North Carolina may not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking about LGBTQ film festivals, but believe it or not, North Carolina is home to multiple successful events that showcase LGBTQ cinema.
These festivals include OutSouth Queer Film Festival, formerly known as the North Carolina Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, which is described as the second biggest LGBTQ film festival in the American South.
These North Carolina festivals offer queer filmmakers the chance to share their message and offer audiences the chance to see the world through a different lens. They can be a great opportunity to break out of your Netflix routine, explore new ideas, and connect with the queer community.
OutSouth Queer Film Festival, Formerly Known as the North Carolina Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
OutSouth, which became the festival’s official name starting in 2020, is the oldest queer film festival in North Carolina. It debuted in 1995 as the Q Film Fest, and was later dubbed the North Carolina Gay and Lesbian Film Festival for over 20 years.
Over its decades long history, the festival’s reputation has grown and filmmakers now consider it to be an important destination on the LGBTQ film circuit. It has historically featured over 100 films per year, including features and shorts, from filmmakers from dozens of countries.
The festival audience awards filmmakers in various categories including best narrative feature, best short film, best animated film, best documentary, and more.
OutSouth takes place annually in downtown Durham, North Carolina. The festival typically takes place over three days in August, and ticket prices are about $12.50 per film. The festival also offers a 10-film pass for $100. Tickets can be purchased online at the link at the bottom of this page, or at the box office of the Carolina Theatre in Durham.
Reel Out Charlotte, Organized by Charlotte Pride
Reel Out Charlotte takes place in Charlotte, North Carolina annually in Spring. It is organized by Charlotte Pride, the same organization that hosts Charlotte’s annual pride parade and festival. Reel Out was established in 2008 as the GayCharlotte Film Festival, and introduced its new name in 2018.
Reel Out takes place over a four-day period and screenings take place at independent theaters in Charlotte, like the Independent Picture House. The festival typically features around ten feature films and ten short films. Ticket prices are $10 per film, with an all-access pass available for $45.
Out at the Movies International LGBT Film Fest in Winston-Salem
Out at the Movies International Film Fest takes place in Winston-Salem, North Carolina annually in the Fall of each year. The Out at the Movies film series was founded in 2004 with support from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. The organization behind the Out at the Movies film series launched its international film festival in 2014.
The festival features around 25 to 30 films each year. The festival awards both jury awards and audience awards for various categories, including best narrative, best short, best documentary, best performance, and best screenplay.
Ticket prices are $10 per film, and the festival also offers an all-access pass for $80. Tickets typically go on sale a few months before the festival takes place in September or October of each year.
Winston-Salem’s Second Entry, the Queer Fear Film Festival
Perhaps unexpectedly, Winston-Salem is home to a second LGBT Film Festival, this time with a horror twist. The Queer Fear Film Festival is the youngest entry on this list, founded in 2021. The festival features horror films with LGBTQ themes or a by LGBTQ filmmakers.
The festival takes place each year in spooky season, typically around mid-October. In some years this festival offers cash awards for top films selected by judges and the audience. Audiences and filmmakers appreciate Q&A sessions after the screening of certain films.
Single event tickets have historically been $12 each, with an all-access pass available for $30. All access passes are accompanied by swag bags.
Honorable Mentions
Indigo Moon Film Fest
The Indigo Moon Film Fest in Fayetteville, NC is not specifically an LGBT film festival. But with a name like Indigo Moon, and an emphasis on diversity, the film festival can safely be described as queer-friendly. This annual festival has featured films with LGBTQ themes and by LGBTQ filmmakers in the past. It takes place in the Fall of each year.
Asheville QFest
Unfortunately, this queer film festival founded in 2011 in Asheville, NC is no more. But who knows – Ashville is considered one of the state’s most creative and queer-friendly cities, so it’s totally possible that the city gets its own LGBTQ film festival in the future.
So there you have it – North Carolina has a shockingly active LGBTQ film scene. If you are an LGBTQ local or visitor, show your support for the creative community and attend a screening at one of these fabulous festivals.
References
Out at the Movies International Film Festival
