EXCLUSIVE: Outfest has unveiled their lineup for the 17th annual Outfest Fusion — or the more official title: Outfest 2020: Culture. Film. Music. Story. The fest will run March 6-10 and include screenings, performances, panels, galas, workshops, and world premieres in Los Angeles.
Outfest Fusion brings together one of the largest, inclusive and diverse cross-sections of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. The fest is a space the next generation of storytellers and cultural ambassadors are discovered. This year, Outfest Fusion 2020 will feature more than 60 films, including 11 World Premieres, 4 North American Premieres, 12 West Coast Premieres, 13 Los Angeles Premieres and 1 International Premiere.
Films featured this year include EL PRINCIPE (The Prince) directed by Sebastián Muñoz’s El Principe (The Prince) which won the Queer Lion at the 2019 Venice Film Festival. The fest will also feature the L.A. premiere of Andrew Ahn’s Driveways which stars Hong Chau (Downsizing, Watchmen) and Golden Globe and Tony-winning actor Brian Dennehy. The film was nominated for two Film Independent Spirit Awards this year, including Best Female Lead for Chau.
There will also be a sneak preview of Lena Waithe’s BET series Twenties with cast members Jonica T. Gibbs, Christina Elmore, and Gabrielle Graham in attendance for a Q&A.
Other films on the lineup include Mike Mosallam’s Breaking Fast, the 2019 Venice Film Festival selection Lingua Franca written, directed by, and starring Isabel Sandoval as well as the international premiere of I Am The Other One from Brazillian director Sílvia Godinho.
The Outfest Legacy Project, committed to archiving and preserving queer stories, will feature two repertory titles in the Fusion lineup including the 2012 selection Mosquita Y Mari from Aurora Guerrero, and the 1998 Outfest Audience Award-winning short film Secrets directed by Sheryl Lee Ralph and featuring Ralph, Robin Givens, Tina Lifford, and Alfre Woodard.
Fusion will kick off on Friday, March 6 at downtown Los Angeles’ Japanese American Cultural & Community Center with its Gala Shorts program and will feature a variety of workshops, think tanks, panel conversations and the debut of Fusion’s Rising Stars, honoring six up-and-coming QTPOC actors on the cusp of major breakthroughs in their Hollywood careers. Panelists include: Zuri Adele (Good Trouble), Adam Faison (Everything’s Gonna Be Okay), Alexandra Grey (Empire) Poppy Liu (Sunnyside), Leo Sheng (Adam, The L Word: Generation Q) and Tonatiuh (Vida).
Deadline by Dino-Ray Ramos
