For more than four decades Outfest has been telling LGBTQ+ stories through the thousands of films screened during its annual Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Film Festival, which takes place over two weeks during the summer in various venues throughout the city.
But the nonprofit went through a financial disaster last year that resulted in the pause of all Outfest programming and the subsequent layoff of the approximately 20-person staff at the Los Angeles-based nonprofit. However, city’s predominant LGBTQ+ film festival could still come back this year, albeit in a much different and more than likely smaller version.
“Today, we are taking a look at how we get back to our mission and assure that we mount some of our core programming this year. And it won’t look like a traditional year for Outfest, but we want to make sure that we continue to play our irreplaceable role in the creative community,” said Christopher Racster, who took over as interim executive director late last year and is the organization’s current sole employee.
Outfest was launched in 1982 by UCLA grad students and grew to include various programs to help develop filmmakers, as well as a Legacy Awards Series and the Fusion QTBIPOC Film Festival, which focuses on people of color. Its flagship event, the Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Film Festival, is made up of about 200 or so films and includes various parties, panel discussions and other events. The film festival has become an event that amplifies queer and transgender stories, while creating a sense of community and serving as a launching pad for young filmmakers whose voices may have not otherwise been heard.
For those reasons, Racster said it’s crucial for the festival to take place in whatever form is possible this year.
“We won’t have a traditional Outfest Los Angeles Film Festival, there’s no way we could mount that right now given current financial conditions,” he said.
“But we will have and are working with community members to…
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