Outfest Los Angeles

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
ALL MAN: THE INTERNATIONAL MALE STORY
DIRS. BRYAN DARLING, JESSE FINLAY REED | USA | 83 MIN.
SATURDAY | JULY 16 | 7:15PM | DGA 1
Who could have guessed that an American revolution of fabulously redefined
masculinity would begin with the jock sock? None other than International
Male magazine founder Gene Burkard, whose groundbreaking mail-order
catalog — filled with flashy pages of gorgeous models in chic menswear
— became a shared language and aspirational sanctuary between gay
men in and out of the closet since 1979. Narrated by Matt Bomer and
featuring interviews with Burkard himself, Carson Kressley, Drew Droege,
and former International Male staffers, this intoxicating and eye-catching
doc charts the rise and dominance of the magazine alongside the
cultural shifts and health crises that forged the modern gay movement.
FRAMING AGNES
DIR. CHASE JOYNT | USA | 75 MIN.
SUNDAY | JULY 17 | 4:00PM | DGA 1
In 1958, a young trans woman named Agnes entered a study
about sex disorders at UCLA to get the gender-affirming care she
needed, by any means necessary. Her story was long considered
to be exceptional until never-before-seen case files of other patients
were found in 2017. Directed by Chase Joynt (No Ordinary Man)
and featuring an all-star cast of transgender artists and performers,
Framing Agnes uses re-enactment and genre-blurring storytelling
techniques to breathe new life into previously unknown people who
redefined gender in the midcentury. Featuring Angelica Ross, Jen
Richards, Zackary Drucker, Silas Howard, Max Wolf Valerio, and
Stephen Ira.
IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY
DIR. VICTORIA LINARES VILLEGAS
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, USA | 84 MIN.
MONDAY | JULY 18 | 9:30PM | PLAZA DE LA RAZA
In this documentary, filmmaker Victoria Linares traces the life of her
cousin Oscar Torres — a pioneer of Caribbean cinema, participant
in leftist movements during the 1940s, and most crucially a fellow
queer person in the family. Torres’ story was largely erased and lost to
time, which sets Victoria on a journey of self-discovery and historical
excavation by unearthing memories and staging re-enactments of her
cousin’s unproduced screenplays. Linares weaves together expressive
sequences with immense skill, piecing together a powerful portrait of
Torres’ creative and political legacy through the power of cinema.
Preceded by ASÍ EN LA TIERRA COMO EN EL CIELO Dir. Mireya Martinez, 2022, 11 min.
A RUN FOR MORE
DIR. RAY WHITEHOUSE | USA | 82 MIN.
SUNDAY | JULY 17 | 11:00AM | HARMONY GOLD
Frankie Gonzales-Wolfe is running for City Council in San Antonio. With
23 years of political activism under her belt, a husband who served in
Afghanistan, and a successful corporate track record, it’s hard to see
why she might not be a popular choice. But Frankie is a proud, Latinx,
trans woman, and in Texas, it makes an uphill political battle something
vastly more personal. Shot over the course of four years, director
Ray Whitehouse immerses us into the joyous triumphs and intimate
struggles of her unique campaign, and its impact on the city, the LGBTQ
community, and on Frankie herself. At a time where legislatures across
the country are passing bills that attack the lives of trans people, Frankie’s
journey and tenacious spirit are an inspiration as she attempts to make
history as the first elected openly transgender official in her state.
Content advisory: contains descriptions of anti-LGBTQIA+ violence
Preceded by UNIDAD: GAY & LESBIAN LATINOS UNIDOS Dir. Gregorio Davila, 2022, 40 min.
ART AND PEP
DIR. MERCEDES KANE | USA | 88 MIN.
SUNDAY | JULY 17 | 11:00AM | DGA 1
WORLD PREMIERE
On Halsted Street in Chicago sits Sidetrack, a behemoth gay club that
draws a large crowd, serving up slushy drinks and showtime singalongs
on Sundays. Art Johnstone and Pepe Peña, partners in life and in love,
opened it as a single storefront with no sign and beer cases as seating in
1982, projecting music videos on a screen. The story of Sidetrack is not just
the history of one of the city’s most important cultural landmarks (now 1500
square feet after seven expansions), but also a look at the long struggle
for equality and the right to love freely. From being on the frontlines of the
AIDS crisis to co-founding Equality Illinois, Art and Pep have been leading
the fight to make Illinois one of the most progressive protectors of LGBTQ+
rights in the country.
JEANNETTE
DIR. MARIS CURRAN | USA | 78 MIN.
WEDNESDAY | JULY 20 | 7:15PM | DGA 2
Queer single mother and bodybuilder Jeannette Feliciano believes
that strength is to show love. Director Maris Curran (Five Nights
in Maine, 2015) opens a door into a woman’s life after she was
dramatically affected by the Orlando Massacre at Pulse. This
exacting, candid yet penetrating documentary offers a unique
perspective about a woman’s resilience. The film is an eyeopening
look at what it means to survive and overcome trauma
with pain and beauty. Jeannette is a moving documentary
that goes from trauma toward healing, finds support through
community, and still reminds us about the crisis era we are living in.
LOVING HIGHSMITH
DIR. EVA VITIJA | SWITZERLAND, GERMANY | 83 MIN.
SUNDAY | JULY 17 | 4:30PM | HARMONY GOLD
With her second feature documentary, director Eva Vitija weaves an
intimate portrait of enigmatic novelist Patricia Highsmith. Exploring her
upbringing in Texas and her tumultuous life with her emotionally distant
mother, and the many lesbian relationships that personified Highsmith’s
private life. A troubled alcoholic, Highsmith lived life boldly, traveling
often and engaging in many short-lived love affairs. Most notably,
the film gives us insight into the writing and reception to Highsmith’s
landmark lesbian novel The Price of Salt – famously adapted to film as
Carol – while also alluding to the queer themes in her more popular
Ripley novels. Using her diary entries with commentary from her family
and former lovers, Highsmith and her writing comes into sharper focus,
giving us an honest look into the mind of a troubled, brilliant artist.