A fundraiser for Outfest exploring the future of LGBTQ+ content in an uncertain environment - Presented by Outfest and UTA Proud What does the future of LGBTQ+ storytelling look like in an increasingly uncertain media landscape? Join Outfest for a timely and candid conversation about the forces shaping queer film and television today, from shifting industry priorities and shrinking opportunities to the power of artists and audiences to keep LGBTQ+ stories visible, vital, and moving forward. Moderated by Variety’s Marc Malkin, the conversation brings together Hayley Kiyoko, Angela Robinson, and Wash Westmoreland for an honest look at where queer media is headed, what’s at stake, and how we continue to build a future where our stories have a place to thrive. A reception with small bites will follow the conversation.

Outfest held its first fundraiser of the year on the rooftop of Soho House Holloway kicking off our 2026 programming.

Over its four-day run, OutfestNEXT will showcase twenty film programs at the Renberg Theatre and Davidson/Valenti Theatre showcasing a vibrant spectrum of narrative and documentary features and shorts which celebrate queer and trans storytelling across generations. The full program reflects the most impactful queer filmmaking of the year, inviting attendees to discover new voices, reconnect with their favorite film artists, and find community through stories which resonate long after the credits roll. In the spirit of Outfest’s revolutionary roots — which began as an act of defiance on the UCLA campus in 1982 — the Davidson/Valenti Theatre will be reimagined as the Outfest Microcinema. The microcinema will host accessible workshops and panels for emerging filmmakers by day while, by night, spotlighting the boundary-pushing films which rewrite the rules for making an independent film in 2026. With the Microcinema, OutfestNEXT celebrates the same radical ingenuity and renegade creativity that defined Outfest’s founding and continues to define its mission today.

“The Rise: WNBA 2024 – The Year That Changed Everything,” a documentary film directed by Emmy-winning documentary producer Taj Paxton, who is known for her compelling storytelling and commitment to highlighting significant cultural figures and LGBTQ heroes. The film explores the transformative moments of the Women’s National Basketball Association during a pivotal year and features exclusive interviews with basketball legend Candace Parker—who also serves as executive producer—alongside current players Napheesa Collier and Courtney Williams, as well as WNBAPA’s Terri Jackson, Jane McManus, Khristina Williams and ESPN/New York Knicks analyst Monica McNutt. This groundbreaking series explores the challenges and triumphs that athletes face as they strive for greater representation, equality and recognition in the sports world. Join us for this powerful film, which promises to inspire and educate audiences about the significance of women’s sports and the larger cultural movements surrounding them. “What I hope audiences see is how the film celebrates the players’ triumphs on the court and their battles off the court,” said Taj Paxton, the film’s director. “These players embody true leadership—passionate, strategic and brilliant. I’m truly honored that Hello Sunshine invited me to be part of this inspiring series.”

Screening will be preceded by a reception starting at 7pm in the courtyard. The film will start at 8pm, followed by a Q&A with director Adrian Chiarella and actors Joe Bird and Stacy Clausen. Leviticus Two teenage boys must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most — each other. Most teens learn from a clumsy first make out or a nervous confession of a harbored crush that being vulnerable with your desires can be terrifying. Adrian Chiarella (Outfest Fusion 2019 Black Lips, Outfest LA 2021 Dwarf Planet) makes his feature directorial debut with LEVITICUS, a powerhouse that's part romance, part horror movie...in other words, it's a viscerally authentic coming of age story.

When Nate is forced to leave his fabulous city life behind and move in with his grandparents after a bad breakup, he is determined to escape the confines of retirement community life and his meddlesome grandparents' relentless attempts to "improve" him. But when his Holocaust-surviving grandfather Saul shows signs of cognitive decline and his grandmother Miriam refuses to acknowledge her husband's early dementia, Nate finds himself torn between his desire to flee, family responsibilities, and an unexpected romance with his grandparents' handsome doctor...

This is more than four days of screenings—it's a rallying cry and a homecoming. NEXT launches a collective vision of queer storytelling: fluid, genre-breaking, and radically present. It’s a space where strength and empowerment aren’t just themes, but shared experiences. This is where creative futures take shape — not behind closed doors, but in community, in collaboration, and in full view.

Through flashback and meta-narrative, DUINO breathes fresh life into a classic gay coming-of-age tale by exploring the passionate memories of a just-out-of-reach lover that audiences will find both tender and crowd pleasing.

This moving and timely documentary sets the stage for the investigation of the unsolved murder of Venus Xtravaganza, one of the iconic stars of Paris Is Burning, the legendary 1990 documentary about the ballroom scene of New York City.