Outfest is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit arts organization dedicated to creating, sharing, and protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and genderqueer media.

The Outfest Fusion Film Festival was born in 2004 out of a grassroots movement by Outfest alumni filmmakers to promote social change through the power of film. Since then, Fusion has continued to bring the city's multicultural communities together to celebrate LGBTQ people of color and provide a platform to amplify our voices. Every year at Fusion the under-represented QPOC community is able to see themselves represented on the big screen.

Fusion includes a film festival, filmmaking workshops and masterclasses, a one minute movie contest, and inFusion, a day of networking for LGBTQ filmmakers of color to spend the day on the NBCUniversal studio lot with entertainment industry professionals.

Rules & Terms

Films should be of interest to the queer and people of color communities. We are seeking narrative, documentary, experimental, and animated films (both features and shorts) in DCP. (Upon acceptance, Outfest will provide projection options for the venue in which the film will screen. IF THE FILMMAKER CANNOT PROVIDE THE CORRECT PROJECTION FORMAT, THE FILM WILL NOT BE SCREENED.)

Rough cuts and works-in-progress are eligible for submission if the completed film will be ready for QC by February 1st, 2020. Please label the screener “Rough Cut” and specify what is missing (i.e. temp sound, needs color correction, etc).

By submitting your work to Outfest, you grant to Outfest a non-exclusive license to use an excerpt of your submission, if accepted, of up to two minutes in length, for promotional purposes only.

Still photos from your work are requested with your submission and are required for all films selected for the festival. Good stills make a difference in film placement and press coverage, particularly for short films. Even the shortest short can get press coverage or festival prominence with a captivating still. Stills must be in TIFF or JPEG format and 300dpi (dots per inch).

You are also encouraged to enclose a synopsis, production credits, press information, and other collateral regarding your film.

CERTIFICATION
I have read and agree to the festival submission and participation requirements and certify that I am authorized to submit this film or video to Outfest Fusion. I understand that, in the event this work is selected for the festival, we will retain a physical submission or back-up copy at the UCLA Film & Television Archive as part of Outfest UCLA Legacy Project. I hold Outfest harmless from damage to or loss of the print en route or otherwise during the course of the festival’s possession of the film or video.
6 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
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Networking
  • Tobit Raphael

    An invaluable experience for emerging filmmakers of color that identify under the LGBTQ spectrum. I appreciated the quality of the films, the variety, and the opportunities given to network with fellow professionals. I highly recommend this festival to anyone in love with cinema. It's also a beautifully attended event :) Thank you!

    June 2020
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  • Che Che Luna

    Having my short as a part of Outfest Fusion 2020 was life changing. The medicine that came from being in community, sharing stories and connecting through our art has touched me so deeply. Thank you Outfest for creating this space to mobilize change in the places we need it most.

    March 2020
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  • Donta Storey

    We had an amazing time showcasing our fun at Fusion! The film blocks were really diverse in genre and the networking opportunities were great ways to meet other filmmakers of color! I enjoyed the fusion, and will be supporting Outfest in a few months. The programmers were awesome with communicating and getting the filmmakers all of the information we needed during a hectic time.

    March 2020
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  • Festival Formula

    Incredible festival! We're chuffed to bits our clients Sununú: The Revolution Of Love and Home Girl screened here. Outfest were friendly communicators and provided a quality programme. Keep up the awesome work.

    May 2019
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  • Abram Cerda

    No festival in the world compares when it comes to prioritizing the stories of queer & trans people of color, AND nurturing the careers of their filmmakers. Sold out screenings!! Screening at the legendary Chinese TCL Theatres /Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, or at any of other historic cultural centers, is a dream, but also the QTPOC audiences come OUT for Fusion and it's such an emotional experience, being surrounded by community & love. The panels and workshops Fusion provides for filmmakers are legit - meeting with NBC executives, workshopping making a movie shooting 4k with an iPhone, acting workshops, networking mixers, etc....Outfest Fusion was my best queer festival experience yet, and one that I will always treasure as both a filmmaker and audience member. The staff & programming team are so dedicated and amazing and pour their heart into the festival and it is so FELT! Love Fusion...Can't wait to be back with another film.

    March 2019
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