Los Angeles’ largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender film festival returns this summer with some 166 movies — and it couldn’t come at a better time.
Outfest Los Angeles, which starts Thursday and runs through July 19, will celebrate its 33rd edition as marriage equality, transgender consciousness and the place of women in film are more a part of the American discussion than ever.
“My goal is, first and foremost, to continue our tradition of bringing Los Angeles and, actually, the world, the best LGBT stories that our filmmakers are making,” says Christopher Racster, a producer and Outfest’s interim executive director. “We are the only film festival at the crossroads of Hollywood and the LGBT community, so we’re uniquely positioned to capture the attention of not just audiences but distributors, the media and other industry executives that will make sure our storytellers continue to grow.”