Atlanta’s preeminent, Oscar-qualifying and USA TODAY “10 Best” film festival, Out On Film, will present its provocative 2025 “Queer Propaganda”-themed full lineup Sept. 25 to Oct. 5.
Presented by GILEAD, festival screenings, Q&As, and panels will take place at the historic Landmark’s Midtown Art Cinema and Out Front Theatre Company.
The 38th annual Out On Film will offer a diverse selection that includes 35 features (19 narrative films, 16 documentaries), five streaming-only films, and 105 short films for a total of 150 films. In all, Out On Film will host nine world premieres, four international premieres, 10 U.S. premieres, and 32 regional premieres as part of the 2025 festival.
The full, updated schedule and festival ticket packages are available now at outonfilm.org.
The Queer Film Summit will feature panels on film pitch sessions, creating low/no-budget films, practical special effects, and readings from the year’s Out On Film Screenplay Competition.
In addition, Out On Film will present its 2025 Icon Award to actor, singer, entrepreneur, and advocate Angelica Ross (“Pose,” “American Horror Story”). Her award will be presented at an in-person, free ceremony at the Landmark Midtown Art Cinema on Sept. 30 at noon.
“In a year where our rights are being threatened, it’s as important as ever to stand up and show we are around – and not going anywhere,” said Out On Film Festival Director Jim Farmer. “This year’s Out On Film is one of our biggest, most in-your-face events ever.”
Regarding this year’s theme, Executive Director Justice Obiaya said, “In a time when ‘Queer Propaganda’ is used as a political weapon to shame, censor, and vilify LGBTQ+ lives, we’re reclaiming it. At Out On Film, we’re turning the term on its head and making it our own. Queer Propaganda isn’t about pushing an agenda; it’s about telling the truth.”
The Opening Night film set for the 11-day festival is the documentary feature “I Was Born This Way,” directed by Daniel Junge and Sam Pollard, which spotlights how pioneering disco artist Carl Bean’s 1977 anthem became a cultural milestone for LGBTQ+ music. Through interviews with music legends such as Lady Gaga, Billy Porter, Questlove, and Dionne Warwick, the story unfolds of Archbishop Bean’s groundbreaking impact on queer representation in mainstream culture in this exceptional, empowering documentary.
The festival will conclude with the heartwarming Irish feature film “Four Mothers,” directed by Darren Thornton. A struggling novelist in Dublin, planning for an upcoming book tour, is forced to take care of three eccentric older women – and his own mother, recovering from a stroke – over the course of one chaotic weekend in Dublin in this warm and funny crowd pleaser. Starring James McArdle (“Andor,” “Sexy Beast”), this beauty won the Audience Award at the BFI London Film Festival.
“Assembly” – A documentary feature directed by Rashaad Newsome and Johnny Symon and recipient of 2024’s inaugural Out On Film Filmmaker Fund Award, “Assembly” follows visionary artist Newsome as he transforms a historic military facility into a Black queer utopia, blending art, AI, and performance. Through stunning visuals and deeply personal performances, the film captures the transformative power of creativity as a fractured community comes together to find strength, solidarity, and liberation.
“Exit Interviews” – Debut feature from GA-based Writer/Director/Executive Producer and Atlanta Comedy Theater Owner Garrett Abd (“ATL Comedy Arts Fest,” “Strip Off”). Starring Tuc Watkins (“Uncoupled,” “Desperate Housewives”) Thomas Dekker (“Swimming With Sharks,” “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”), Adam Huss (“Power,” “General Hospital”) and Ray Santiago (“Ash vs. Evil Dead,” “Meet the Fockers”), the independent film explores the complicated emotional terrain of love, regret, and personal reflection through the lens of one man’s journey to confront the ghosts of his past relationships head on.
“Fairyland” – Based on the acclaimed memoir of the same name by Alysia Abbott, “Fairyland” is a coming-of-age story set against the backdrop of San Francisco’s vibrant cultural scene in the 1970s and ’80s. Written/Directed by Andrew Durham (in his feature directorial debut) and produced by Sofia Coppola, the film chronicles a father and daughter relationship as it evolves through an era of bohemian decadence to the sober and heartbreaking era of the AIDS crisis. Stars Emilia Jones (“CODA”), Scoot McNairy (“A Complete Unknown”), Cody Fern (“American Horror Story”), Maria Bakalova (“The Apprentice”) and Bella Murphy (“Coming 2 America”), with Adam Lambert (“Glee”) and Geena Davis (“Thelma & Louise”), and introducing Nessa Dougherty.
“Lesbian Space Princess” – In Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese’s crowd-pleasing, Teddy Award-winning animated feature, a space princess is thrust out of her sheltered life and into a galactic quest to save her bounty hunter ex-girlfriend from the Straight White Maliens.
“The Librarians” – Documentary filmmaker Kim A. Snyder (2025 Oscar®-nominated “Death By Numbers,” “Newtown,” “Us Kids”) takes us to an unexpected front line where librarians emerge as first responders in the fight for democracy, free access to information, and our First Amendment Rights. As they well know, controlling the flow of ideas means control over communities. When an unprecedented wave of book banning largely addressing race and LGBTQ+ issues is sparked in Texas, Florida, and beyond, librarians under siege join forces as unlikely defenders fighting for intellectual freedom on the front lines of democracy.
“Plainclothes” – Promising undercover agent Lucas (Tom Blyth, “Billy the Kid”), assigned to lure and arrest gay men, defies professional orders when he falls in love with a target, Andrew (Russell Tovey, “Looking”). Director Carmen Emmi’s gripping feature film charts the unexpected relationship between the two men and Lucas’ internal growth.
“Afrodite” (International Premiere) – Professional diver Ludovica witnesses her diving school go bankrupt due to her partner’s debts to the mafia. Left alone and burdened with too many debts to pay, she finds herself forced to extract TNT from a Second World War shipwreck, sunken in the middle of the sea, on behalf of the mafia, which in the meantime has declared war on the Italian state.
“A Night Like This” – Using London’s gritty nightlife as a backdrop, Liam Calvert’s debut film is about a stone-broke gay actor, Lukas (Jack Brett Anderson), and privileged bonehead Oliver (In From the Side standout Alexander Lincoln), with a failing business cross paths on a winter night. The two join forces in a quest around London to find a meaning to their lives.
“Blackbird” (10th Anniversary Screening) – Set in a small Baptist community in the south of Mississippi, a 17-year-old high school senior and talented singer, Randy (Julian J. Walker, Being Mary Jane), juggles with his sexuality and religion while also dealing with the disappearance of his younger sister as it tore his family apart. Mo’Nique stars and is one of the executive producers.
“Dreams In Nightmares” – After losing her job, Z embarks on a trip across the American Midwest. Together with her two closest friends, she is searching for another friend of theirs who has seemingly disappeared off the grid. In each city, the three queer Black femmes face new threats that test their priorities, causing personal and ideological fractures to emerge. With their second film, Shatara Michelle Ford puts their own singular stamp on the American road movie.
“Drive Back Home” – In the winter of 1970, a cantankerous, small-town plumber from rural New Brunswick must drive his beat-up work truck 1,000 miles to Toronto to get his estranged, gay brother (Alan Cumming) out of jail after being arrested for having sex in a public park. The two men are then forced to drive back home together at the behest of their hard-nosed mother before they kill each other in this winning comedy-drama.
“Jimpa” – Hannah (OIivia Colman) takes her non-binary teenager Frances (Aug Mason-Hyde) ) to visit their gay grandfather Jim – affectionately known as Jimpa (John Lithgow) – in Amsterdam. But Frances’ desire to stay abroad with Jimpa for a year means Hannah is forced to reconsider her beliefs about parenting and finally confront old stories about the past in Sophie Hyde’s beautifully acted and heartfelt drama.
“Lakeview” – A vibrant, heartfelt queer ensemble comedy that celebrates friendship, freedom, and the joy of self-discovery. Set against the backdrop of a girls’ weekend convened to mark a transformative divorce, Lakeview gets into the lives of a close-knit group who are navigating the hurdles of life and love at a picturesque retreat. Directed by local treasure Tara Thorne, this film captures both the excitement of newfound freedom and the bittersweet nostalgia of letting go.
“Night Stage” – An ambitious actor and a successful politician start a secret affair, and together they discover their fetish for having sex in public places. The closer they get to their dream of fame, the more they feel the urge to put themselves at risk. From directors Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon comes this sexy drama/political thriller. In Portuguese with English subtitles.
“Outerlands” – Cass juggles jobs as a nanny, restaurant server, and party drug dealer to make ends meet and pay for their tiny San Francisco apartment. After a one-night stand with Kalli, a co-worker they have a crush on, the non-binary Cass agrees to watch her 11-year-old daughter, Ari, while she goes out of town. But as days pass without word from Kalli, Cass and Ari form a bond that spirals Cass back to their own difficult childhood and the pain they’ve been running from. Elena Oxman’s film features a stunning lead performance by Asia Kate Dillon as Cass.
“Queens of the Dead” – When a zombie apocalypse breaks out in Brooklyn on the night of a warehouse party, an eclectic group of drag queens, club kids, and frenemies must put aside their drama and use their unique skills to fight against the brain-thirsty, scrolling undead. This campy horror comedy stars an all-star cast including Pose’s Dominique Jackson, Margaret Cho, Cheyenne Jackson, and Katy O’Brien.
“Sandbag Dam” – In a flood-threatened village, Marko’s life is turned upside down when Slaven returns for his father’s funeral and rekindles their forbidden romance. Marko must confront his family and make a difficult choice about his future. In Croatian with English subtitles.
“She’s The He” – Just before graduation, Alex and Ethan pretend to be trans women to get into the girls’ lockers. It’s all a joke until Ethan realizes she really is trans. The two must reckon with their changing friendship and the process of coming out in this cheerful, very funny new film.
“Sisters” – In this beautiful comedy, 20-something best friends Lou and Esther are each other’s “chosen sisters.” But when Lou discovers she has a long-lost actual sister, her and Esther’s co-dependent bliss is rudely interrupted. As Lou becomes closer with her impossibly chic half-sister, she must redefine what that loaded F word – family – really means to her.
“T” – Shot over the lead actor’s first year on testosterone, T follows Em through their journey of gender discovery, and the challenges and joys they face in their romantic relationships, friendships, and family. T is a recipient of a 2024 Out On Film Filmmaker Fund Award.
“The Best Friend” – In this sexy and funny musical comedy, Lucas, an architect, travels to Canoa Quebrada after a crisis with his boyfriend. He then encounters Felipe, a former classmate, stirring up old feelings and forcing Lucas to choose between his current relationship and a past passion.
“The Last First Time” – Eighteen-year-old Eduardo travels from a small Mexican town to the city of Guadalajara to take a university admission exam. In this strange, big city, far away from his mother’s surveillance, he experiences his first missteps in love and sex. In Spanish with English subtitles.
“A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Blooroot” – In the ’70s and ’80s, there were over 230 feminist restaurants, cafés, and coffeehouses throughout the United States and Canada. Bloodroot, located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, is now the oldest and longest-lasting of those spaces, in continuous operation for over 46 years. A Culinary Uprising: The Story of Bloodroot explores this feminist, queer, vegan restaurant and bookstore, and illuminates the legacy of its pioneering proprietors, Selma Miriam and Noel Furie.
“It’s Dorothy” – Since Dorothy Gale started her epic journey down the Yellow Brick Road 125 years ago in L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, she’s become a celebrity, a brand, and a beacon for marginalized voices across our culture. It’s Dorothy brings to life her timeless adventures in Oz through the human experiences of a new generation of star performers, infused with the spirit and influence of Judy Garland and more. With a chorus of cultural icons, unforgettable music, and a magical remix of archival and cinematic art, this film centers the perspectives of women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ voices.
“Just Kids” (Southeastern Premiere) – Gianna Toboni’s extraordinary documentary follows three families in states that have banned gender-affirming care as they navigate a heartbreaking decision: Should they stay in their home states, where their whole life is, and risk their child’s health and safety? Or should they flee? Over the course of a year, these families endure impossible challenges and show unparalleled strength as they fight to save their children’s lives.
“Last Dance at the Sundance Stompede” – In November 2023, over 800 people from all over the world gathered in San Francisco to attend the Sundance Stompede, an LGBTQ+ country-western dance weekend with four days of workshops and exhibition performances across three venues. After 27 years, this year is the final Stompede. The film documents the weekend of dancing and the thoughts and reflections of 15 participants.
“Love Me Bait Me: The Power of Queer Representation” – This feature documentary explores the historical relationship between Hollywood, television, and the authentic portrayal of diverse LGBTQ+ experiences over the course of more than a century. Interviews and archival footage provide a constructive critique of the U.S. film industry that emphasizes the life-saving role storytelling plays in our collective imagination for a better future.
“Night in West Texas” (Southeastern Premiere) – Forty years after a gay Apache man is framed for the brutal murder of a closeted Catholic priest, a police chief uncovers long-buried evidence that shakes up the small, oil-rich West Texas town that imprisoned him. From Deborah S. Esquenazi, the director of the acclaimed Southwest of Salem: The Story of the San Antonio Four, comes this powerful and jolting new documentary.
“Sally!” – Sally! brings into focus the life and legacy of Sally Gearhart — a charismatic lesbian-feminist, activist, professor, and fantasy author. A trailblazer in the 1970s and ’80s U.S. lesbian feminist movement, Sally is a “hidden figure” deserving more attention: she was a key spokeswoman for an important period of women’s history.
“The Dancer” (U.S. Premiere) – The Dancer is a coming-of-age film about Ahmad Joudeh, born stateless in Syria’s Yarmouk camp. Ahmad is a dancer who battles against inner and external war in his pursuit of the true meaning of freedom.
“This Is Ballroom” – In Rio de Janeiro city and its outskirts, LGBTQ+ youth of color recreate ballroom culture on their own terms. A portrait of the dramas, the voguing performances, and the art of shade, 50 years after its inception in New York, Rio is burning! In Portuguese with English subtitles.
“Under the Southern Cross: The Art and Legacy of Henry L. Faulkner” – Under the Southern Cross is an unflinching portrayal of Appalachian queer painter and poet Henry L. Faulkner from Egypt, Kentucky (1924-1981). The most documented queer man in the history of Kentucky, Faulkner documented his life and lovers as an adolescent in the 1930s until the day he died.
“We Are Pat” – Filmed in Georgia, this documentary is a tale of obsession, transness, and how art ages over time, told through the 1990s cult character Pat from SNL. It explores the evolution of gender identity and comedy from the ’90s until today through the lens of the iconic It’s Pat sketch. Trans and non-binary comedians and culture-makers reimagine and rewrite the original Pat material, using camp and humor to reclaim and re-envision an iconic character in American comedy.
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