OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival, formerly The North Carolina Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (NCGLFF), has consistently ranked among the largest LGBTQ+ film festivals in the United States, attracting thousands of patrons annually since its inception. This year, we'll celebrate our 31st anniversary, and we are planning host a big celebration, as this will also be the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Carolina Theatre of Durham, the celebrated producer and home of OUTSOUTH.

Since its beginning in 1995, the Festival has featured a diverse array of shorts, documentaries, and feature films. The Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau named OUTSOUTH a Signature Event for Durham, the highest honor they bestow on a cultural event or attraction. Out Magazine recently honored our Festival Manager, Chuck Wheeler, in its prestigious 2024 OUT100 awards, as one of the Queer community's most influential & impactful LGBTQ+ individuals.

OUTSOUTH showcases an international glimpse of today’s Queer life by bringing our community together and offering both entertaining and sophisticated films and filmmaking. The festival features a diverse array of juried new shorts, documentaries, and feature films. Produced and curated by the historic Carolina Theatre of Durham, in beautiful Downtown Durham, the festival was honored in 2021 as one of “20 Fantastic LGBTQ+ Film Festivals Around the Globe” by Moviemaker Magazine.

OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival is again seeking a line-up of films for our 31st edition. In 2026, we plan to welcome you back to a fabulous and unforgettable show for our growing audience of filmgoers. Please submit your latest short, feature, or documentary for consideration.

Awards & Prizes

JURY AWARDS
Best Narrative Feature Film
Add'l Jury Awards to be announced

Rules & Terms

The Deadline to submit SHORTS in ALL categories is May 15th.

RENTAL OR SCREENING FEES:
OUTSOUTH does NOT pay screening fees for short films.

EXHIBITION FORMAT:
All films in the festival screen on digital format. DCP, .mov, .mp4 accepted.

OUTSOUTH is seeking new narrative and documentary feature films that have NOT yet been released (or planned to be released) on streaming services prior to mid-August.

OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival does NOT accept music videos or similar.

ARTIST TRANSPORTATION:
OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival does NOT pay for artist travel such as per diems, airfare, train, hotel, etc. We also do not coordinate travel arrangements with International Cultural Agencies. If your film is accepted, all transportation and lodging is 100% the responsibility of the artist, including all travel arrangements.

Feel Free to contact Committee members about your submission questions.
We encourage submissions of films with or without distribution.
95 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Charlie Paulin

    A true dream of a festival! The staff and programming were incredible. I look forward to returning!

    March 2026
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  • Sean Au

    From the communication and programming to the organization and the hospitality, the experience to show "What We Said in the Blackout" was a deeply memorable one. Everyone in the OutSouth team made attending filmmakers feel so welcome and supported. It would be an honor to bring my future works to this festival.

    February 2026
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  • Carmela Marie Murphy

    We are so thankful to OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival for screening our stop motion film, "A Bird Hit My Window and Now I'm a Lesbian." We were honored to be a part of the "ANIMATION EXPLOSION Shorts" program. Jim and the team were super communicative, supportive, and kind!

    xoxo,
    Carmela and AJ

    November 2025
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  • Lisa Bishop

    Excellent communication from Jim and the team. So friendly and helpful. A good spirited festival and we were proud and grateful to be selected. Mel, Lisa & Poppy

    September 2025
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  • Nick Perlman

    Fantastic festival! Well-organized with a great selection of films! So honored that Loving Silence was a part of the lineup! I would absolutely attend future fests. Highly recommend!

    August 2025
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