28 Must-See Films in Outfest Fusion

Outfest is known internationally for its annual film festival in Los Angeles, which screens movies about the LGBT experience. Dedicated to preserving and promoting moving images that move the needle for diversity, the organization also hosts Outfest Fusion. Although smaller in scale, the festival is grander in ambition. From March 4 to 16 at Hollywood's Egyptian Theatre, the event will screen works made by and showcasing LGBT people of color, which, as evidenced by this year’s Oscars, is needed more than ever. Take a look at this year’s offerings, and don’t miss a full schedule of panels and events at Outfest.org. Images and descriptions courtesy of Outfest. 

Friday, March 4, 7:00 p.m. & Saturday March 5, 1:00 p.m.

Cheryl (writer/director Dunye), a twenty-something black lesbian, makes a documentary about a beautiful film actress identified only as “The Watermelon Woman.” Delving into the project, Cheryl explores a budding love affair with Diana (Guinevere Turner), and contemplates the complexities of race, gender, and romance in the ‘90s. Notably the first feature film directed by an African-American lesbian, The Watermelon Woman was celebrated at the 1996 Berlin Film Festival where it won the prestigious Teddy Award. In honor of its 20th anniversary, the festival presents new digital restoration from the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project and 13th Gen. Buy tickets here. 

Friday, March 4, 7:15 p.m.

Making its world premiere at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, First Nations director Adam Garnet Jones’s feature film debut introduces us to Shane, a Two Spirited Anishinaabe teen. He lives in an aboriginal community in Northern Ontario with his mother Jackie who, six weeks after her daughter’s suicide, is still unable to move on, mired in the past. Conversely, Shane immerses himself in the future, planning his escape from a town riddled with unemployment, alcoholism, homophobia, and sexual and domestic violence. When his opportunity for college is put in jeopardy, Shane’s ensuing decisions force him and those around him to come to terms with longstanding hidden truths the present cannot deny. Buy tickets here.

Friday, March 4, 9:15 p.m.

A powerful discussion of cultural identity, these six films explore the unique challenges queer people of color face in balancing the responsibility of honoring our family’s heritage while also living our truth. Buy tickets here.

Made of Sugar - (Pictured above) A nostalgic portrait of a Cuban-American family’s evolving cultural heritage.

Papa Rainbow - Noted gay Chinese director Fan Popo gives us a sneak peek of his new project Papa Rainbow, the follow up to 2014’s award-winning doc Mama Rainbow.

BrocKINGton - An intimate film about the struggles of being a teenage transman, BrocKINGton won the Best Documentary Short prize at Newfest in 2015.

Poshida: Hidden LGBT Pakistan - A groundbreaking look at the hidden LGBT population of Pakistan.

Gaysians - Five queer and trans Asian-Americans from the NYC area explore their relationships with their family and culture in this illuminating patchwork documentary.

Libertad - The story of Alejandra, who always knew deep down inside that she was a chola, not a cholo.

Friday, March 4, 9:30 p.m.

Fresh from its North American premiere at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, this visually stunning erotic drama follows a young man (Hins) who finds himself unexpectedly attracted to his handsome, outspoken male professor (Ming). Despite — or perhaps because of — his conservative upbringing, Hins is intent on getting close enough to Ming to understand him. It’s an experience that transforms his life and comes to define his adult identity. Utopians features nudity and explicit sex. Buy tickets here.

Saturday, March 5, 1:15 p.m.

Throughout the legacy of oppression faced by African-Americans, the church has traditionally served as the pillar of the black community. The birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement, the black church has been a house of tolerance and change. Yet, while the U.S. government begins to recognize the civil rights of LGBT citizens through legislation, the black church continues to condemn them through literal interpretations of scripture. Nominated for a GLAAD award for Outstanding Digital Journalism, this emotionally compelling documentary from director Clay Cane and BET, Holler If You Hear Me confronts the conflict of queer black Christians. Followed by an enlightening post-screening discussion about the intersections of gender identity, sexual orientation, and faith.

Saturday, March 5, 1:15 p.m.

A dishonorably discharged World War II nurse, stricken by grief and crippling dementia, seeks out her beloved for one last dance. Prudence was produced through OutSet: The Young Filmmakers Project from the Los Angeles LGBT Center and Outfest. Created to empower and educate LGBT young people to tell their stories through film, this five-month filmmaking lab is led by industry professionals and mentored by Outfest alumni. Fellows: Angela Jude, Diana McFadzean, Lauren Mok. Mentors: Jett Garrison and Tina Scorzafava. Buy tickets here.

Saturday, March 5, 2:30 p.m.

The socially impactful and sexy salon gatherings of the Harlem Renaissance were conceived by queer women of color as sacred spaces for expression, discussion, and community building. Picking up the torch, The Revival is a travelling salon-style performance art show featuring the work of four young, gifted, black and queer women. This engaging documentary follows singer/songwriter Be Steadwell, poets T’ai Freedom Ford and Jonquille Rice, and poet/founder Jade Foster through a seven-date tour across the U.S. — in a minivan — as they share themselves with audiences in an honest and inspirational story told by director Sekiya Dorsett. Buy tickets here.

Saturday, March 5, 2:30 p.m.

Spare Parts was produced through OutSet: The Young Filmmakers Project from the Los Angeles LGBT Center and Outfest. Created to empower and educate LGBT young people to tell their stories through film, this five-month filmmaking lab is led by industry professionals and mentored by Outfest alumni. Fellows: Yasmin Al-Manaseer, Arielle Saturné, David Victorino. Mentor: Andrew Ahn. Buy tickets here.

Saturday, March 5, 3 p.m.

Jake Witzenfeld’s Oriented explores the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through an intimate, distinctly queer lens. The film follows three gay Palestinians living in Tel-Aviv, as they seek sexual freedom in a place that embraces their queerness but challenges their strong Arab identities. Witzenfeld embeds us in the lives of these men. As the film examines one’s relationship with an Israeli Jew and another’s struggle to come out to his family, we see how they are “othered” everywhere they turn. Still, Oriented, like its subjects, isn’t seeking pity: the film ends on a delightfully light and hopeful note. Buy tickets here.

Saturday, March 5, 3 p.m.

During a playdate with the most popular girl from school, Alex discovers that her feelings for her friend may be more than platonic. Buy tickets here.

Saturday, March 5, 5 p.m.

In this exhilarating documentary by Flavio Florencio, one can’t help but become an impassioned travel partner alongside beautiful Morganna Love in her quest for womanhood. A soprano who sings in Mexican cantinas, she enters one of the most prestigious transgender pageants in Thailand to vie for the crown of Ms. International Queen. With the prize money, she hopes to fulfill her lifelong dream to have gender confirmation surgery. Feeling the pressure to win and make her wish come true, Morgana hangs tough in a journey that rivals the twists and turns found in any prime-time reality show. Buy tickets here.

Saturday, March 5, 5 p.m.

Identities are confronted and generation gaps closed when an experienced drag queen catches a teenage boy stealing a pair of her heels. Ladies Room was produced through OutSet: The Young Filmmakers Project from the Los Angeles LGBT Center and Outfest. Created to empower and educate LGBT young people to tell their stories through film, this five-month filmmaking lab is led by industry professionals and mentored by Outfest alumni. Fellows: Michelle Badillo, Tomas Bukakis, Kahea Kiwaha. Mentors: Deondray and Quincy LeNear Gossfield. Buy tickets here.

Saturday, March 5, 5 p.m.

El Canto del Colibri is the intimate testimonial of a group of Latino immigrant fathers who find acceptance and love for their LGBT children in the face of personal hardship, faith, and expectations of machismo culture. Marco Castro-Bojorquez’s film is an intentionally challenging conversation between Latino fathers in the U.S. and their LGBT children. El Canto del Colibri, simple in style but vital in content, is an important contribution to fighting stigma and isolation in the Latino immigrant LGBT community. Buy tickets here.

Saturday, March 5, 5 p.m.

Desire sparks between two young men who seize the night — one an apprentice barber and the other a young man leaving for military service — in Tremulo, winner of Best Narrative Short at Outfest Los Angeles in 2015. Buy tickets here.

Meet the bold new voices of queer cinema in this colorful collection of shorts about finding truth and humor in unexpected places. These seven universal stories feature inspiring QPOC characters who are triumphantly coming to terms with who they are. The screening is followed by a fabulous party in the courtyard with hosted bar, food bites, and a DJ spinning sounds that will make you want to shimmy. Buy tickets here.

Whittier Blvd - In this rockabilly fable a Latino youth contemplates gender identity and finds an unexpected ally, to a Morrissey soundtrack.

Veracity - (Pictured above) Unable to hide her feelings for new girl in school, a popular cheerleader finds herself all alone when she’s suddenly outed as a lesbian.

The First Session - A first date veers into unchartered territory with the help of an unconventional therapist and a mango.

Robo Saints - When an anime cosplaying trio lose their beautiful female centerpiece, a young man steps up and confronts his true feelings for his best friend.

Vámonos - After a butch Latina dies unexpectedly, her mother is determined to bury her in a dress. But her girlfriend has other ideas.

House Not Home - While mentoring other trans teens online, Terran, an African-American gender-fluid teenager, navigates bullying, violence, and rejection at home before finding the courage to come out.

Counter Act - Two men find out the legacy of discrimination still lives on.

Sunday, March 6, 1:30 p.m.

Sebastian’s comfortable Los Angeles existence is thrown out of orbit when news of his mother’s deteriorating health sends him flying back to his hometown in Peru. Once there, his previous life as a closeted son seamlessly starts again. When his handsome husband Josh shows up unannounced — to the shock and disdain of his mother and her community — Sebastian must confront two vastly different cultures, both of which have profoundly informed his identity. Gracefully shot and directed, Carlos Ciurlizza’s impressive debut signals an exciting new talent to watch. Winner of the Best Screenplay Award at Outfest Los Angeles 2015. Buy tickets here.

Sunday, March 6, 3:45 p.m.

Danny, a Taiwanese-American man, longs to have a baby with his American partner Tate, but their attempts at surrogacy are complicated by Danny’s meddling mom, who wants to control every aspect of the process — all the way from Taipei. From legendary Taiwanese producer Li-Kong Hsu (Ang Lee’s The Wedding Banquet) and Stephen Israel, producer of Outfest favorite G.B.F., comes this multi-cultural comedy-drama, which takes an honest and realistic look at gay family issues in a cross-generational Taiwanese and American family. Buy tickets here.