Outfest is headed to back Sundance — virtually — with a robust lineup of events that will celebrate their commitment to queer storyteling from diverse perspectives.This year is the second for Outfest House and marks the 40th anniversary of the organization.
The panels kick off January 22 and continue through January 24 It will be available to stream for free on Outfest’s virtual platform the OutMuseum. Launched in December 2021, the OutMuseum is the first LGBTQ+ arts and media virtual museum of its kind, dedicated to celebrating and commemorating the queer and trans communities Outfest serves as an organization, free of charge to the public. To visit, go to www.theoutmuseum.org or download the OutfestNow app on nearly every set-top tv and mobile platform.
“Embracing this virtual shift for a second year at Sundance increases our ability to bring Outfest’s programming to even more members of our community, not just those who happen to be in Park City,” said Damien S. Navarro, Executive Director of Outfest. “The OutMuseum creates an accessible experience for impactful queer voices to share their stories and for audiences to receive them, which makes it an ideal home to broadcast these Queer House conversations around some of the most exciting LGBTQ+ stories at the festival this year.”
Now in its 26th year, Outfest will also continue to host their annual Queer Brunch at this year’s virtual festival. The Outfest Queer Brunch at Sundance will be an invitation-only gathering of festival alumni, industry, community, and fans of cinema celebrating the LGBTQ+ films at Sundance. The brunch will take place in an immersive virtual platform Sunday, January 23 at 11am PT, recreating the excitement of an in-person brunch and providing participants the opportunity to connect with Sundance attendees and industry players around the world.
Read the lineup of programming below.
THE VISIBILITY QUESTION – A Framing Agnes Case Study – Co-presented by GLAAD, premiering Saturday, January 22.
In this age of steadily increasing onscreen trans stories and characters, the words “visibility” and “representation” have become buzzwords…but what do these really mean? Who determines what or who is seen? How might that attention limit wider opportunity for stories, or increase vulnerability for communities? Featuring the core creative team from director Chase Joynt’s 2022 Sundance feature selection FRAMING AGNES, which uncovers stories of trans people from a bygone era and explores the complicated nature of sharing truths, this panel will discuss how trans and queer artists are collaborating to tell authentic stories with agency and awareness for how they land in culture.
Featuring director Chase Joynt, writer Morgan M. Page, and film narrator Jules Gill-Peterson. Moderated by Alex Schmider, GLAAD.
FROM IDEA TO SCREEN: WHAT ARE THE QUEER STORIES THAT NEED TO BE TOLD? – Presented in partnership with It Gets Better. Premiering Sunday, January 23.
The It Gets Better Project has a mission to uplift, empower and connect LGBTQIA+ youth around the globe. One of the key ways in which we do that is by sharing, creating, and amplifying stories — from films to TV shows, original short-form video series to TikToks, in person presentations to streaming on Twitch. There are countless ways of making your voice heard and getting your story told. This panel will focus on the wide range of stories we need to see more of, why creating stories for young LGBTQIA+ people is of particular importance, and the challenges filmmakers and creators face in trying to get those stories out into the world. We’ll also look at some of the stories the It Gets Better Project is working on and what the young people we serve (including our Youth Voices ambassadors) have identified as issues of particular importance.
Featuring Sundance talent Érica Sarmet (A Wild Patience Has Taken Me Here), Jen Richards (Framing Agnes), Joey Soloway (Transparent), Theda Hammel (My Trip to Spain), and additional voices, Javicia Leslie (Batwoman), Sherry Cola (Good Trouble), and Eboni Munn, Director of Brand Marketing, Content & Creative, It Gets Better. Moderated by Brian Wenke, Executive Director & CEO, It Gets Better.
PARTNERS IN WORK AND LOVE – A Talk with the team from AM I OK? – Co-presented by ReFrame, a project founded by the Sundance Institute and Women in Film. Premiering Monday, January 24.
Sundance 2022 filmmakers and life partners Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne (Am I Ok?) – along with the film’s screenwriter Lauren Pomerantz – are joined by Director of ReFrame Andria Wilson Mirza and filmmaker/writer/actor Fawzia Mirza (both consultants on Sundance 2022 doc Sirens) for a fascinating discussion about each couple’s coexistence as both work and life partners in the film industry. Join us for a lively crosstalk about the opportunities and challenges for queer women in the industry, how each couple has approached mixing the professional and personal, and how they’ve collaborated with others to bring their personal visions into the world.
