One of the largest and most influential LGBT film festivals in the world, Outfest, opens its 32nd edition tonight, Thursday, July 10. Running through Sunday, July 20, the fest will bring scores of shorts and over 60 features to Los Angeles audiences, including more than 20 documentary features. Nonfiction takes a few prime slots, including the Gala Centerpiece, MY PRAIRIE HOME, Chelsea McMullan’s profile of Canadian trans musician Rae Spoon; Special Event TO BE TAKEI, Jennifer M Kroot’s portrait of the STAR TREK actor turned LGBT icon; and Platinum selection KATE BORNSTEIN IS A QUEER AND PLEASANT DANGER, Sam Feder’s look at the pioneering gender outlaw.
The main program showcases the remainder of the event’s doc programming, a vibrant mix of recent new work, including, among others, portraits of notable LGBT figures like BACK ON BOARD: GREG LOUGANIS, Cheryl Furjanic’s look at the famed Olympic diver; I ALWAYS SAID YES: THE MANY LIVES OF WAKEFIELD POOLE, Jim Tushinski’s exploration of the life and career of the famed adult filmmaker; AN HONEST LIAR, Justin Weinstein and Tyler Measom’s surprising biography of noted skeptic magician James “The Amazing” Randi; and DIOR AND I (pictured), Frederic Tcheng’s countdown to the unveiling of designer Raf Simons’ first collection for Christian Dior.
Other doc offerings include Thomas G Miller’s LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, about America’s first legally married same-sex couple; Nicolas Videla and Camila Donoso’s NAOMI CAMPBEL, IT’S NOT EASY TO BECOME A DIFFERENT PERSON (pictured), a hybrid project exploring the life of a Chilean trans woman hoping to win a plastic surgery competition; and blair doroshwalther’s OUT IN THE NIGHT, which unpacks the truth behind an infamous case of a so-called lesbian gang attack in Greenwich Village.
what (not) to doc 