilder in rural Ohio {Brock Yurich (“Stop! That! Train!,” “The Boxer and the Butterfly”), who wrote the film} must confront a dysfunctional family — including his demanding mother played by Emmy Award winner Tammy Blanchard (“Into The Woods,” “The Invitation”), substance abuse, and his own emerging sexuality — on his quest to become a champion. “Glee’s” Matthew Morrison co-stars as a pastor in this riveting new drama. Trailer: LINK
The Red Mask (U.S, 91 min., Dir. Ritesh Gupta) — When outspoken queer screenwriter Allina Green (Helena Howard) is chosen to pen the final installment of the legendary slasher franchise “The Red Mask,” anger, outrage, and online death threats from die-hard fans causes a rift in her relationship with reticent fiancé Deetz (Inanna Sarkis). Desperate for a creative breakthrough, the pair escape to a secluded Airbnb, where Allina concocts a Dangerous Game for the two to play to unlock her writer’s block. But when two uninvited houseguests crash the scene, (Kelli Garner and Jake Abel) the weekend turns dark and a twisted game devolves into a duel to the death. Trailer: LINK
Trial of Hein (Germany, 122 min., Dir. Kai Stänicke) — After 14 years on the mainland, Hein returns to the place he is from — the only village on a remote island in the North Sea. Much to his surprise, the close-knit community no longer recognizes him. Even his childhood friend Friedemann distances himself from Hein, despite their once unbreakable bond. The community convenes a village court to determine whether Hein truly is who he claims to be. On the verge of losing everything, Hein desperately searches for proof to validate his memories — only to realize what he has long refused to see. (In German, with subtitles). Trailer: LINK
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Washed Up (U.S., 85 min., Dir: Isabel Moncloa Daly) — In the seaside village she calls home, Morwenna (Anna Ivankovic) — also known as “Scummy” (a bad Cornish joke) — is reeling from a breakup, navigating the impending sale of her house after the death of her grandfather, and struggling to make ends meet as an artist. In walks Inga (Carys Glynne), a strange fur-clad woman passing through the area. But after an awkward one-night stand, Scummy discovers that Inga isn’t exactly a woman at all: she’s a Selkie, a creature from Celtic mythology who shifts from seal to person by taking their fur coat on and off Soon enough, Scummy is caught up in a whirlwind situationship with someone whose feelings are as fickle as the sea. It’s a kooky, bittersweet tale of learning to let go of the people and places you love most. Trailer: LINK
ADDITIONAL FULL-LENGTH DOCUMENTARIES
Barbara Forever (U.S., 102 min, Dir. Barbara Hammer) — An archive-driven exploration of the life, work, and legacy of iconic, pioneering lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer. Through her own images and words, the film centers Hammer as a prism of the cultural ecosystems around her — through the feminist and queer movements in 1970s San Francisco, the male-dominated New York art world of the 1980s, the New Queer Cinema movement of the 1990s, and expanded LGBTQI+ representation in art and culture in the 2000s. Driven by her canon of over 80 films, a vast collection of unreleased archival materials, “Barbara Forever” tells Hammer’s story through her own voice and visual perspective, making her the expert on her life, vision, and motivations. Trailer: LINK
U.S. PREMIERE
Beyond the Fire: The Life of Japan’s First Pride Parade Pioneer (Japan, 104 min., Dir. Hiroaki Matsuoka) — In 1994, Teishiro Minami launched Japan’s first Pride Parade. He inspired some and infuriated others. Across four years of filming, interviews, and testimony, Minami — now in his nineties — finally looks back at the fights, the fractures, and the victories. One life. One movement’s beginning. The first chapter of Japan’s LGBTQ+ story. (In Japanese, with subtitles). Trailer: LINK
Hunky Jesus (U.S., 85 min., Dir. Jennifer M. Kroot) — Hail Marys! This documentary explores the legacy of the San Francisco chapter of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a global, secular order of queer and trans “nuns” who combat guilt, shame, and exclusion through joy, humor, activism, and irreverence, serving their communities while challenging bigotry and redefining spirituality. A front-row seat awaits at their annual Easter pageant to find San Francisco’s hottest holy figures, enshrining LGBTQ+ rights to boot. Trailer: LINK
Love, Patrick: Nothing Is Impossible (U.S., 90 min., Dir. The Home Brothers) — Created and executive produced by Atlanta’s WCLK 91.9/SiriusXM radio host/entertainment writer Ray Cornelius and Jess Manning, this uplifting documentary uncovers the extraordinary rise of Patrick Kelly, the first American admitted to the Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-à-Porter, and examines how a joyful, southern, black designer reshaped fashion while confronting race, identity, and mortality. Trailer: LINK
SOUTHEASTERN PREMIERE
Mickey & Richard (U.S., 70 min., Dir. Ryan A. White and A.P. Pickle) — An intimate portrait of gay adult film icon Mickey Squires, told in his own words. After a lifetime performing on camera, one of queer pornography’s most iconic figures shares his struggles to find personal acceptance and meaningful human connections through the world of adult entertainment. Filmed on 16mm and constructed from decades of erotic archives, the documentary explores the complications of life in the porn industry, the difficulties of measuring up to our curated selves, and the challenges of queer aging. Trailer: LINK
Mineshaft: The Cruising Murders (U.S., 85 min., Dir. Jeffrey Schwarz) — True crime, moviemaking, and LGBTQ+ resistance collide as Emmy-winning director Jeffrey Schwarz (“I Am Divine,” “Tab Hunter Confidential”) explores the controversy surrounding the making of 1980 thriller “Cruising,” directed by William Friedkin (“The Exorcist”). The film, starring Al Pacino, triggered fierce protests from the LGBTQ+ community for its portrayal of a serial killer targeting gay men in New York’s leather bars. Friedkin drew inspiration from the brutal murder of Variety reporter Addison Verrill, blurring the boundaries between cinematic fiction and real-life tragedy. Clip: LINK
My Brother’s Killer (U.S., 95 min., Dir. Rachel Mason) — Expanding upon the world of documentarian Rachel Mason’s 2019 Netflix hit “Circus of Books,” this new documentary details the remarkable effort by members of the LGBTQ+ community in Los Angeles to solve the 1990 murder of adult film performer Billy London. Following a haunting urban legend that lingered for decades as a cold case, this film reopens the case, uncovers new perspectives and connections, with a startling resolution.
GEORGIA PREMIERE
PUNKIE (U.S., 74 min., Dir. Audrey Olsen) — This jolting documentary is a raw, behind-the-scenes portrait of stand-up comedian and former “Saturday Night Live” star Punkie Johnson, as she battles the chaos of life on the road and fights to protect her authentic artistic voice during a spiraling personal crisis. Trailer: LINK
A Taste of Heaven: The Ecstatic Song & Gospel of Maestro Raymond Anthony Myles (U.S, 80 min., Dir. Leo Sacks) — The documentary follows Raymond from the everyday violence of public housing in New Orleans; to the public schools where he steered countless students away from gangs and drugs and ruined lives; to the Southern churches where he mesmerized the faithful; to the Telluride Bluegrass and Newport Folk festivals where he made new and wonderstruck fans — until his shocking murder in 1998, on the brink of music stardom, and in the projects he could not leave behind. Yet Raymond was more than a maverick musician. He was also highly representative of a vital but scorned minority within the Black church in New Orleans: a queer man who struggled with dogma and Scripture that said, “God’s love does not apply to you.” Trailer: LINK
Time Warp (U.S., 112 min., Dir. Allison Berg) — Lights up on Rock Springs, Wyoming — a dusty boomtown in one of the country’s most conservative states — where 25-year-old Kenny Starling did something audacious: opened the first drag and queer theater company in town. Their debut show? “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Kenny’s mission: to bring queer visibility, joy, and acceptance to the high desert plains. The documentary follows Kenny and his extraordinary cast as they rehearse, discover, and transform—lacing up corsets, stepping into heels, and finding that every performance is equal parts joy and defiance.
Uncle Roy (U.S., 87 min., Dir. Keri Pickett) — To the world, Roy Blakey is “one of the grandfathers of gay photography” and a professional ice skater who amassed the world’s largest collection of theatrical skating memorabilia. But to award-winning filmmaker Keri Pickett, he’s beloved Uncle Roy. Through vivid archival footage and contemporary interviews, Pickett reconstructs her uncle’s remarkable life. But after a health emergency, it becomes a race against time to secure permanent homes for his vast photography archive and over 44,000 items of ice-skating memorabilia. Trailer: LINK
VIRTUAL SCREENINGS
Far From Maine (Denmark, France, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Switzerland, 99 min., Dir. Roy Cohen) — Haunted by the killing of his Palestinian childhood friend and fellow peace activist Aseel Aslih by Israeli police, Israeli filmmaker Roy Cohen creates an intimate cinematic letter across time. Drawing upon Aslih’s evocative teenage writings, Cohen revisits their friendship and searches his late friend’s words for the moral clarity and resilience needed to confront memory, complicity and the devastation unfolding in Israel and Palestine. It’s a deeply personal documentary about friendship, loss and the painful responsibility of looking unflinchingly at one’s own society. Trailer: LINK
Mermaid (Canada, 87 min., Dir. Fia Perera) — Ten-year-old Cassius Daniels knows exactly who she is. The world just hasn’t caught up yet. Since losing her mother — her only ally, the one person who truly saw her — Cass has been drowning in her own life. Her father doesn’t understand her. Her classmates make sure she feels it. When the noise becomes unbearable, she turns to the one place that always made sense: the water. Calm. Quiet. Hers. Until the day she walks in and doesn’t plan to walk back out. Trailer: LINK
Summer Lost (U.S., 82 min., Dir Timothy Hall) — A man attempts to keep his terminal illness a secret while attending a wedding, but an unexpected romance reshapes his future as well as his past. Trailer: LINK
Sunshine Girls (U.S., 95 min., Dir. Madeleine Hicks) — The film follows the story of Elaine Hamilton, a timid woman nearing her 30th birthday who must make the difficult choice between motherhood and medically induced photosynthesis. In a world that is quite literally suffocating, society has become dependent on the oxygen-producing Sunshine Girls to sustain life. Within the confines of this organization (part new-age adult summer camp, part dystopian prison), Elaine learns that falling in love can take your breath away.
SHORT FILM PROGRAMS
Out On Film is happy to present these extraordinary short films from around the world, including projects with Michaela Jae Rodriguez (“Beba From 5-9”), Max Jenkins (“The Waddles”), Karan Soni and Matt Mitchell (the world premiere “Petrichor/Hey Handsome”),and Jelani Alladin (the world premiere “Next Year”).
ANIMATED SHORTS: A WORLD OF IMAGINATION/QUEERLY ANIMATED (RUNNING TIME: 65 MINUTES)
- F***ING WAR (ISRAEL, 6 MIN., DIR. OHAD MANOR) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
- MY NAME IS LILITH (BELGIUM & FRANCE, 14 MIN., DIR. LEOLUNA ROBERT-TOURNEUR)
- BOYGIRL (CANADA, 12 MIN., DIR MICHAL HEUSTON) SOUTHEASTERN PREMIERE
- 2: LOVE (BELGIUM, 11 MIN., DIR. RONNI SHALEV) U.S. PREMIERE
- A DECADE (CANADA, 10 MIN., DIR. WRIK MEAD) WORLD PREMIERE
- MEMORIES OF REDWOODS (U.S., 8 MIN., DIR. ELIZA ZHANG) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
- RAMEN FOR TWO (SPAIN, 4 MIN., DIR. SERGI BARRASSA, LENI LOSANTOS, JUDITH TARRÉS) GEORGIA PREMIERE
AROUND THE WORLD (RUNNING TIME: 98 MINUTES)
- CHEERS, CAMDEN (U.K., 11 MIN, DIR. JOSHUA BLACK) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
- NOT BUILT TO LAST (NETHERLANDS, 20 MIN., DIR. DENIS ARIKAN) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
- SOCKS (NEW ZEALAND, 15 MIN., DIR. TODD KAREHANA) GEORGIA PREMIERE
- FISH AND CHIPS (U.K., 13 MIN., DIR. MACADIE AMOROSO
- RAG DOLLS (MEXICO, 12 MIN., DIR. AMY ADLER) GEORGIA PREMIERE
- OUT OF CHECKLIST (CZECHIA, 26 MIN., DIR. ROMAN NEMEC) GEORGIA PREMIERE
ATLANTA OUT LOUD: LOCAL SHORTS (RUNNING TIME: 86 MINUTES)
- DRAG ME TO CHURCH (U.S., 12 MIN., DIR. ISABELLA SULLIVAN)
- BREATHE (U.S., 13 MIN., DIR. MYA BREYANA MORTON) WORLD PREMIERE
- THE SPECTACULAR GIRLS (U.S., 11 MIN., DIR., GEORGE KOULOURIS) WORLD PREMIERE
- OKAY? (U.S., 13 MIN., DIR. CARRIE MEYER SCHRADER) SOUTHEASTERN PREMIERE
- SHOOK! QUEENS OF THE DEAD (U.S., 35 MIN., DIR. BRIAN REDDY) GEORGIA PREMIERE
DRAMA SHORTS (RUNNING TIME: 94 MINUTES)
- BETWEEN BREATH & SILENCE (U.K., 15 MIN., DIR., NICOLE POTT) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
- HI MOM (U.S., 4 MIN., DIR., SM GOLDBERGER) GEORGIA PREMIERE
- FLY (U.S., 14 MIN., DIR., CARLTON DANIEL)
- GERONTO (U.S., 18 MIN., DIR., MARK PLUCK) SOUTHEASTERN PREMIERE
- ELSEWHERE (U.S., 12 MIN., DIR. BRIAN KEANE)
- SEE YOU TOMORROW TOMORROW TOMORROW (U.S., 15 MIN., DIR., DESDEMONA CHIANG) INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
- NEXT YEAR (U.S., 20 MIN. DIR. GOTO BARRA, PETER DIMARIO) WORLD PREMIERE
HERSTORY (RUNNING TIME: 99 MINUTES)
- LESBIAN MUD WRESTLING (AUSTRALIA, 15 MIN., DIR. KIRSTY WILSON) GEORGIA PREMIERE
- FIND ME IN THE PINES (U.S., 9 MIN., DIR. O.K. KEYES, ALEXIS STRATTON) GEORGIA PREMIERE
- JASMINE THAT BLOOMS IN AUTUMN (INDIA, 15 MIN., DIR. CHANDRADEEP DAS) SOUTHEASTERN PREMIERE
- AS IT SHOULD BE (HONG KONG, 12 MIN., DIR. EDWIN LAI) SOUTHEASTERN PREMIERE
- H.D.I.D.T.B.A.L (U.S., 6 MIN., DIR. KRISTIN MEYER) GEORGIA PREMIERE
- PUSSYCAT PUSSYCAT (U.S., 7 MIN., DIR. NICOLE LIPP)
- CABIN TIME (U.S., 11 MIN, DIR. LINA PATEL) SOUTHEASTERN PREMIERE
- TWO-TOP (U.S., 6 MIN., DIR. FREYA GOLDEN)
- HAIL MAYA (U.S., 16 MIN., DIR. FREDGY NOEL)
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: MORE DOCUMENTARY SHORTS (RUNNING TIME: 102 MINUTES)
- NEVER STAND DOWN THE QURAISHI FAMILY (U.S., 16 MIN., DIR. ELENA CHANG)
- WELCOME TO TOOL SHED (U.S., 22 MIN., DIR. DANIEL TALBOTT & ANDREW KLAUS-VINEYARD) GEORGIA PREMIERE
- THIS IS TEXAS (U.S, 23 MIN. DIR. JOHN-CARLOS ESTRADA, ZAK ZEH)
- BURCU’S ANGELS (CANADA, 20 MIN., DIR. ÖZGUN GUNDU)
- COME ON, BOY (U.S., 20 MIN., DIR. SARAH FLEMING, LAURA JEAN HOCKING) GEORGIA PREMIERE
KIN AND CONNECTION: INTERNATIONAL SHORTS (RUNNING TIME: 110 MINUTES)
- SANDY FANNIES (NORWAY, 14 MIN., DIR. INGRID RUNDE SAXEGAARD)
- PETER (U.K., 11 MIN.,DIR. HANNAH VAN DER WESTHUYSEN)
- YOU AND ME MAKES THREE (U.K., 18 MIN., DIR. EMMALIE EL FADLI)
- SAME TIME, NEXT YEAR? (CANADA, 7 MIN., DIR. ANUSHAY SHEIKH) U.S. PREMIERE
- DIEGO (FRANCE, 25 MIN., DIR. MELISSA RIVEIRA)
- UPON STARVATION (INDIA, 16 MIN., DIR. SAURAV DATTATRAYA MAHIND) GEORGIA PREMIERE
LATINEXCELLENCE: LATINX SHORTS (RUNNING TIME: 96 MINUTES)
- CHULO (PUERTO RICO, 14 MIN., DIR. JOSHUA HERNANDEZ) SOUTHEAST PREMIERE
- GLORIA (U.S.. 25 MIN., DIR. CECILIA ROMO)
- THE GLORIA! PROJECT (U.S., 28 MIN., DIR. KELLY BURKHARDT, KEMAR JEWEL)
- HOLDING YOUR BREATH (SPAIN, 14 MIN., DIR CRISTIAN VALENCIANO)
- WINGS (U.S., 15 MIN., DIR. MARCOS NIEVES)
LOVE, DEATH AND OTHER COMPLICATIONS: NARRATIVE SHORTS (RUNNING TIME: 99 MINUTES)
- CHOKED (U.K., 10 MIN., DIR., TRAVIS ALABANZA) GEORGIA PREMIERE
- FIRST DEATH (U.S,, 25 MIN., DIR., ALYSSA LERNER) SOUTHEASTERN PREMIERE
- THE MOTIVE (U.S., 13 MIN., DIR., JORGE MOLINA)
- EVERYTHING MUST GO (U.S., 15 MIN., DIR. JUDE HOPE HARRIS)
- CALL BACK (U.S., 16 MIN., DIR., MATTHEW PUCCINI)
- “GIRLFRIEND GIRLFRIEND” (U.S.,, 5 MIN., DIR., SARA WERNER} SOUTHEAST PREMIERE
- INSIDE (SPAIN, 15 MIN., DIR., ÁLVARO G. COMPANY, MARIO HERNÁNDEZ) SOUTHEAST PREMIERE
NO STRAIGHT FACES: COMEDY SHORTS (RUNNING TIME: 86 MINUTES)
- THANKS BABS (U.S.,14 MIN., DIR. JEN RAININ, RIVKAH BETH MEDOW)
- ORNITHOMANCY (U.S., 16 MIN, DIR. S. VOLLIE OSBORN)
- FLIGHT RISK (AUSTRALIA, 16 MIN., DIR. MOHAMMAD AWAD)
- THE GUARD (U.K., 10 MIN., DIR. PATRICIA MCCORMICK)
- PERFECT PRINCESS (U.S., 9 MIN., DIR. JAMES KAUTZ) GEORGIA PREMIERE
- THE WADDLES (U.S., 12 MIN., DIR. MAX JENKINS) SOUTHEASTERN PREMIERE
- PUSSYCAT PUSSYCAT (U.S., 7 MIN., DIR NICOLE LIPP)
QUEER CHEMISTRY: ROMANCE BREWING? (RUNNING TIME: 84 MINUTES)
- PETRICHOR (HEY HANDSOME) (U.S., 12 MIN., DIR., MATTHEW GARRETT ALLEN) WORLD PREMIERE
- MAGIC 8 (U.K., 4 MIN., DIR., ROBYN FAYE) GEORGIA PREMIERE
- SWIMMERS (CANADA, 13 MIN., DIR., RYAN NESBITT) U.S. PREMIERE
- EMBRACE (U.S., 9 MIN., DIR., MATTHEW RUSH)
- AN ACT OF LOVE (U.S.,14 MIN, DIR., STEPHAN STELMAN)
- AFFIRMATION (U.S., 10 MIN., DIR., CHRISTOPHER VALLARIO)
- IN THE FLESH (U.S., 15 MIN., DIR., EMILY FRANCES KAPLAN) GEORGIA PREMIERE
QUEER FEAR: HORROR SHORTS (RUNNING TIME: 92 MINUTES)
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- EVERGREEN (U.S., 12 MIN., DIR. LUKE MCCORMICK GARDINER)
- SUCKER (U.S., 12 MIN., DIR. FAE AL-KALAMCHI)
- PLAYTHING (U.S., 13 MIN., DIR. A.B. ALLEN) GEORGIA PREMIERE
- BAD DAD (U.S., 11 MIN., DIR. CHISA HUTCHISON)
- STAY WITH ME ( U.S., 9 MIN., KRISTEN LAFFEY)
- THE INHERITANCE (U.S., 15 MIN., DIR. DESIREE STEWART) U.S. PREMIERE
- THE GHOST AT SKELETON ROCK (U.S., 20 MIN., DIR., BOBBY ABATE) NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
QUEER FREQUENCIES: MUSIC VIDEOS AND EPISODICS (RUNNING TIME: 80 MINUTES)
- KNOCK ME BACK (U.S., 3 MIN., DIR. HARRISON HAFT)
- FIND ANOTHER GIRL TO FIX (U.S., 4 MIN., DIR. JENNIFER KORDAY)
- TRAINING DAY (U.S., 5 MIN., DIR. WILBERTO LUCCI)
- MR. LAVENDER (U.S., 10 MIN., DIR. MASON LEAVER)
- AFTER US (U.S., 25 MIN., DIR. JASE HAL MEETEREN)
- BORN AGAIN (U.S., 33 MIN., DIR. DANIEL TALBOTT)
QUEER GEORGIA PEACHES: LOCAL SHORTS (RUNNING TIME: 92 MINUTES)
- A WESTSIDE LOVE STORY (U.S., 17 MIN., DIR. KERRI GARRETT) SOUTHEASTERN PREMIERE
- TRUE LOVE (U.S., 17 MIN., U.S. DIR. LEANDRO TADASHI)
- MY DEAR WATSON (U.S., 12 MIN., DIR. JACOB MCKEE) GEORGIA PREMIERE
- SCISSORS (U.S., 12 MIN., HANNAH ALLINE)
- LAMB OF GOD (U.S., 20 MIN., DIR. AUDREY DEITZ)
- CALL AND RESPONSE (U.S., 14 MIN., DIR. CHARLENE FISK) WORLD PREMIERE
NO ONE WAY TO BE: NARRATIVE SHORTS (RUNNING TIME: 90 MINUTES)
- CHARLIE IS NOT A BOY (FRANCE, HUNGARY, U.S., 13 MIN., DIR., POL KURUCZ) GEORGIA PREMIERE
- NOT EXACTLY STRANGERS (U.S., 15 MIN., DIR., RYAN ROX)
- FINDING YIYI (U.S., 14 MIN., DIR., KIM CAICEDO) GEORGIA PREMIERE
- TR(ACE)Y (U.S., 9 MIN., DIR., JULIA EDITZ)
- THE MAN IN THE SHOWERS (FRANCE, 14 MIN., DIR., HAKIM ATOUI) SOUTHEASTERN PREMIERE
- WE WILL BE WHO WE ARE (SIERRA LEONE, 16 MIN.,DIR. PRISCILLIA KOUNKOU HOVEYDA)
- THE AUDITION (U.S., 8 MIN., DIR. BRIGID MAHER TARRES)
OUR STORIES, OUR TRUTHS: DOCUMENTARY SHORTS (RUNNING TIME: 84 MINUTES)
- FIGHTING SPACES (U.S., 16 MIN., DIR. PATRICIO MATOS)
- SHELLEY’S LEG (U.S., 17 MIN., DIR. WES HURLEY) GEORGIA PREMIERE
- QUIET ON THE ICE (U.S., 16 MIN., DIR. CONNOR O’KEEFE)
- ONE OF THE GIRLS (U.S., 11 MIN., DIR. ALEXANDRA ROSS CHANDRA)
- SOUTHERN SON SHINE (U.S., 23 MIN., DIR. KEVIN DAPREE ANDERSON)
TRANSFABULOUS: TRANS SHORTS (RUNNING TIME: 112 MINUTES)
- MONES (U.S., 12 MIN., DIR. ZACKARY DRUCKER)
- AMID THE NOISE AND THE HASTE (U.S., 19 MIN DIR. JULIE GOLDSTONE)
- BEBA FROM 5 – 9 (U.S., 14 MIN., DIR. DANO CERNY) GEORGIA PREMIERE
- PERIOD (U.S., 10 MIN., DIR. KAT OLSON) GEORGIA PREMIERE
- LONG AWAY (U.S. 16 MIN, TILLY BRIDGES & SUSAN BRIDGES)
- LIKE STRANGERS (U.S., 14 MIN., DIR. DYLAN LARAY) SOUTHEASTERN PREMIERE
- MACE (U.S., 11 MIN., DIR. BEECHER REUNING)
- TOP (U.S., 15 MIN., JAKE MORGAN-SCHARHON & DANIELLE MORGAN-SCHARHON) GEORGIA PREMIERE
WHAT WE CAN’T HIDE (RUNNING TIME: 99 MINUTES)
- SHE’S NON-BINARY (CANADA, 11 MIN., DIR. JESSE MCLEOD)
- THE UPPER ROOM (U.S., 12 MIN., DIR. JOEL PEREZ)
- JJ (U.S., 17 MIN., MARK THIEDEMAN)
- AN INCLINATION/CLAONDOAH (IRELAND, 13 MIN., DIR. CIARA NÍ É)
- THE LAYOVER (U.S., 13 MIN., DIR., YUCHI CHIU)
- I AM THE PRIZE (U.K., 18 MIN., DIR. SAI KARAN TALWAR)
- MEET FRANKIE (U.K., 14 MIN., DIR. STEVEN KUNIS) INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
THIRD ANNUAL QUEER FILM SUMMIT — PANELS
Panelists To Be Announced
- “PITCH: Making Our Mark”
- “CAST: Populating Our World”
- “DRESS: The World We’re Wearing”
- “CUT: Editing Our World”
- “FEED(back): Finishing Our World”
This year’s “The World We’re Making” art campaign was designed by Out On Film’s graphic designer Alex Watson.
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MEDIA RESOURCES
- Press Assets (Dropbox) — Press release, film stills, key art, trailers, and promotional assets for this announcement
- Out On Film Media Kit — Logos, brand guide, festival photography, and social media toolkit.
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ABOUT OUT ON FILM
Out On Film is Atlanta’s LGBTQ+ film festival and one of the longest-running LGBTQ+ film festivals in the United States. Founded in 1987, Out On Film has grown into a world-renowned nationally recognized festival and year-round cultural organization celebrating queer storytelling through film, education, and community engagement. In addition to its annual festival, the organization presents year-round screenings, filmmaker programs, educational initiatives, and community partnerships. Out On Film is recognized as an Academy Award®-qualifying festival for Best Live Action Short, an Iris Prize Partner Festival, one of MovieMaker Magazine’s “50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee,” and a USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Best Film Festival for four consecutive years. For more information, visit www.outonfilm.org.
ABOUT JIM FARMER (HE/HIM)
FESTIVAL DIRECTOR
Jim Farmer has served as the Festival Director of Out On Film, Atlanta’s LGBTQIA+ film festival, for the last 18 years. He has helped lead the organization to become one of the major LGBTQIA+ film festivals in the country and an Oscar®-qualifying one as well. For the upcoming 2025 festival, Out On Film is also a BAFTA qualifying film festival for the BRITISH SHORT programme. In 2023, Out On Film was named as the top film festival in the nation by the readers of USA Today/10Best.
As a journalist, he has written about queer arts for Southern Voice/The Georgia Voice for the last 26 years. In 2022, he won writing awards from both the NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists, and the National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards (and was nominated for the Online Journalist of the Year Award by the latter). Named as the 2019 Businessman of the Year from the Out Georgia Business Alliance, Farmer has been named to Atlanta Magazine‘s Atlanta 500 Most Powerful City Leaders list from 2020-2026. Jim is also on the board for the Out Georgia Business Alliance and was a 2023 Atlanta Pride Grand Marshall. He lives in Avondale Estates with his husband Craig and dog Asa.
ABOUT CINDY L. ABEL (SHE/HER)
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Cindy L. Abel is a bilingual filmmaker, communications executive, nonprofit leader, and storyteller with more than 25 years of experience helping organizations grow through strategic leadership and compelling communications. She founded Atlantis Moon Productions in 2007, producing documentaries distributed through Apple TV, Prime Video, and PBS that inspire dialogue around social justice and human rights.
Her leadership experience spans nonprofit advocacy, corporate communications, organizational change management, and film production. She has served as co-chair of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, and held leadership positions with Georgia Equality, Stonewall Cincinnati, the Atlanta Film Festival, and Women in Film & Television Atlanta. She has also led communications and change management initiatives for organizations including AHEAD, Cox Automotive, Keurig, Dr. Pepper, and AstraZeneca.
