Established in 2004, Fusion includes film screenings as well as Fusion Lab, a collection of films and classes, and InFusion, a program that connects emerging and established filmmakers. This year, the Fusion Achievement Award will be presented to Alec Mapa, who also will also be premiering his performance film Alec Mapa: Baby Daddy. The ceremony and screening will be followed by the Fusion Gala After-Party, which is open to all ticket holders. (Get your tickets here!)
Blackbird, the new feature from Patrik-Ian Polk, will open the festival. The film follows 17-year-old Randy, a devout choir boy living in a conservative Mississippi town, as he struggles to understand his sexuality. When his sister goes missing and his parents subsequently split up, Randy is left to hold together the pieces of his family as he tries to grow up.
Documentary Gay Latino L.A.: Coming of Age follows three young gay Latino men (including former GLAAD staff member Brian Pacheco) as they deal with issues of coming out, homophobia, acceptance, mental health, love and relationships, and family.
Other feature-length films include What It Was, White Night, and Tribute to Rev. Bobbie Jean Baker Featuring The Believers. Tickets are available now!
The festival has five shorts programs over three days. On Friday March 14, "Shits and Giggles" takes on stereotypes and troubling situations with humor. The films will be followed by a stand-up performance by comic Ranier Pollard. On Saturday March 15, "Fight The Power" showcases short films about advocates and activism, "No I.D. Required" has short films about adolescence and childhood, and "Pink Is the New Black" highlights short films about LGBT women. Sunday March 16 will have the "OutSet Shorts," created by the 16- to 24-year-old graduates of the three month long filmmaking program OutSet, the Young Filmmakers Project from LifeWorks and Outfest.
Short film Eyes that Do Not See will be part of Saturday's "Fight the Power" program. The film follows a 15-year-old Latina lesbian as she faces off with her mother over having a quinceañara party as she deals with "living at home while hardly being 'at home'" in that environment. Full disclosure: the film's director Patricia Ovando is the partner of GLAAD's Spanish Language Media Strategist.
InFusion is a symposium sponsored by Comcast NBCUniversal that includes speakers, panels, workshops, and a behind-the-scenes tour at Universal, all designed to give emerging LGBT filmmakers of color the opportunity to connect with established industry professionals in Los Angeles.