2022 Outfest Fusion QTBIPOC Film Festival Guide

OUTFEST FUSION QTBIPOC FILM FESTIVAL V O L . 1 9 | A P R I L 8 - 1 7, 2 0 2 2 | O U T F E S T F U S I O N . C O M PRESENTED BY YEARS

OPENING NIGHT AT THE JACCC ENTER TH E

ONE MINUTE MOVIE CONTEST! S EC OND H O M E H O LLYWO O D

ATTEND INDUSTRY WORKSHOPS

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SPONSORS PRESENTING SPONSORS

PREMIERE SPONSORS

DAY SPONSORS

PROGRAM SPONSORS

SUPPORTING SPONSOR

MEDIA SPONSORS

ANNUAL MUSIC SPONSORSHIP

FESTIVAL HOTEL PARTNER

SUPPORTING HOSPITALITY PARTNERS

FILM GUIDE SPONSORS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Valerie Stadler CO-PRESIDENT

Jordan Barillas

Jonathan Howard

Alex B. Perez

Farhaad Virani CO-PRESIDENT

Bil Bertini

Brehon Humphrey

Giselle Phelps

Zackery Alexzander Stephens VICE-PRESIDENT

Ranard Caldwell

Tim Kittleson

Mike Rose TREASURER

John Di Minico

Neil Landau

Nii-Quartelai Quartey

David Sigurani SECRETARY

Zackary Drucker

Jose Malagon

Alan Koenigsberg MEMBER-AT-LARGE

Alexis Fish

Ana Mendy

Terry Franklin

Mike Mosallam

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Kyle Schmitz Brian Michael Smith Keisha Zollar outfestfusion.com

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Welcome to the 19th Annual Outfest Fusion QTBIPOC Film Festival. The Board, staff, volunteers, and our partners hope you will discover how much creativity and energy went into building something that we hope our community, fans, featured storytellers and members can each participate in.

HONOREE

STEPHANIE BEATRIZ

We hear often that if you haven’t been to Outfest Fusion, you haven’t experienced the magic of Outfest. The journey of this program spans nearly two decades and has continued to transform itself to meet the moment. As we move past simply providing ‘visibility’ for our communities of color – we are doubling down on facing the very real and omnipresent challenges that QTBIPOC storytellers are STILL facing as they explore careers in entertainment. This includes limited access to the ‘rooms’, funds, knowledge, and networks that are critical to breaking through and rising in this industry.

We believe all ships must lift together and that means continuing to search every corner to determine where we might be leaving someone behind and identifying those who still need a lift, an introduction, a platform, or a pathway to finding their voice and to harnessing their skills.

Outfest Fusion is more than just a single definition – it’s a summit – it’s a festival – it’s a celebration – it’s a space to discover and learn from one another, to break bread, to share in solidarity – to refill our cups, heal, and lift one another up.

In 2022, we not only celebrate and join hands with the rising storytellers, activists and thought leaders of our industry – we will also honor luminary Sandra Oh, the recipient of the Outfest James Schamus Ally Award and the talented Stephanie Beatriz with the Outfest Fusion Achievement Award.

F U S I O N AC H I E V E M E N T A WA R D

HONOREE

SANDRA OH

From our homebase at the Regal LA Live DTLA to venues like Plaza de la Raza in East Los Angeles to the Baldwin Hills Cinemark, Second Home in East Hollywood, The California African American Museum, and the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center – Outfest Fusion is expanding our footprint across the southland. Our online experience will also allow for individuals from throughout the nation to experience it as well.

Please join us, we are just next door.

Welcome home everyone.

JA M E S S C H A M U S A L LY A WA R D DAMIEN S. NAVARRO, OUTFEST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR outfestfusion.com

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TABLE OF CONTENTS It brings me joy to be able to welcome you to the 19th annual Outfest Fusion QTBIPOC Film Festival and my first as the Artistic Director of Outfest. This year the festival is expanding to a ten-day festival presented both in theaters in Los Angeles and virtually to our growing global audience. This growth is an opportunity to further our mission of amplifying voices historically excluded from being centered.

To further that mission, we must first unpack it.

What does representation look like in 2022? As an organization in our 40th year, we grapple with this question, especially when navigating the particular intersectional needs of the QTBIPOC community. The answer we have come up with is providing access to tell the stories they want to tell, creating opportunities for these voices to decide what stories they want to hear, and building space for growth and nurturing in this storytelling industry. We accomplish these lofty goals with stories on screen that deliver lived experiences rarely captured. We achieve these goals with a series of workshops and panels centered around providing tools and resources for building careers as film professionals. We accomplish this by building programs like our inaugural Outfest Fusion QTBIPOC Programming Fellowship, a collaboration with the Programmers of Colour Collective. This year’s program was built by these five outstanding QTBIPOC programming fellows from around the globe. As you make your way through this guide, you will see profiles on them.

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Sponsors & Credits

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Letter from the Executive Director

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Letter from the Artistic Director

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Spotlight: Josslyn Glenn

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Fusion Gala

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Shorts Programs

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Spotlight: Rico Johnson-Sinclair

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Feature Films

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Episodics

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Spotlight: Tishon Pugh

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Spotlight: Irene Suico Soriano

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Workshops

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Panels

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Spotlight: Mara Tatevosian

I started by saying it gives me joy to present this year’s festival. I see joy as a radical concept and this year’s festival is a manifestation of the radical power of joy. I am so excited for you all to experience it.

FARIDAH GBADAMOSI, OUTFEST ARTISTIC DIRECTOR outfestfusion.com

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MUSIC FOR GLOBAL CONTENT CREATORS WESTONEMUSIC.COM

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O U T F E S T F U S I O N P R O G R A M M I N G F E L LO W

JOSSLYN GLENN

BY T I S H O N P U G H

Josslyn Glenn will let you know how she feels, no questions asked. In true Scorpio fashion “I like proving myself wrong. I’m hard on myself but I’m very protective of my passions.”

The Outfest Fusion Programming Fellowship has allowed Josslyn to extend her passion for another love: curation. When asked why she decided to go down the curation path, Josslyn excitedly articulates, “I wanted to be an advocate for films that would be overlooked by ones that had more funding. Watching movies has always been a superpower of mine — it’s my love language.” To better elaborate on her curating philosophy, “I think about racial and gender dynamics. I want to see a story worth telling.”

The admiration for film didn’t just appear out of thin air for Josslyn. It all started with Disney’s animated classic The Little Mermaid. An emerging author of a manuscript titled Tranny Pants, Josslyn takes her childhood wonderment and turns it into a love letter for Afro-Latina trans women. “The mermaid is such a symbol for the trans community.” Josslyn recognizes that film plays a critical role in culture, wanting to push the boundaries on how queer BIPOC are represented.

When it comes to Outfest Fusion, Josslyn doesn’t want the Aries Shorts program to be missed. “This program is a bit hidden but I think people should really check it out!” As for what she hopes the audience takes away from the festival, it’s a simple request.

“I want people to feel invested in not just the actors but also the people behind the film.”

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LEO

OUTFEST FUSION GALA

LIFE OF THE PARTY

You sure know how to make an entrance, and after napping all day, you’re ready to roar. Aries season will make you feel a bit out of step, but while summer nights are definitely your safe space, the first light of Spring is resonant in your mood. King of the jungle? Sure. Queen of the night? Definitely. Are you on the prowl or seeking stimulation? Either way, we’ve got you.

FRIDAY, APRIL 8 7:30PM JACCC

We open Outfest Fusion at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center kicking off the festival with a special awards presentation honoring Stephanie Beatriz (Encanto, Brooklyn NineNine) with the Fusion Achievement Award, and Sandra Oh (Killing Eve, The Chair, Umma) with the James Schamus Ally Award. This is only the beginning of the night as we screen a range of short films showcasing the caliber of Outfest Fusion talent. After the screening, we move to the fantastic courtyard of the JACCC for a late-night bash to remember!

Novena

Decolonizing Gender

Egúngún

The Syed Family Xmas Eve Games Night

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F^¢k ‘€m Right B@¢k

Warsha

The Syed Family Xmas Eve Games Night (dir.Fawzia Mirza); The Birth of a Beautiful Butch (dir. Gia-Rayne Harris); Warsha (dir.Dania Bdeir); Egúngún (Masquerade) (Dir. Olive Nwosu); Decolonizing Gender (dir.Maryna Harrison); Novena (dir. Fernando Lopez); F^¢k ‘€m Right B@¢k (dir. Harris Doran)

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AQUARIUS UNATTAINABLE FEELINGS & RECKONINGS SATURDAY, APRIL 9 2:45PM REGAL CINEMAS

This week calls for us to shift our understanding on what’s real and what’s not as Pluto returns to its original sign and degree. This program will challenge you in the best ways, ask you questions, and provide you with the answers. With the new moon set in the sign and ruled by Uranus, now is the perfect time to break free of any restraints and explore new worlds presented to you by invigorating artists.

This variety of experimental shorts will be sure to amaze you with its tales of transformation, wondrous visuals, and intricate narratives. You won’t be the same and that’s how Aquarians like it.

Winter Insect, Summer Flower

Cycle One (dir.Serge Garcia ); And Yet (dir. Lucretia Knapp, Lynne Yamamoto); Heaven Reaches Down to Earth (dir. Tebogo Malebogo); Ever Wanting (For Margaret Chung) (dir. TT Takemoto); Cream or Sugar (dir. Rachel Rambaldi); Build or Destroy (dir. Rashaad Newsome); Masisi Wouj (dirs. Zé Kielwagen, Marcos Serafim, Steevens Siméon); These Hands Lay Open (dir.Tatiana Garnett); Love & Revolution (dir.Jacqui North); Winter Insect, Summer Flower (dirs. Tee Jaehyung Park, Gbenga Komolafe)

SCORPIO BURGEONING INTO ONE’S INNER PHOENIX

The recent state of affairs has got you, boo. Use this time as an opportunity to journey into new experiences and cross the junction on the other side of fear so no “what if”s linger…either by yourself or with loved ones. You don’t like to admit that a speck of doubt unsettles any decision, but you need to learn to be as honest with yourself as you are to others...sometimes brutally such.

SATURDAY, APRIL 9 5:30PM REGAL CINEMAS

One Magenta Afternoon

Blood Hana

The Fish With One Sleeve (dir. Tsuyoshi Shoji); Weckuwapasihtit (dir. Geo Neptune, Brianna Smith); Blood Hana (dir. Mary Evangelista); a Bloom (dir.

Antony Rangel Coll); One Magenta Afternoon (dir. Vernon Jordan, III) outfestfusion.com

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PISCES CRIES AND AFFIRMATIONS FROM THE INTERNAL SELF SATURDAY, APRIL 9 6:30PM REGAL CINEMAS

You believe in their vision, you support them to no end; it’s the Pisces way. But lately, despite your emotional intelligence and strong communication, you’ve found your words falling on deaf ears. You’ll find an irrevocable solution towards the end of the year due to Mars being in retrograde for the first time in two years and hold on to the cleansing power of the new moon earlier this month.

What do you do until then? Learn from the best with this selection of shorts. Get ready to feel again with a program of prose- and protestled jewels and gems that will evoke dormant emotions in anyone.

Decriminalize Now: Akia’s Story (dir.

Kenya-Jade Pinto); Nasir (dirs. Nasir Bailey, Jackson Kroopf) ; Hot VaXxX Summer (dir. Johaira Michelle Dilauro); Portal (dir. Rodney Evans); Nathan Joe: Homecoming Poems (dir. Nahyeon Lee); Salman Toor’s Emerald Green (dir. Adam Golfer); Abundance (dir. Kym Allen)

CANCER SURPASSING TRANSCENDING EXPECTATION

Hot Vaxxx Summer

Abundance

This month looks like plenty of community-building. Lean in close to your chosen/family, who will cherish your differences as your superpowers.

While you should permit yourself to consider opening up your inner circle when you feel ready, don’t forget to listen to your intuition when it comes to setting essential boundaries as a means of self-preservation.

Last but not least, don’t forget to laugh while you enjoy the scenery; your life is not all tragedy.

SUNDAY, APRIL 10 2:15PM REGAL CINEMAS

Truthless

Queer Parivaar

Truthless (dir. Badou Zhao); All I Ever Wanted (dir. Erin Lau); Aliyah (dir. Omar Dabbous); From X To Z (dir. Florencia Manovil); Queer Parivaar (dir. Shiva Raichandani)

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TAURUS OUR WORD IS OUR BOND SUNDAY, APRIL 10 6:30PM REGAL CINEMAS

If designated a sign in the zodiac, Taurus would be the clear winner for all the “chosen families” that have become the support system (emotional and mental bedrocks) for many a queer kin. The hardheaded bull is who you want by your side, who will champion your cause and defend you amidst challenges, Ok, they can be stubborn, set in their ways (like many families), but this collection of shorts reveal Taureans who are great listeners, LOYAL AF, the very rock of dependability and probably the one who will slip Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” in your next party’s playlist.

Small Congratulations

Fortheboys

Fortheboys, Ep 1 (dir. Mekhai Lee, Ellis C. Dawson); Second Parent (dir. Penny PJ Chen); Memoirs Of The (Non)Existent Me (dir. Thiago Kistenmacker); Pink & Blue (dir. Carmen LoBue); Dress Up (dir. Karina Dandashi); Upuntilnow (dir. Brandon Kazen-Maddox, Kevin Newbury, Marcus Shields); Small Congratulations (dir.

Jessie Posthumus).

LIBRA HOLD ME CLOSER SUNDAY, APRIL 10 8:15PM REGAL CINEMAS

Taffeta

Firsts

Libras are no strangers to the balancing act that accompanies being both introverted and extroverted, adventurous but methodic, tender yet diplomatic. But lately, the chaos is tipping the scale. This selection of shorts is a reminder to identify your desires and acknowledge your essential intimate needs. As the full moon approaches, take advantage of this energy by releasing your insecurities and being kinder to yourself.

Whether you’re feeling delicate or smutty, this program is a gateway to explore everything in between. Use Hold Me Closer as a cinematic pilgrimage — taking you from quiet moments of lamentation, through rapturous points of self-discovery, to adventurous and fantastical explorations of the body and soul.

A Fire That Never Dies (dir. Chheangkea Ieng); Firsts (dir. Jesse Ung); Ezra (dir.

Joshua Hernandez); Taffeta (dir. Lovell Holder); Sex(ual) Healing (dir. Maximus Skaff); A Wild Patience Has Taken Me Here (dir. Érica Sarmet) outfestfusion.com

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ARIES MOONLIT RENDEZVOUS & REVELATIONS TUESDAY, APRIL 12 9:30PM

The week has had a profound effect on your relationships as you untangle the complexities of Mercury’s February retrograde. This program offers you the energy you so desperately crave. As the silver echoes of our second most prominent celestial body shift between the first quarter and the full moon you’ll find your fierce defenses tested as you succumb to a plethora of scintillating shorts. Whether you came for community or for the vibe, you’re sure to leave with more than when you arrived.

This isn’t your typical R&R; Moonlit Rendezvous and Revelations is a journey, taking you from the sultry but dissonant love letters to the night, to salacious tales of queer friendship.

REGAL CINEMAS

Super//Man

Work

Fresh Meat (dir. Lu Asfaha); Anaconda (dir. Joshua Amar); Stephen & James: Best Girlfriends (dir. Dave Quantic ); Flames (dir. Deondray Gossfield, Quincy LeNear Gossfield); Super//Man (dir. Marcos Dávalos Loor); A Bronx Story (dir.

Bell Soto, Gabriel Peña); Work (dir. April Maxey)

VIRGO ONE MINUTE MOVIE CONTEST

It’s all in the details, and you know it. Others may think you’re reserved without much to contribute, but when it’s time to execute, you do it, and you do it well. So put those skills to use in our One Minute Movie Contest, and allow yourself to SHINE. Grab your phone, get out in the field, and create your 60 second masterpiece guerilla-style because we’re here for it. And you might win $5,000. So stop being modest and show us what you got!

The One Minute Movie Contest is a way to discover new voices and bring them into the Outfest family. When the theme is announced, whether you’re an aspiring or established filmmaker – use your phone or camera to shoot a one-minute short film on the theme of the year: PAST LIVES, FUTURE DREAMS. All films will be screened and voted on for prizes and the top audience favorites will screen at the 2022 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Film Festival.

For more information visit: outfestfusion.com/one -min-movie -contest

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O U T F E S T F U S I O N P R O G R A M M I N G F E L LO W

RICO JOHNSON-SINCLAIR

BY M A R A TAT E VO S I A N

Thanks to [Britain’s] FilmFour channel, film programmer Rico Johnson-Sinclair discovered Fukasaku’s Battle Royale at 15.

It was the first time they understood film as a tool to navigate societal discord and its relevance to them, a queer Black teen craving escapism.

Later, it was Marlon Riggs’ Tongues Untied that sparked connection for Johnson-Sinclair. “Seeing how the collaboration between two queer Black men so fearlessly tackled issues around internalized racism and homophobia, effortlessly weaving words to paint such a multidimensional picture, was essential to my own journey.”

Turning to cinema as a healing tool remained consistent, ultimately guiding them to a mentorship at a local festival called Flatpack where their programming practices grew towards creating accessible cinema spaces for marginalized audiences. Elevating their commitment to cultivating space for QTBIPOC culture, they built CineQ, a small queer film festival in Birmingham.

They consider the Aries Shorts program at Outfest Fusion as a must-see since it offers the most escapism. “It’s all about feeling and realization for me,” Johnson-Sinclair explains, about an audience’s relationship to a program they’ve curated. “I want to use film as a language. It’s only on the second watch I start to think about the visual composition of a film.” The latter comes as no surprise since prior to working in cinema, they considered becoming a novelist.

Of all the artistic mediums though, Johnson-Sinclair deems film as the most obtainable and the most essential. “I feel like film’s place in shaping society and sharing perspectives can’t be overlooked,” they explain. “But culture that is linked to its monetary pursuits often subverts the meaning of culture.”

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BLACK AS U R

GEMINI

DIR. MICHAEL RICE | USA

FEATURE FILMS & EPISODICS Your unreser ved curiosit y is an asset that requires nur turing, so take some time to soak in a slate of films that will challenge, teach, and inspire you. Embrace your dual nature, and revel in the mysteries of the nonfiction and the escape of the narrative. These feature films exemplif y the rich spectrum of the QTBIPOC experience, with stories that range from those that connect with your past to ones that celebrate the self, navigating with the same ease stories of aggression with stories of unbridled joy. Reward yourself.

On May 25, 2020 George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin igniting protests across the city, the nation, and around the globe. As Black Americans were chanting “Black Lives Matter” in Minneapolis, Iyanna Dior, a young trans teenager, was brutally attacked by a mob of Black men and women only a few blocks away. Documentarian Micheal Rice takes the audience on a journey through the homophobia that characterizes many Black spaces, both contemporarily and through an autobiographical look into his own upbringing in the south.

BLACK AS U R confronts the African American community about queerphobia by amplifying the stories of queer Black people.

SATURDAY | APRIL 9 | 1:00PM | REGAL CINEMAS

FINDLANDIA D I R . H O R AC I O A LC A L A | M E X I C O , S PA I N

Horacio Alcalá’s narrative feature debut is a revelatory insight into the lives of Delirio, Amaranta, and Mariano: three muxes living in Juchitán de Zaragoza, a town in the state of Oaxaca. Belonging to a community untethered by the gender binary, we see them traverse their present-day lives while sometimes being unable to let go of the past and perhaps wishing for a different future. How do we hold space in times of distress and moments of wonderment while keeping each other anchored in order to survive the seismic waves created by the Earth or by unveiled truths?

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SUNDAY | APRIL 10 | 3:45PM | REGAL CINEMAS

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KEEP THE CAMERAS ROLLING: THE PEDRO ZAMORA WAY D I R S . W I L L I A M T. H O R N E R & S TAC E Y W O E L F E L | U S A

He was clever, articulate, and good-looking. At only 22, Pedro Zamora, a gay Cuban immigrant, had the American public at the palm of his hands as he stepped into the limelight on MTV’s REAL WORLD. After contracting AIDS as a teenager, he dedicated his life to destigmatizing the narrative around the illness – and being the sympathetic beauty on national television helped do that. While KEEP THE CAMERAS ROLLING is an exhibition of Zamora’s most joyous moments, like his televised wedding, it also explores the role of the media in shaping a generation’s understanding of social issues. An amalgam of home videos, archival footage, and interviews with the Zamora family, REAL WORLD cast members, and various activists, the film examines the legacy of a young man who helped change the face of AIDS in America.

MONDAY | APRIL 11 | 7:00PM | PLAZA DE LA RAZA

MUSTACHE MONDAYS (ARTBOUND) DIR. MARIANNE AMELINCKX | USA

“It was the best party in L.A. hands down.”

See how a roving LGBTQ night club event in Los Angeles called “Mustache Mondays” became a creative incubator for today’s leading edge contemporary artists. This film examines the history of these spaces and how they shaped the Queer cultural fabric unique to Southern California.

MONDAY | APRIL 11 | 9:30PM | PLAZA DE LA RAZA

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TRANSVERSALS D I R . É M E R S O N M A R A N H ÃO | B R A Z I L

Émerson Maranhão’s documentary brings together the stories of two transmasculine, two transfemme, and the mother of a transfemme teen daughter living in the progressive state of Ceará in Brazil. They recount their life achievements and heartaches, while detailing how they navigated and mobilized their cities; legislative, education, and religious sectors to improve and protect the lives of transgender people living there. As we in the US continue to redouble our organizing efforts to counter state-sponsored legislative attacks on transgender youth and their parents, we can collectively listen and learn from their stories of being fearless alongside their absolute commitment to thrive.

SUNDAY | APRIL 10 | 1:00PM | REGAL CINEMAS

WILDHOOD D I R . B R E T T E N H A N N A M | C A N A DA

Lincoln and his younger brother run away from their abusive white father who denied them from practicing their maternal Mi’kmaq heritage, after discovering a letter their father hid revealing that their mother may still be alive. On their journey to finding her, the two cross paths with openly two-spirit Pasmay, who becomes both a guide to the brothers in reconnecting with their indigenous roots and a love interest to Lincoln.

SATURDAY | APRIL 9 | 8:15PM | REGAL CINEMAS

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WHITE FROG DIR. QUENTIN LEE | USA Nick is a highschool freshman on the Autism spectrum who idolizes his older brother Chaz, a popular straight-A student whose future seems set. When Chaz is suddenly killed in a tragic accident, Nick attempts to reconstruct the life his brother left behind, uncovering secrets that threaten to rip their family apart. Quentin Lee directs a tremendous ensemble cast of veteran and rising stars including B.D. Wong, Joan Chen, Harry Shum Jr., Henry David Hwang, Tyler Posey, Amy Hill, and Booboo Stewart in a gripping mystery of loss and redemption at the intersections of queerness, neurodiversity, and Asian-American identity.

DCP newly-donated to the Outfest UCLA Legacy Project.

SUNDAY | APRIL 10 | 5:30PM | REGAL CINEMAS Outfest UCLA Legacy Project, a partnership with UCLA Film & Television Archive, is the only archive in the world exclusively dedicated to preserving and restoring LGBTQ media. The archives have more than 41,000 pieces and restored over 26 films. For more information, visit OUTFEST.ORG

FRAGRANCE OF THE FIRST FLOWER S AT U R DAY | A P R I L 9 | 12:00 PM | R E GA L C I N E M AS

Two women navigate family and falling in love in a story that blends the past and the present in the hopes of a better future.

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THE HOUSE

S AT U R DAY | A P R I L 9 | 3:45 PM | R E GA L C I N E M AS

As the climate of the country and the world shifts into one of greater inclusion, the empowering of diverse voices has never been more paramount.

This series aims to not only provide a platform for the underrepresented and marginalized fringe of society, but also to offer a home where every viewer can find a friend and a place where they are welcomed. Where four outspoken Black LGBTQIA+ friends host a fun and raucous dinner party, discussing the day’s hot topics.

Join us for a special screening of Episode 2 of this groundbreaking talk show with special guest Minister Benjamin Carlton, followed by a panel with the series’ creators. Learn what it takes to build a show from the ground up, and how to overcome the obstacles to get a deal with a network.

This is where you are loved and understood. This is THE HOUSE.

FUSION FÊ TE

W E D N E S DAY | A P R I L 13 | 7:00 PM | C A A M

Come join us on the evening of Wednesday, April 13 at the Fusion Fête where we’ll screen films from the One-Minute Movie Contest, vote and announce the winners and enjoy a pre and postscreening reception at The California African American Museum.

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O U T F E S T F U S I O N P R O G R A M M I N G F E L LO W

TISHON PUGH

BY R I C O J O H N S O N - S I N C L A I R

A curious inquisitor whose film journey is rooted in her own experiences but not limited by it, Tishon is a programmer hailing from the South who acknowledges the power of storytelling rather than strong film references.

“Moonlight is a film that has a powerful effect on me” she relays, smiling brightly. “The scene in the kitchen when he asks whether or not he’s gay, that got me. It’s something that I didn’t have, and maybe still couldn’t have. That’s what made it so powerful for me. I was a film major originally but I moved to anthropology, specifically cultural anthropology.

“Programming was an unknown; I knew someone [could have] this job but didn’t know what it was called. In the beginning, I started curating film nights for myself based on themes and developed a love for it. As I’m getting older I’m being more intentional about what films I watch.

“As a programmer I want audiences to understand that a lot of work has been put into each film. Film is a vulnerable medium, so show gratitude.”

She speaks about her favorite program. “The Aquarius program is not something that I was used to. I’m very traditional in my viewing habits but getting to see these films and dig deeper for meaning is exciting.

“I’m actually Libra so I’m indecisive. But I was looking into HD profiles, and mine is Manifester. It feels accurate. I try to inform people, and lead people by informing them.”

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LGBTQ+ MEDIA

Everywhere You GO

Proud Sponsor Of

EdgeMediaNetwork.com outfestfusion.com

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O U T F E S T F U S I O N P R O G R A M M I N G F E L LO W

IRENE SUICO SORIANO

BY J O SS LY N G L E N N

Irene Suico Soriano hopes that the few QTBIPOC films that circulate to festivals receive an increase in QTBIPOC viewership, as there is a lack of accessibility for QTBIPOC folks to attend these festivals. After all, “[t]hese communities are shut out from discovering and experiencing life-impacting cinema about themselves!”

Watching Marlon Riggs’ Tongues Untied awoke her awareness of deeply intersectional experiences queer people of color share. The testimonies shared in the documentary “made me think of my positionality as a Filipinx immigrant living in the United States.”

That same social consciousness gave rise to her desire to program. In fact, she felt that her work compiling lists of films detailing Asian Pacific American narratives at the UCLA Asian American Studies Center in 1999 ignited a deeper motivation to continue orbiting programming; first as a programmer for the Los Angeles Filipino American National Historical Society, then as a volunteer for festivals, leading to her being the first Project Involve Fellow to propose a Film Programming Track. All culminating in her role as Programming Fellow at Outfest, wherein she deliberately seeks “to discover and share narratives that move audiences to see beyond what is and perhaps push them to imagine how else we can be and what the world can truly become” At Outfest Fusion, she recommends you don’t miss Queer Parivaar, (playing in “Cancer Shorts - Surpassing/ Transcending Expectation”) which she described as “pure joy around queerness; the joy factor will make you want to cry happy tears”; Sex(ual) Healing (playing in “Libra Shorts - Hold Me Closer”);and Novena (playing in “Leo Shorts - Life of the Party” at the Fusion Gala), a film she said broke her heart.

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The Distribution Down Low: Shorts & Web Series with Seed&Spark

Seed&Spark’s Bri Castellini will break down the current landscape of distribution for independent short films and web series, including the economics of different avenues to take, the right questions to ask potential partners, and other information to arm yourself with as you enter negotiations.

SATURDAY | APRIL 9 | 11:00AM | SECOND HOME

How to Make a Movie on Your Smartphone 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. This workshop 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!

SAGITTARIUS

WORKSHOPS

It’s all about selfimprovement for you.

You’ve always wanted to tell your stor y (it’s a fascinating one) but never knew how. That changes today. Take those burning desires and find your new direction in life in one of our workshops. Learn from professionals in the field to jump -star t your career or even build a new one!

SATURDAY | APRIL 9 | 2:00PM | SECOND HOME

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.

SUNDAY | APRIL 10 | 11:00AM | SECOND HOME

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Stretch That Buck:

Film Budgeting 101 with Seed&Spark You’ve got a script you’re proud of, and now you want to bring it to life! But first: what should your crowdfunding goal be?

In this workshop, Seed&Spark’s Meghan Ross will teach you how to build your first budget, utilize loans to make up your budget (conceptually as well as literally), navigate the ask, break down your script, and cut costs without sacrificing your vision.

Make that dollar stretch!

FRIDAY | APRIL 15 | 1:00PM | ONLINE

Celebrating Your Voice and Practice of Wonder with Martine McDonald With cinematic wonder and youth at the center, we’ll use creative collage, and writing prompts in our time together is an invitation to focus on the creative process as an act of wonder and justice. We’ll explore storytelling templates of wonder to stimulate creativity in individuals and collaborative teams. Connecting visual inspiration and words through integrating various disciplines including personal photography, writing, performance, film, music, and artifacts of your personal practices, to cultivate new habits of expression and live out the images inside us that motivate care and connection.

SATURDAY | APRIL 16 | 11:00AM | ONLINE

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.

SATURDAY | APRIL 16 | 1:00PM | ONLINE

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CAPRICORN PANELS

Admit you’re a per fectionist, but don’t let the negative connotation ruin that drive in you.

Instead, use it, and when given the oppor tunit y, hone it by learning from the best. When you’re QTBIPOC and climbing that mountain to car ve a space for yourself, you need to be tenacious and resourceful AF. In these panels and conversations, hear from folks who have made that journey themselves, and let their exper tise and advice fuel your ambition to reach the top.

Where You At? Get in Here!

The Film Publicity/Marketing/ Impact World Needs You! Film PR strategist David Magdael (President/CEO David Magdael & Associates) brings together an impressive panel of film publicists, marketing pros, and impact leaders to share their experience and knowledge, and ultimately inspire more BIPOC LGBTQ pros to enter into this demanding and exciting world. History is being made and we are a part of it. Get in here!

SUNDAY | APRIL 10 | 2:00PM | SECOND HOME

Fusion Rising Stars Panel For the third 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.

APRIL 13-17 | ONLINE

Emerging At Your Own Pace:

Breaking the Narrative of Success with Ghetto Film School Establishing yourself as a filmmaker takes determination and resolve. As the industry evolves to better reflect a diverse society and a diverse community of storytellers, how can we tackle the challenges that are still preventing underrepresented voices from being fully included in the conversations?

APRIL 13-17 | ONLINE

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O U T F E S T F U S I O N P R O G R A M M I N G F E L LO W

MARA TATEVOSIAN

BY I R E N E S U I C O S O R I A N O

Film programming had an early firm grip on queer IranianArmenian filmmaker Mara Tatevosian. She fondly remembers the exact period when she ceased being the “film friend” throughout high school and college and became the” film friend who puts on cinema events.” Her dedication involved curating 10-15 titles, writing program notes, and creating personalized posters for each request she received. Curating these “personal film festivals” as a young adult solidified her interest in the film programming process. While in film school, she became an assistant to a film programmer for Boston’s “Bright Lights Film Series” and helped pivot the series into an exhibition space for social justice documentaries.

Mara likes curating programs and presenting films that encourage introspection and self-reflection. She believes that cinema can be a teaching and healing tool for those who allow films to permeate their brains, even for just a few days.

She considers “Aquarius Shorts: Unattainable Feelings and Reckonings” a must-see at Outfest Fusion because, like most Aquarians she knows, these shorts will keep you on your toes and have you asking “What did I just watch?” According to Mara “confusion can be a fabulous state of mind.”

Looking towards the future, Mara considers programming for the Criterion Channel a dream job and would also readily agree to coordinate a film retrospective of the brilliant Armenian director, Maria Saakyan, and the late Japanese filmmaker Juzi Itami. If you are given the fun opportunity to converse with Mara, ask her how Itami’s 1985 comedy film Tampopo changed her life.

outfestfusion.com O ut f e s t L A 2 0 2 1. c o m

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At Hyundai, we strive to improve the well-being of society and to create happiness for humankind through bold innovation, environmental responsibility and cultural appreciation.

Hyundai is honored to be the Exclusive Automotive Partner of 2022 Outfest Fusion. Together, we stand in support of the LGBTQIA+ community to drive inclusivity and acceptance.

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