
“Studio54,” a documentary about the iconic New York disco is one of the films that will be screened at Outfest. From left to right: Liza Minelli, Bianca Jagger, Andy Warhol, and Halston hold court at Studio 54. Photo: Adam Schull.
HOLLYWOOD — Outfest opens tonight and closes July 22.
Here are five things you need to know.
What is Outfest?
Outfest is Los Angeles’ largest and longest running queer film festival. It includes 11 days of film screenings, panels, and parties. In a larger context, Outfest is a non-profit group founded by UCLA students in 1982. It promotes itself as “the world’s leading organization that promotes equality by creating, sharing, and protecting LGBT stories on the screen. Outfest builds community by connecting diverse populations to discover, discuss and celebrate stories of LGBT lives.” In its 36 years, Outfest educated and mentored hundreds of emerging filmmakers and protected more than 35,000 LGBT films and videos.
Where can I see the movies?
The films will be screened at the Directors Guild of America and various venues across Los Angeles, Hollywood, and Beverly Hills.
Where can I park?
Here’s a list of venues, maps, and parking.

“The Miseducation of Cameron Post” is one of the films that will be screened at Outfest. Photo: Garineh Nazarian
How many queer films?
Outfest includes 221 movies, and ⅔ of the festival content is directed by women, people of color and trans filmmakers. The categories include galas films, documentaries, feature narratives, Latin American shorts, and Queeroes.
The festival will include a dedicated Episodic Programs section that will spotlight queer series.
Also, a Focus on Taiwan series will highlight LGBTQ films from Taiwan. The Taiwan Ministry of Culture is a partner in Outfest.
Where can I buy Outfest tickets?
Tickets can be purchased at outfest.org.