2021 Outfest Fusion QTBIPOC Film Festival by Outfest

FUSION QTBIPOC FILM FESTIVAL April 16-20, 2021 PRESENTING SPONSOR

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Outfest Fusion Honorees

MICHAELA COLE

ANDRA DAY

PHOTO BY MYRIAM SANTOS

hat a year it has been. Outfest Fusion 2020 was quite possibly the last in-person film festival on Earth before COVID took over the world. Since then, like so many of us, Outfest has taken itself on a journey of introspection and soul searching to determine how we might emerge from this pandemic as an even stronger champion for our communities than before. We knew that for the 2021 Outfest Fusion QTBIPOC Film Festival—now in its eighteenth year—we had to put our ears to the ground before we could proceed as usual. Listening to and engaging with our queer and trans communities of color, we discovered a resounding and thunderous response to the question of what Outfest Fusion must grow into in order to meet the challenges of the moment. It must expand in its impact. It must acknowledge and highlight a wider breadth of storytellers. It must make up for the incredible discrepancies in visibility, influence, and opportunities that the entertainment industry has continued to struggle to provide on its own for QTBIPOC artists. Outfest Fusion was never meant to be a simple festival. Under my leadership as the first Executive Director of color in the organization’s history this was the one program that I felt needed exponentially more support and reach in order to truly exceed its own original intention. As a young filmmaker at California State University, Fullerton, I discovered quickly that resources and opportunities were scarce, and that affording an entry-level position to get my foot into entertainment in the

PHOTO BY NATALIE SEERY

Dear Outfest Family and Friends,

traditional sense was not only financially unfeasible, but impossible. Years later, as I still find myself a minority leader amongst like-minded organizations across North America, I am keenly aware that not much has changed. This year we are expanding the regional footprint of Outfest Fusion to welcome thousands more from our LGBTQ+ family who we wish to inspire, teach, and validate through our programming. We have invested in technologies and recruited thoughtleaders and experts in their respective fields to lead an eclectic and impactful array of workshops, panels and conversations. We are showcasing over 50 films—from 18 countries, in 13 languages—to bring holistic awareness towards the rising voices of this new generation of storytellers and stories which represent a diverse cross-section of Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, People of Color. In 2021, we also celebrate the budding careers of our annual Outfest Fusion Rising Stars: Ian Alexander, Sherry Cola, Shalita Grant, Harvey Guillén, and Vico Ortiz; our Outfest Fusion Achievement Award to the brilliant, once-in-ageneration filmmaker, screenwriter and actress Michaela Coel; and our Outfest Fusion James Schamus Ally Award to the illustrious and talented Andra Day. If there is anything that we’ve learned over these last thirteen months, it is that it truly takes a village. I commit to you that the team and board of Outfest will do our part to adapt and expand to meet the growing needs and demands of the communities we serve.

OutfestFusion.com

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15 10 11 Letter from Outfest Fusion Programming Team

n the past year, as Outfest has adapted to an unprecedented challenge to our traditional model of exhibition, an unexpected shift occurred. Even though we couldn’t physically gather as we love to do, our shift to a digital festival saw access to our programs suddenly became much fartherreaching. People who had never experienced our programs before were joining us from across the country, reaching out in appreciation, and getting word to our filmmakers about how deeply they’d connected with their work. Outfest Fusion has always shone a light on questions of access: whose stories are being told? Who is first in line to receive opportunities in the entertainment industry? What barriers to entry need to be broken down? Outfest Fusion expands the festival model beyond film screenings to explore those topics through panel discussions, educational workshops, master classes, and more—but until now, you had to be in Los Angeles to participate. Now, in this exciting new landscape, those conversations are open and available to anyone with the desire to join them. The importance of centering these narratives and creating new channels for access is acute in our film selection. Amongst an array of experiences across cultures, our program exudes joy: the joy of discovery, the joy of finding community, the joy of honoring our past. These stories, beautiful in their specificity, uplift and provoke; we are honored and grateful to have the opportunity to share them with you. That channeling of joy, and the opportunity to uplift and provoke, extended to our workshops and panels this year, which are about breaking down barriers to create and thrive in this industry and celebrating voices that embody our stories. Mike Dougherty, Director of Festival Programming Faridah Gbadamosi, Outfest Fusion Artistic Manager Sheryl Santacruz, Programming Manager

21 The Outfest Fusion QYBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous and People of Color) Film Festival spans five days of online screenings, panels, workshops and outdoor drive-in celebrations that showcase the work of today’s leading storytellers.

3 Sponsors 4 Credits 5 Letter from the Executive Director 7 Letter from Outfest Fusion Programming 9 Drive-In Screenings 10 Spotlight: Enyce Smith 11 Feature Films 15 Shorts Programs 20 Spotlight: Ley Comas 21 Fusion Opening Night Spoken Word 21 Fusion Rising Star Panel 24 Panels 25 Workshops 30 Index OutfestFusion.com

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VALIENTE

NOOR & LAYLA ONLY FOR THE NIGHT

THIS IS THE WAY WE RISE

UNLIVEABLE

Saturday | April 17 | 8:00pm | Exposition Park

Sunday | April 18 | 8:00pm | Exposition Park

Outfest Fusion comes together under the stars at Exposition to celebrate shorts storytellers. To speak up, speak out, or to move on. This is the central challenge faced by each of the characters in this powerful collection of shorts. The voices you’ll meet range from timid to assertive to absolutely commanding, and once you share in these six unforgettable journeys from across a diverse range of queer and trans experience, their voices will linger in your mind well into the future. The night also includes the presentation of the Fusion Achievement Award to Michaela Coel and the James Schamus Ally Award to Andra Day.

Storytellers in short form abound at the second night of drivein screenings. The evening kicks off with a screening and award presentation of the top 20 audience favorites from the 2021 One-Minute Movie Contest themed Manifesting Joy including the Hyundai Emerging Director Award. Followed by an inspiring series of short films. From historic trailblazers to everyday people, the protagonists of these six indelible stories each find the courage to take a step into the unknown, sparking the possibility for monumental changes in their lives. Whether it’s an unlikely real-life run for president, or a possible portal into another world, the tales they have to tell are unlike anything you’ve heard before.

YOU WILL HEAR US

WE ARE LIMITLESS

OutfestFusion.com

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nyce Smith, or as he’s known in ballroom culture, King of the West Coast, sympathetically explores the crack epidemic in the Black community and its intersection with the Los Angeles LGBTQ ballroom community in his featurelength documentary, Crystal Diaries. Born out of his production company, Beyond the Runway, Smith and co-director Gina Lamb, capture five accounts of addiction that takes hold of the daily lives and relationships of those using, the struggle to attain sobriety, and at the helm of it all, bereavement over the loss of Gemmel Moore among his friends. “I want to start doing documentaries. I want people to see the stuff that goes on, if they look at it and it’s coming from someone like me and…a lot of friends [in the ballroom scene] that was on crystal meth, and I have a lot of friends that got sober off it. I have a lot of friends who died, and I have a lot of friends that are still on it right now and talking to themselves, so I’m going to bring awareness to this.” Smith admits, “I’m fairly new to this,” foraying into directing film after his love of dance brought him into directing voguing to newbies in LA’s ballroom community. He rose to prominence outside the ballroom scene via his empowering vogue video in response to the Pulse club shootings in Orlando, Florida in the summer of 2016 and the rising discussion on transphobic bathroom bills. The video, sponsored by HIV nonprofit organization, REACH LA, boasts more than 13,000 views on YouTube. On his movie existing as a descendent of Paris is Burning, “I connected with it because I lived the same stuff, just in a different time, and [Crystal Diaries] reflects on some of the dark stuff Paris is Burning doesn’t show.”

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CAUGHT [CAER] DIR. NICOLA MAI | USA

In this innovative blend of documentary and fiction, Rosa and Paloma, two trans Latina sex workers in Queens, New York, fight transphobic violence, persecution from the police, and defend their cases of trafficking in an increasingly anti-migration political environment in the U.S. Written, produced, and edited in collaboration with the TRANSgrediendo Intercultural Collective (whose members also star), a grassroots nonprofit organization defending the rights of transgender Latina migrant women.

World Premiere

ALL BOYS AREN’T BLUE

DIR. NATHAN HALE WILLIAMS | USA Actors Bernard David Jones, Dyllon Burnside, Thomas Hobson, and Jenifer Lewis bring to life the words of Black non-binary author George Matthew Johnson’s transparent and sparkling memoir, aided by director Nathan Hale Williams’ visual poetry. Tackling issues of Black masculinity and Black queerness in relationship to Blackness, each character represents Johnson at different stages of their life, chronicling their story of growing up and challenging gender identity norms, as well as learning to adapt to HIV/AIDS.

CRYSTAL DIARIES DIRS. ENYCE SMITH & GINA LAMB | USA

Five members of the Los Angeles LGBTQ+ House & Ball Community share intimate stories of their experiences with methamphetamine addiction in response to the death of Ballroom community member Gemmel Moore, who died in the home of Democratic political fundraiser Ed Buck. What results is a stirring portrait of a community banding together to heal and support, to create awareness, and to protest the justice system’s response to Moore’s death.

World Premiere OutfestFusion.com

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FORGOTTEN ROADS [LA NAVE DEL OLVIDO] DIR. NICOL RUIZ BENAVIDES | CHILE

Claudina is a repressed woman from the countryside. Following the death of her husband, she meets Elsa, who opens Claudina’s eyes to the possibility of real love. Under the judgmental watch of a little conservative town in the south of Chile (that happens to be in the thralls of frequent UFO sightings!), Claudina begins a journey toward queer self-acceptance, in which she learns that true happiness may require leaving everything she knows behind her.

DIR. PHILIPPE TALAVERA | NAMBIA In the first gay love story out of Namibia, George, a middle class insurance broker, lives openly and with acceptance from his family, while his new boyfriend — working-class food vendor Simeon — remains in the closet, gnawed at by traditional notions of masculinity and the desire for acceptance from his peers. In a country where same-sex relationships are still criminalized, these two men begin a romance that challenges both of them to shed societal expectations and stigma to truly flourish.

MA BELLE, MY BEAUTY

NOWHERE [LA CUARTA]

In Marion Hill’s Sundance Film Festival hit, passions and jealousies are reignited when Bertie and Lane, two women who were formerly polyamorous lovers, reunite at a secluded farmhouse in the south of France. To help Bertie with a creative roadblock, her husband Fred secretly invites Lane to stay with them — a not-so-pleasant surprise for Bertie. Old resentments, simmering tension, and sexual chemistry all combine into an explosive reunion that fascinatingly examines the issues that arise in a non-traditional relationship.

Adrian and Sebastian, a Colombian couple living together in New York City, are on the fast track to professional and romantic success. But when Sebastian is faced with immigration complications, his status in the U.S. may rely on help from Adrian’s family back in Colombia — who do not know Adrian is gay. Fearing rejection from his family, but at risk of losing Sebastian forever, Adrian must choose which path to take.

DIR. MARION HILL | USA

KAPENA

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DIRS. DAVID & FRANCISCO SALAZAR | COLUMBIA, USA

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SEE YOU THEN

SUMMERTIME

A decade after abruptly breaking up with Naomi, Kris invites her to dinner to catch up on their complicated lives, relationships, and Kris’ transition. Over the course of a one-night encounter, they engage in a series of increasingly intimate and vulnerable conversations, before a shocking revelation is unveiled. Mari Walker’s feature debut focuses on the universal truth that no matter how much you change, a part of you will always stay the same.

In connection with Outfest Fusion’s celebration of the power of the spoken word, we are thrilled to present Carlos López Estrada’s SUMMERTIME, a film co-written by its sprawling cast of young Los Angeles poets, including queer BIPOC voices. Over the course of a hot summer day, a skating guitarist, a tagger, two wannabe rappers, an exasperated fastfood worker, and a limo driver weave in and out of each other’s stories. Through poetry they express life, love, heartache, family, home, and fear.

UNAPOLOGETIC

CHOSEN FAM (season 1)

After two police killings, Black millennial organizers challenge a Chicago administration complicit in state violence against its Black residents. This deep look into the Movement for Black Lives is told through the lens of Janaé and Bella, two fierce, queer-identified abolitionist leaders, from the police murder of Rekia Boyd to the election of mayor Lori Lightfoot.

Navigating relationship fallout after a night at an S&M club; juggling past lovers while jobless and living with your mom; keeping a toxic mother out of your attempts build your own family, proving yourself in a workplace that doesn’t value you—creator Kyle Casey Chu’s world is hilarious and relatable, with a pretty rocking soundtrack!

DIR. MARI WALKER | USA

DIR. ASHLEY O’SHAY | USA

DIR. CARLOS LÓPEZ ESTRADA | USA

DIRS. NATALIE TSUI & LINDSAY SUNADA | USA

OutfestFusion.com

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O U T F E S T FU S IO N 2 0 2 1 BFFS: YOUNG AT HEART

Best friends have the power to uplift us across generations, from our childhood adventures to our later years when we recall the boldness of being young at heart. By navigating the tender-hearted gift of firsts in being fully seen — at sleep-away camp, a school dance, or on the stage of your own subconscious dreams — and by the humor and wisdom of challenging elders and traditions, these storytellers showcase a tapestry of self-love through the lens of youth, exploration, and a gaze of freedom.

PURE

DON’T FORGET TO GO HOME

PINE MOUNTAIN OVERNIGHT

SHORTS: FINDING TRUE SELF—API PORTRAITS

AND WE COLLIDE

THE ROGERS

Cultural divides and societal expectations set these films’ protagonists upon journeys of discovery in unexpected places, from aspiring astronauts in China to traditional dancers in Samoa to elders reminiscing in Toronto. This collection of queer and trans stories across Asian and Pacific Islander experiences presents an array of textures that celebrate the joy of finding one’s true self in a world that has already made up its mind about who you are and what you want.

AND THEN OutfestFusion.com

O U T F E S T FU S IO N 2 0 2 1 SHORTS: NOW THAT I’VE FOUND YOU

Sometimes the struggle is in finding that special someone, sometimes it’s in recognizing that they are that someone, and sometimes it’s in figuring out how to make the rest of your life work as well as the two of you do. From sexy chance encounters, to the intoxicating butterflies of a new romance, to learning how to live in its aftermath when it slips through your fingers, these stories remind us of the beauty of all shades of QTBIPOC love, through moments of misery or sweet bliss.

ACRIMONIOUS

ROADKILL

LA RÁFAGA

SHORTS: STAND UP, BE HEARD

Queer people are no strangers when it comes to the battlefield of being seen and heard. With war paint splattered and ready, this rousing group of dynamic short films speak to the indefatigable spirit of queer folx in their relentless perseverance and majesty. Zeroing in on the frustrating realities of daily microaggressions and prejudices experienced by queer and trans people of color, these stories burn with the fire of characters fighting to simply be the authors of their own lives.

GOD’S DAUGHTER DANCES

SOY SAUCE

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THO

O U T F E S T FU S IO N 2 0 2 1 SHORTS: SURREALNESS

Visually hypnotic and emotionally charged, this collection of short films weaves elements of the psychedelic with the otherworldly, resulting in luminous stories of LGBTQIA+ life that capture the unique, incandescent magic of what it means to be alive and queer today. Firing on all cylinders, these explosive narratives harness the singular powers of cinema to craft shorts that are transporting, mysterious, and illuminating — showing BIPOC queer life in a shimmering light like no other.

HOW TO RAISE A BLACK BOY

HOW TO DIE YOUNG IN MAILA

TRIPS, FRIENDS, NIGHT & DESTINY

SHORTS: THE KALEIDOSCOPE OF THE BLACK GAZE

PEACE

Reflective tiles of self-discovery, reinvention, growth, and creative exploration illuminate the kaleidoscope of the Black gaze in these short adventures. These stories celebrate the intimate glimmer of naming your own boundaries and joys, claiming your chosen expression through the wonder of photography, music, and dance, deconstructing performativity and gender, and uprooting family and relationship secrets to caretake joy. These bold films amplify the resilient truth and brilliance of Black wonder breaking free of expectations and thriving.

SUNDAY’S CHILD OutfestFusion.com

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O U T F E S T FU S IO N 2 0 2 1

ey Comas’s Ni Aquí, Ni Allá starts with their mother cooking over a stovetop, and ends with a prayer. Like any recipe, family is a complicated construction of its ingredients: a set of values, beliefs, and cultural customs and traditions. Growing up in an evangelical household run by their pastor parents, Comas attempts to break the generational beliefs surrounding gender binaries in a vulnerable discussion with their mother. With an extensive list of sound mixing roles under their belt, make no mistake, Comas documents growth and evolution with an intimate understanding that if the gender binary started somewhere, there is room for a new truth to emerge for the next generation to understand. Just because we follow and are meant to empathize with Comas, they ensure that the audience gives their mom the same compassion we give them. They want others to see their mom as a human first and foremost, one that is a product of conservative ideologies rooted in Catholicism brought upon by colonization. The title of their film, which translates as Neither Here Nor There, addresses the gray area within gender identities when the T in “LGBTQ” is overlooked and traditional notions of gender are challenged. “It’s fine to be neither here nor there, [because] that is also a space.” They add, “My whole history is in that dichotomy of you are either too much of this or too less of this. I could not be Dominican because I was too queer. I could not be Latinx because I was too dark. I think most of my identities have lived in this between. Being non-binary is literally in that neither here nor there space.”

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BELLA BAHHS

Outfest Fusion Opening Night Poetry Showcase

Friday, April 16, 6:00pm – 8:00pm Join us for our Opening Night Poetry Showcase featuring Yosimar Reyes, fei hernandez, Tryis Winter, Bella BAHHS, and Jade Phoenix Martinez.

YOSIMAR REYES FEI HERNANDEZ

JADE PHOENIX MARTINEZ

SHALITA GRANT

SHERRY COLA

Fusion Rising Stars

I IAN ALEXANDER HARVEY GUILLÉN

VICO ORTIZ

f you don’t know them yet, you will soon. For the second year in a row, Outfest Fusion gathers some of the most exciting up-and-coming QTBIPOC acting talent for a probing discussion about the state of their industry, their individual pathways to success, and their advice to young hopefuls seeking to follow in their footsteps. Despite the hard road any aspiring actor faces on their way up, and despite the past year of uncertainty, these rising stars all continue to turn out inspiring work. Tune in to hear how they made it happen! Discover Ian Alexander (Star Trek: Discovery), Sherry Cola (Good Trouble), Shalita Grant (Search Party; You), Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows), and Vico Ortiz (Vida) in a conversation led by David Artavia (Editor in Chief of Out). OutfestFusion.com

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O U T F E S T FU S IO N 2 0 2 1

AARP Fireside Chat

Stars shine brightly, no matter their age. A conversation on longevity in a youth centric business. Where a change of scenery can change the trajectory of a career and where persistence can prevail in the high-speed industry that is Hollywood. Join Doug Spearman and others in a conversation about aging, work and film.

DOUG SPEARMAN

LATASHIA DEVEAUX

STEPHEN MACIAS

VALERIE COMPLEX

Building a Better Normal: A Media Roundtable

MANUEL BETANCOURT

MARISSA WALLACE

The only constant is change, but how do we ensure that the change that is coming is inclusive and equitable? As the world navigates the changing media landscape, questions of what gets covered and who has access to coverage are front and center as a new normal is defined. This discussion will address the current system and look at ways to improve the space of media journalism. Participants include: Marissa Wallace, Stephen Macias, Latashia DeVeaux, Valerie Complex, and Manuel Betancourt.

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LAUREN NEAL

Thursday, April 15, 2021 at 4:00pm

How to Make a Movie on Your Smartphone with Lauren Neal

Have a story to tell but don’t know where to start? Come learn tools and techniques in this crash course on how to make highquality short films using what you already have. Outfest Fusion QTBIPOC Film Festival’s 2020 One Minute Movie Contest winner, Lauren Neal will give you expert techniques and tricks for how to put your ideas in front of the camera. You will leave inspired and ready to create your own film!

BARBIE LEUNG

Friday, April 16, 2021 1:00pm

Stretch That Buck: Film Budgeting 101 with Seed&Spark

How much should you crowdfund for? As much as you need to move your project forward! In this workshop, we’ll teach you how to build a budget, utilize loans to make up your budget (conceptually as well as literally), navigate the ask, break down your script, and get creative with ways to cut costs without sacrificing your vision.

JASON ORION GREEN

Saturday, April 17, 1:00pm

Early Career Networking Session

A film or TV set is filled with numerous roles, from gaffers to hair stylists to colorists, but there is not always clarity on how to get these roles. During this workshop, you will hear from established industry members about they got into their fields and what their jobs are really like. All film professional levels encouraged to attend. RSVP at the link below. Participants include Barbie Leung, Jason Orion Green, Cheyenne Ford, Marc Kelly.

MARC KELLY

OutfestFusion.com

O U T F E S T FU S IO N 2 0 2 1

PJ RAVAL

Sunday, April 18, 3:00pm

Documentary 101: A Guide to Non-Fiction Filmmaking with PJ Raval

Whether a first-time documentarian or a veteran truth seeker, we all could use some help along the way. PJ Raval (CALL HER GANDA, BEFORE YOU KNOW IT) shares his personal journey to creating powerful documentaries and the resources he’s used to get his ideas onto the screen.

ALEXANDRA DIPLAMA

KANYA DENISE

Monday, April 19, 3:00pm

Audio Production with Domino Sound

Starting a podcast can seem arduous with not a lot of clarity on where to start. What type of podcast should it be? What gear should you buy? What gear can you afford? Where should you record? All of these questions and more will be answered in this helpful workshop designed to get you started on your podcasting journey! Join Kanya Denise and Alexandra DiPlama of Domino Sound.

@outfest #outfestfusion

Sunday, April 18, 11:00am

Yearning to Breathe Free: LGBTQIA+ Immigration and Asylum Seekers

According to the Williams Institute at UCLA, there are an estimated 289,700 undocumented people in the United States who identify as LGBTQ+, facing unique barriers compounded by discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Reflected in Outfest Fusion 2021 feature films NOWHERE and CAUGHT, from navigating complications of love and career when your legal status hangs in the balance to defending your rights in the midst of transphobic violence, trafficking, sex work, and persecution, it is clear that the promise etched onto the Statue of Liberty to welcome the huddled masses doesn’t necessarily apply to everyone. Join these filmmakers along with experts in the field for an urgent and frank discussion where we will tackle the issues facing queer and trans immigrants and asylumseekers — from perspectives of policy, legal protections, and mental health — sharing experiences and resources in a safe and supportive space. The conversation is lead by Mastaneh Moghadam.

O U T F E S T FU S IO N 2 0 2 1

Monday, April 19, 1:00pm

Crowdfunding to Build Independence with Seed&Spark

Most people think about crowdfunding simply as a fundraising tool, but we’re going to show you how it’s so much more than that. Discover how to have a successful crowdfunding campaign... and career! You’ll learn how to find your audience, structure your crowdfunding campaign, pick the right goal and incentives, and more.

Tuesday, April 20, 6:00pm

How to Craft the Perfect Pitch with David Sigurani

Discover the best way to present your project in order to hook a producer, actor, or executive. Having developed and sat through way too many pitches, queer Latinx producer and creative executive David Sigurani will work you through the elements of an undeniable story pitch. From your story’s world, theme, and tone to your beats and characters, stir up all the necessary ingredients to establish why you should be the one to make the next hit film or TV series! Participants in this workshop are encouraged to prepare a three minute pitch of their current project for potential feedback.

DAVID SIGURANI

OutfestFusion.com

O U T F E S T FU S IO N 2 0 2 1

LGBTQIA+ in Animation in Collaboration with El Cine

Making Art In The Making Art Time In The Time of ofCOVID: COVID: Shifting Shifting Production Production while Shifting the while Shifting Narrative in the Narrative in Collaboration with Collaboration with Q Youth Foundation. Q Youth Foundation.

Community Partner Panels

This year we are excited to announce our Community Partner Panel Series. Outfest Fusion believes that way to break through the issues of access and bias is to center the voices within our community to discuss the issues Glass that they are facing. These panels Ceilings: were created by some of our How to amazing community partners dominate and will be available for free throughout the in non-inclusive Festival. space in Collaboration

Colorism: Colorism: “You’re handsome handsome “You’re forfor a dark-skinned man” a dark-skinned man” in Collaboration in Collaboration with with Kenneth Roberts Kenneth Roberts Agency, LLC. LLC.

@outfest #outfestfusion

Black Queer and Breaking Into the Industry in Collaboration with Black AIDS Institute

with Kenneth Roberts Agency, LLC.

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We are proud to partner with Outfest Fusion 2021 and support LGBTQ storytellers.