Submissions are open for the 39th annual Out on Film festival, Atlanta’s LGBTQ+ film festival set to take place from Sept. 24 to Oct. 4.
The regular deadline to submit a film to Out on Film is May 22 while the late deadline is June 26, according to a press release. The early deadline is Feb. 14.
At 2025’s festival, Out on Film showcased more than 150 films from around the world.
“2025 was our most successful year ever, a season where we were busy literally all year long,” Jim Farmer, Out On Film’s festival director, said in the release. “What we do is as important now as it’s ever been and we look forward to continue to showcase the work of LGBTQIA+ filmmakers, especially at such an uncertain time in our country.”
Out on Film is an Oscar qualifying film festival, meaning that the winner for the Jury Award for Best Drama Short is eligible for consideration for the following year’s Academy Award for Best Live Action Short. 2025’s winner, Alexandre Singh and Natalie Musteata’s “Two People Exchanging Saliva,” made the shortlist for the 98th annual Academy Awards, as did two other films screened at Out on Film: Lee Knight’s “A Friend of Dorothy” ( Live Action Short shortlist) and Matt Nadel’s “Cashing Out.”
According to the press release, this year Out on Film will also be a qualifying festival for the Best British Short Film Award at the British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs. Out on Film will also host its fifth consecutive screenplay competition. Winners for both the short and feature film screenplay categories will receive a cash prize and a reading at the 2025 festival.
According to the submission website, hopefuls will find out whether their film has been accepted on Sept. 4.
