Outfest NEXT officially returns for its second year, bringing queer films, filmmaker conversations, and community events back to Los Angeles for four days from July 23rd to July 26th.
The event, held at the LA LGBT Center’s Village at Ed Gould Plaza, is only in its second year, but it’s quickly carving out its own space within Outfest’s larger legacy. OutfestNEXT functions less as a traditional film festival and more like a gathering place where established queer icons, up-and-coming creators, and audiences can all share the same room.
And to be honest, that feels especially important right now.
At a time when LGBTQ+ narratives continue to be challenged, restricted, and politicized, spaces dedicated solely to queer creativity feel more like an act of preservation than entertainment.
Luckily, there’s a lot to celebrate in this year’s lineup.
Greg Araki returns to the Outfest stage
Few filmmakers have shaped queer cinema as much as Greg Araki.
The filmmaker’s latest work, i want your sexis coming to OutfestNEXT with a cast that feels tailor-made for the Internet frenzy: Olivia Wilde, Cooper Hoffman, Chase Sui Wonders, Margaret Cho, and Charli XCX.
For Araki, this event also marks a full-circle moment.
“My long history with Outfest goes back to when I was a baby queer filmmaker in the ’80s and ’90s. Festivals like Outfest and Frameline provided an important platform for voices like mine to be heard,” he said in a statement. “Thank you Outfest for supporting queer culture during these scary times, when we need queer culture now more than ever!”
That sense of tradition is woven throughout this year’s program.
New stories, familiar faces, and lots of queer joy
The 2026 lineup spans generations, genres, and perspectives.
There is testis a sports drama starring Matthew Morrison that explores ambition, identity, and complex family relationships through the world of competitive bodybuilding.
Documentary buffs will love it barbara foreveran intimate look at the life and influence of legendary lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer. The film, directed by Outfest alum Bridie O’Connor and executive produced by Kristen Stewart, has arrived in Los Angeles following its premiere at Sundance earlier this year.
There is also that Maspalomasis a heartwarming Spanish drama about an older gay man whose life is disrupted when he is forced to leave his beloved gay community in the Canary Islands.
meanwhile, What you need to know about meExecutive produced by Lilly Wachowski, the film brings transgender joy to the forefront through a coming-of-age romantic comedy starring E. J. Marcus and Morgan Sullivan.
And for those who like to discover hidden gems before anyone else, can’t go beyond that offers a quiet, intimate story about friendship, nature, and the troubling feelings that emerge when two queer friends spend a little too much time together while hiking in the Adirondacks.
Not just screenings
One of the things that makes OutfestNEXT stand out is that it doesn’t just focus on what’s happening on screen.
Throughout the weekend, attendees will be able to attend filmmaker workshops, industry conversations, and panels held inside the Outfest Microcinema.
The goal is not simply to showcase completed projects, but to create opportunities for queer artists and audiences to connect with each other in meaningful ways.
“The Outfest programming team is thrilled to be able to share the work of a visionary filmmaker with theaters packed with movie-loving Angelenos,” senior programmer Daniel Crook said in a statement.
He added that OutfestNEXT exists in “the marriage of rebellious expression and the power of community,” two values that have long been central to queer storytelling.
Click here for ticket release dates
Outfest members will have first access to tickets starting June 29th. ticket It will be available to the general public from July 1st.
If last year’s reaction is any indication, waiting until the last moment probably isn’t the move.
For one weekend in July, Los Angeles will once again be a meeting place for queer artists, audiences, and must-see stories, proving that queer cinema isn’t just surviving. It continues to evolve.
Source: Gayety – gayety.com
