HOLLYWOOD — Outfest Fusion kicks off its 15th year Friday.
The five-day film festival focuses on telling the stories of queer people of color with screenings, filmmaker Q&As, workshops, and networking events at the Egyptian Theatre and other locations throughout Los Angeles.
“It is the power of our stories which create spaces for understanding, open dialogs, and enlighten each other to the universalities that make us human while celebrating those aspects that make us unique,” Outfest Executive Director Christopher Racster said in a statement.
Tickets are required for all events and are available on the Outfest Fusion website.
Here are some festival highlights.
FRIDAY
- Opening Night
The festival kicks off with the Fusion Gala at the Egyptian Theatre with a series of shorts celebrating intersectionality in the LGBTQ community and a screening of the documentary “Boys For Sale,” which lifts the curtain on male sex workers in Tokyo’s underground.
Rapper-performance artist Mykki Blanco will perform at the gala after party.
The documentary “Mr Gay Syria,” which follows the struggles of two gay Syrian refugees, will be shown at Outfest Fusion Saturday. Photo: Ayse Toprak & Taskovski Films
SATURDAY
An afternoon of three workshops at Mi Centro will focus on finding the right creative partner, feminist collaboration, and working with actors.
Screenings at the Egyptian Theatre and TCL Chinese 6 will include a biopic on Venezuela’s first transgender politician, Tamara Adrián; the Sundance Film Festival favorite “White Rabbit”; and the Los Angeles premiere of “Mr Gay Syria,” a documentary following the struggles of two gay Syrian refugees.
SUNDAY
- Workshops
More workshops, this time at the Egyptian Theatre and The Underground Museum, will explore pitching ideas, making a movie with a smartphone, and making a web series.
- Screenings
Numerous shorts at the Egyptian Theatre and TCL Chinese 6 and the U.S. premiere of “Shakedown,” a documentary about three women who work at Shakedown, an underground Los Angeles striptease dance party run by and for black lesbians.
MONDAY
A workshop at Mi Centro about how to take a great idea or story and translate it into film.
A collection of Latino shorts, including a episode of “Undocumented Tales” will be shown at La Plaza de la Raza.
TUESDAY
Fusion’s free closing night party will take place at the California African American Museum.
