Outfest® has launched Outfest Now, a year-round, always-on destination to meet the increasing demands for fresh storytelling with new perspectives within the LGBTQIA+ community. Outfest Now members can choose either a low-cost monthly or annual subscription to watch films and series on OutfestNow.com, as well as all major OTT, smart TV platforms, and mobile app stores (AppleTV/iOS, Android/AndroidTV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromecast, etc.). 

Major launch titles include Francis Lee’s BAFTA-nominated God’s Own Country, starring Josh O’Connor (Netflix’s The Crown); Damon Cardasis’ Outfest Los Angeles ’17 winner Saturday Church, starring Indya Moore and Mj Rodriguez (FX’s Pose); Emmy®-nominated series Razor Tongue, created by and starring Rain Valdez; and Film Independent Spirit Award nominee Gayby, directed by Jonathan Lisecki. 

Outfest Now’s carefully-curated collection represents a creative vanguard of queer voices along with a celebration of the community’s legacy. The diverse slate includes both feature-length and short-form narrative and documentary films, episodic series, and exclusive conversations. Outfest Now will reach global audiences with experiences from all across the community that speak to the many identities and underrepresented voices of the rainbow, many of which never find the distribution or reach they deserve after passing through the festival circuit or struggling to find self-made digital audiences.

“As the streaming world continues to mature and expand, Outfest Now will exhibit an ever-growing rotation of contemporary as well as historical works, providing exponentially more opportunities for LGBTQIA+ creators to find distribution and fans, as well as the ability for audiences to discover the works from its Outfest UCLA Legacy film collection,“ said Farhaad Virani, Outfest board member and Associate General Counsel at Amazon Studios. “As a mission-based non-profit, Outfest is already acting as a valuable partner to major streamers and studios, a complimentary supplement to their own offerings.”   

Outfest Now’s programming schedule also includes live streams of exclusive conversations every Tuesday and watch parties of featured content & collections every Thursday, each at 5pm PT starting on 10/22, presenting a year-round supplement to the content that is sorely lacking in the community. These events, along with the diverse library, expand Outfest’s mission of elevating visibility for LGBTQIA+ storytellers and stories, which promote social change to a global audience. 

“By subscribing, you are giving back while also gaining access to an ever-rotating exhibition of the best in queer cinema, television, music, stage and digital content – all handpicked for you, by one of the most renowned organizations in the world,” said Damien S. Navarro, Outfest Executive Director. 

“These aren’t just great queer stories. This is some of the best content I’ve ever seen, full stop,” said Tarah Malhotra-Feinberg, Outfest’s Director of Digital Strategy. “Outfest is doing vital work to increase representation, access and visibility across underrepresented and marginalized communities, which is more important than ever right now. Outfest is embracing technology and innovating its business model; that’s why we continue to lead during the pandemic.”

ABOUT OUTFEST NOW

Outfest Now is powered by the Vimeo OTT platform, accessible on TVs and all major platforms (Apple, Android, Roku, Amazon Fire, etc.). Viewers at home customize their own experiences with a personalized watch list, on-demand viewing, the ability to download for offline viewing and simple navigation that has become the standard for rich in-home entertainment experiences.

Outfest Now subscribers can either choose content a la carte or be guided by Outfest Collections, curated selections from the esteemed Outfest programming team and guest industry programmers. At the price of $5.99/month or $59.99/year, subscribers will gain immediate access to the both recognizable and new storytellers, all while helping to support and sustain Outfest’s year-round programs. Creating change, one story at a time.

Outfest Now Website: www.outfestnow.com 

Full lineup of launch titles: www.outfestnow.com/browse 

Outfest Now details: 

  • OutfestNow.com is the SVOD’s web home, available worldwide
  • 100+ titles at launch, to be increased and refreshed consistently, including Outfest festival favorites, major feature films, cutting edge series, Legacy collections (e.g. Pam Walton), OutSet Young Filmmakers Project selections, and high quality shorts
  • Unique curated collections around key themes: 
    • HalloKWEEN (Halloween, horror, thrillers, suspense)
    • Coming Out and Coming of Age
    • Family Matters
    • Brief Encounters (romance, relationships, flings)
    • Queerer Than Fiction (documentary, unscripted)
  • Outfest Now-exclusive added value content, including creator + talent Q&As, behind-the-scenes, post-episode chats, and more. 
  • Live streamed events (all at 5pm PT), starting with: 
    • 10//22: “Coming Out & Coming of Age” Collection (Watch Party)
    • 10//27: World Premiere: Until It’s Safe Q&A with Sam Lee and Ella Lentini (Q&A)
    • 10/29: Razor Tongue Season One Livestream followed by Cast/Crew Q&A  (Watch Party & Q&A)
    • 10/31: Special Event: “HalloKWEEN” Collection & Director Q&A (Watch Party & Q&A)
    • 11/3: Hiatus for election
    • 11/5: These Thems Season One Livestream followed by Cast/Crew Q&A  (Watch Party & Q&A)
    • 11/10: Legacy: In Conversation with Pam Walton (Q&A)
    • 11/12: “Family Matters” Collection (Watch Party)