CinePride Film Festival to Debut in Los Angeles, Showcasing Global Queer Cinema September 11–14

A vibrant new beacon for LGBTQIA+ film is set to light up Los Angeles this September as the CinePride Film Festival makes its long-awaited debut. Running from September 11 to 14, the festival will unfold at Landmark Theatres Sunset in West Hollywood, welcoming audiences to experience 31 officially selected films that span genres, geographies, and identities .

The festival’s emergence follows the closure of Outfest in 2023, which for more than four decades was one of the nation’s largest LGBTQIA+ film festivals. Outfest’s end left a significant gap in Los Angeles’ queer cultural landscape—a gap CinePride’s founders, led by talent agent and festival executive director Cecilio Asuncion, are determined to fill. “It’s important that these spaces exist because we’re being silenced,” Asuncion said, emphasizing the need for new platforms that not only showcase queer stories but also foster education and build bridges with allies .

CinePride’s formation was deeply informed by both the successes and shortcomings of its predecessor. While Outfest opened doors for thousands of filmmakers, Asuncion noted that it struggled to fully support up-and-coming creators of color, often relegating their work to the less prominent Fusion Festival rather than the flagship summer event. CinePride is committed to inclusivity from the outset, with a guiding mission to highlight intersectionality and ensure that all LGBTQIA+ voices—especially those from historically marginalized communities—are heard and celebrated .

The festival’s leadership has convened a diverse selection committee of critics, filmmakers, and community leaders to ensure a broad and representative lineup. Programming will cover 17 categories, including best narrative feature, documentary feature, web series, and TV pilot, aiming to reflect the evolving media landscape and the multiplicity of queer experiences .

The 2025 CinePride Film Festival boasts an ambitious slate of 31 films, with six making their world premieres and several others debuting in the U.S., North America, or on the West Coast. The programming is intentionally eclectic, offering everything from emotionally charged dramas and high-camp comedies to experimental shorts and animated musicals .

Among the highly anticipated titles:

- Queer Bait - A tense academic drama about mentorship, power, and dignity, executive produced by Cate Blanchett and making its film festival debut.

- Maxxie LaWow: Drag Super-shero - An animated musical extravaganza featuring drag icons like Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCrème, marking its first theatrical screening in Los Angeles.

- A Life Inside Me - A U.S. premiere, this poignant documentary explores transgender identity and family in rural South Asia.

- And You Are? - Starring Jane Seymour, this intergenerational buddy film explores memory, identity, and queer belonging.

- Lip Sync Assassin - Premiering worldwide, this Filipino short reimagines the drag queen archetype as a contract killer in a high-camp thriller .

The festival will also feature a mix of feature narratives, documentaries, shorts, and works from emerging filmmakers, ensuring that a wide spectrum of LGBTQIA+ lives and stories are represented .

More than just a collection of screenings, CinePride is designed as a gathering place for viewers, creators, and industry professionals to connect, learn, and celebrate. The festival will offer not only film showings but also panels, Q&A sessions, and networking opportunities, with an emphasis on education, advocacy, and the building of lasting community ties .

For many, CinePride’s arrival is a testament to the resilience and creativity of the LGBTQIA+ community. Asuncion and his team hope the festival will not only entertain and inspire but also provide a vital platform for underrepresented voices during a time when queer stories continue to face challenges and censorship. “This year’s selections are excellent and a strong testament that LGBTQIA+ voices and stories from around the world will not be erased! We can’t wait to welcome audiences to celebrate these incredible stories with us in LA this September,” Asuncion said .

Festival passes and tickets, along with a full schedule of events, are available through the festival’s official website (www.cinepride.org) and social media channels (Instagram: @cinepridefilmfest) .

As the city prepares to welcome CinePride’s first edition, filmmakers and audiences alike are looking forward to a festival that not only honors queer cinema’s rich past but also lays the groundwork for a more inclusive, vibrant, and representative future.