Out On Film, Atlanta's LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) Film Festival, is one of the leading LGBTQ film festivals in the United States, as well as an Oscar qualifying one. Short films that win the festival’s Best Drama Short award will now be eligible to enter the Academy’s Live Action Short film competition for the concurrent season, provided their films otherwise comply with the Academy rules. In 2024 we will hold our 37th annual film festival. Each year, we showcase approximately 150 narratives, documentaries, short films. We show everything from international fare to local programming to retrospectives. We also place a big premium on working with filmmakers. Our visiting filmmaker series is one of the most respected in the industry.

Important - films that are accepted for Out On Film need to be local premieres.

We offer Audience Awards for Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary, Best Drama Short, and Best International Film

We offer Jury Awards for Best Feature, Best Documentary, Best International Film, Best Performance, Best Director, Best First Film, Best Ensemble and Best Drama Short.

We are an Oscar® qualifying film festival. Short films that win the festival’s Best Drama Short award will now be eligible to enter the Academy’s Live Action Short film competition for the concurrent season, provided their films otherwise comply with the Academy rules.

We are offering two Screenplay Competitions - a Short Film Screenplay Competition and a Feature Film Screenplay Competition. Winners in the Short Film category receive $250 and the Feature Film category receive $500. Winners may receive a staged reading at the 2024 Out On Film festival.

Out On Film (OOF) is now accepting film entries for our 2024 Festival. We are seeking films catered to the interest of, and inclusive to the LGBTQ+ community. We wish to showcase the trials and triumphs of life using the moving image. This is mandatory for consideration. This is a necessary step towards inclusion for many who have not had their stories told and is an integral part of our mission to expand who and what is seen by our patrons and Atlanta’s. Works in progress are not allowed.

Online submissions should include the fully completed submission form, entry fee, JPEG publicity photo(s), a two-sentence synopsis, downloadable trailer URL, if possible, URL link to preview the film (Vimeo preferred) and password to access the film (if protected). The URL link and password for selected films must be available until August 29, 2024. Film’s submissions must have been completed in 2023 or later. Films in languages other than English must have English subtitles.

More than one entry can be submitted; however, each entry must be accompanied by separate online submission forms. Submissions containing multiple films will be disqualified from consideration. Shipment of exhibition asset(s) to the festival must be paid by the applicant.

If shipping preview screeners, please note that Out On Film will not be able to return the materials provided. Completion of the entry form certifies that you are the rightful owner of the submitted work and own all rights and releases necessary for public screening(s).By submitting your work to Out On Film, you grant a non-exclusive license to use an excerpt of your submission of up to two minutes in length for promotional purposes only.

Out On Film request Georgia premiere status for any and all official selections. Out On Film has the exclusive right to determine how, when, and the duration that submitted and selected films are screened for the festival (in-person, virtually, or both) as well as to determine appropriate geo-blocking measures for films that screen virtually. Films that we screen virtually need to be available for a minimum of one week throughout the U.S and may be subject to special encore opportunities during the month of October.

Our relationships with filmmakers are very valuable to us and we always strive to have as many filmmakers present as we can at our event. For those filmmakers we are able to invite to our festival, we offer airfare, lodging and transportation. For filmmakers who come on their own, we make every attempt to assist with housing and lodging.

IMPORTANT NOTE: IF SELECTED, WE WILL HAVE VERY IMPORTANT TIME-SENSITIVE CORRESPONDENCE SO BE SURE TO WHITELIST COMMUNICATIONS FROM TRAFFIC@OUTONFILM.ORG. BE SURE TO INCLUDE A PHONE NUMBER WE CAN REACH YOU AT IN YOUR SUBMISSION.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Tracy Clifton

    Such a fantastic festival - organizer was very communicative and we felt like our film was really seen and understood. Thanks so much!

    November 2023
  • Dave Quantic

    I've never had the pleasure to attend OOF in person but they are always courteous, professional and really enthusiastic about showing my films. I am always very intentional about submitting to OOF and I hope I get to go some day.

    November 2023
  • Sofia Garza-Barba

    It was an honor to have my film PECCADILLO screen at this festival. Although I wasn't able to attend, I heard through the grapevine that it was an awesome year! Looking forward to attending in the near future

    October 2023
  • Jack Goessens

    Out on Film has been a fantastic film festival to work with. The team was super helpful and communicative and the film programme is of a very high quality. I’ll definitely submit my next film to them again.

    October 2023
  • I had a wonderful time at Out on Film. Jim and the whole team were so communicative and helpful. The in-person festival had an amazing energy to it. Would definitely recommend going.

    October 2023