Location: San Francisco
Next Dates: June 15-25, 2023
Going Since: 1976
Notable For: Held annually at the historic Castro Theater, the Frameline Film Festival (aka San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival) is the oldest LGBTQ+ film festival in the world as well as the largest in the world with tens of thousands attending every year.
Location: Honolulu, HI
Next Dates: October 13-23, 2022
Festival Pass Price:
Going Since: 1997
Notable For: This festival features films from Hawai’i and around the world, especially highlighting those exploring the diversity of the LGBTQ-māhū-aikāne experience.
Location: New York City
Next Dates: October 13-25, 2022
Festival Pass Price: $95-$1,500
Going Since: 1988
Notable For: Founded in direct response to the AIDS crisis, NewFest holds the honor of having hosted the world theatrical premiere of Paris Is Burning.
Location: Hartford, CT
Festival Pass Price: $125
Going Since: 1987
Notable For: Starting in a time of activism when LGBTQ+ events were rare in Connecticut, this annual event also hosts weekly queer film screenings.
Location: Atlanta
Festival Pass Price: $185
Going Since: 1987
Notable For: Out on Film is an Oscar qualifying film festival, one of only two LGBTQ+ film festivals in the U.S. and one of only six LGBTQ+ film festivals in the world where festival award winners are eligible for consideration at the next year’s Academy Awards.
Location: Los Angeles
Going Since: 1982
Notable For: In addition to the annual Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festiva, the nonprofit of Outfest also runs the Outfest Fusion People of Color Film Festival, filmmaker and talent mentorship and education programs and courses, the Outfest Screenwriting Lab, Outfest InFusion studio days, Fusion Workshops, Outfest Young Filmmakers Project, and a trans acting fellowship.
Location: Austin, TX
Festival Pass Price: $125
Going Since: 1987
Notable For: aGLIFF holds programming year-round, including a one-weekend “Pride Mini Film-A-Thon” each June before PRISM in August. They also host the Queer Youth Media Project for teenagers spend five days free of charge learning to create a short film to be screened at PRISM.
Location: Portland, OR
Next Dates: November 11-13, 2022
Festival Pass Price: $75
Going Since: 2007
Notable For: QDoc is the only festival in the U.S., and one of only two in the world, devoted specifically to queer documentaries. They show documentaries that explore tough current issues as well as experimental expressions of personal stories.
Location: Washington, D.C.
Next Dates: October 20-23, 2022
Festival Pass Price: $175
Going Since: 1991
Notable For: Run by The Center, D.C.’s LGBTQ+ community center, Reel Affirmations also runs monthly film screenings throughout the whole year.
Location: Chicago
Festival Pass Price: $130
Going Since: 1981
Notable For: The second longest-running film festival of its kind, Reeling attracts viewers from around the whole Midwest, not just Chicago.
Location: Seattle
Next Dates: October 13-23, 2022
Festival Pass Price: $200
Going Since: 1996
Notable For: This year’s line-up includes 150 films from 27 countries including Poland, Germany, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Brazil, Tunisia, Taiwan, Lebanon, Nigeria, India, Iran, China, Norway, and Chile.
Location: Tampa and St. Petersburg, FL
Next Dates: October 7-16, 2022
Festival Pass Price: $150
Going Since: 1990
Notable For: TIGLFF also hosts the annual Tampa Bay Transgender Film Festival and Queer in Color (BIPOC Festival).
Location: New Mexico
Next Dates: October 21-30, 2022
Festival Pass Price: $12-125
Going Since: 2002
Notable For: Way Out West Film Fest features documentaries, shorts, and feature films—a total of 40 films at this year’s festival.
