By Juan Markos
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 07/09/2026
Outfest Next is set to return this year, generating excitement after its successful inaugural run last year. This event, akin to Outfest, showcases stories and films created by or featuring members of the LGBTQ+ community.
The Hollywood Times has been covering Outfest for over a decade and participated in its inaugural event last year. The last Outfest festival I attended was my first assignment for The Hollywood Times, where I covered both the opening and closing events three years ago. I am particularly eager to see the lineup for OutfestNEXT this year.
OUTFESTNEXT will take place from July 23–26 and will feature films from Gregg Araki, Lilly Wachowski, and Kristen Stewart. The event will include performances by actors like Olivia Wilde, Margaret Cho, Charli XCX, Matthew Morrison, and EJ Marcus, all celebrating LGBTQ+ storytelling and queer joy.
During its four-day duration, OutfestNEXT aims to illuminate the diverse spectrum of experiences within the global queer community by showcasing both narrative and documentary features, as well as short films, at the Renberg Theatre and Outfest Microcinema. In addition to film screenings, the Outfest Microcinema will host a variety of accessible workshops and panels led by filmmakers throughout the weekend.
Highlighting the talents of the unapologetic queer underground, Outfest Achievement Award winner Gregg Araki will present his latest feature, “I Want Your Sex,” which stars Olivia Wilde, Cooper Hoffman, Chase Sui Wonders, Margaret Cho, and Charli XCX.
Overall, OutfestNEXT continues Outfest’s mission to promote LGBTQ+ storytelling and support the artists who create these narratives. By bringing together contemporary independent films, archival works, and discussions with filmmakers, the event aims to showcase the richness of queer experiences and foster opportunities for dialogue, discovery, and community engagement.ment.
For more information on new films and events being added to OutfestNEXT, please visit https://www.outfest.org/next
