Outfest has returned in a smaller format after a two-year hiatus, signalling an effort to rebuild Los Angeles’s long-running LGBTQ+ film festival on a more sustainable footing. The four-day OutfestNEXT event drew strong attendance, suggesting the festival still has an important role in bringing together the city’s queer film community and showcasing its work.

Held from 23 to 26 July at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s 183-seat Renberg Theatre, the programme included more than 30 films and shorts, with many screenings sold out or on standby. The organisation’s shutdown followed financial pressures, a legal dispute with a former executive director, unionisation and subsequent mass layoffs; leaders also cite the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes and reduced corporate support for queer organisations. A new board appointed last September says it is prioritising transparent finances, a sustainable business model and rebuilding trust.