Threesomes, punks, and one messy Judy: 10 must-see movies from 2022 Outfest

At 40 years young, Outfest is looking better than ever!

This summer, Los Angeles’ premier LGBTQ film festival returns with an incredible lineup worthy of its anniversary milestone. From July 14-24, the star-studded event takes over some of the city’s most iconic venues, featuring more than 200 films representing 29 countries. Excitingly, a number of Outfest’s titles will also be made available through the virtual program, so film lovers from all over can join in on the celebration.

As always, the fest roster is jam-packed with can’t-miss events from world premieres to special screenings to shorts programs, panels, parties, and so much more. Things kick off with Billy Porter’s directorial debut, Anything’s Possible—featuring a red-carpet roll-out for the stars at the historic Orpheum Theatre—and celebrations wrap up 10 days later with a closing night presentation of the highly anticipated queer slasher, They/Them. And in between, well, where do we even begin???

Long story short, Outfest 2022 is going to be major. In anticipation, Queerty has assembled a preview of this year’s fest, shouting out 10 of the most exciting feature films to screen at this year’s fest that you’ll want to check out. And below that is a list of even more must-see features we’ve previously highlighted on the site.

We have a feeling you’ll be hearing a lot more about these titles in the future, so be sure to add them to your watch list!

By Hook Or By Crook

This “butch and trans buddy film” was groundbreaking when it premiered back in 2001, and it still feels just a fresh and original today, so we’re thrilled to see it get a special “Legacy” presentation at Outfest. Prolific television director Silas Howard and artist Harry Dodge write, direct, and star in this micro-budget indie with loads of charm, playing an unlikely pair who become partners in crime as they navigate a world that doesn’t know what to do with them.

Screens Saturday, July 23.

Chrissy Judy

Chrissy Judy is a tale of friendship that should hit close to home for many: A pair of besties have spent so much time together that they’re practically co-dependent—but things start to unravel when life and love get in the way. Oh, and they happen to be drag queens! Shot in timeless black-and-white, this hilarious and heartfelt tale shows us what happens to that one “messy Judy” when the rest of us decide it’s time to clean up our acts.

Screens Friday, July 15, and in the virtual screening room from July 16-18.

HeBGB TV

For any queer who grew up with a love for horror schlock thanks to Elvira and her ghoulish local-access TV compatriots, horror-comedy HeBGBTV should drum up some ooky-spooky nostalgia. When a pair of siblings stays up to catch come late-night television, they get more than they bargained for from a pulsating pandora’s cable box, welcoming them into a world of “strange skits, scary songs, bawdy humor, and creepy characters”—all presided over by the colorful specter, Knuckle Head.

Screens Saturday, July 16, and in the virtual screening room from July 17-19.

My Emptiness And I (My Vacio Y Yo)

Star Raphaëlle Perez worked closely with filmmaker Adrián Silvestre (an Outfest alum) to craft this winning portrait of a life in flux. Perez is said to give a star-making turn as Raphi, a low-level office employee who, after being diagnosed with gender dysphoria, takes steps toward living the life she’s always dreamed of, finding a warm support system along the way. Lively and inspiring, My Emptiness And I has been hailed as a “new queer classic” in the making.

Screens Saturday, July 16, and in the virtual screening room from July 17-19.

Pat Rocco Dared

This documentary turns the camera on legendary filmmaker and activist Pat Rocco, a man who made a name for himself with both his erotic nude male films and his footage of crucial moments in queer history. Through lovingly restored versions of his works and a series of exclusive interviews before Rocco’s death in 2018, Pat Rocco Dared is a beautiful ode to a trailblazing artist who boldly celebrated queer life in all of its complexities.

Screens Saturday, July 16, and in the virtual screening room from July 17-19.

Punks

Before there was Noah’s Arc there was Punks, another classic receiving an Outfest “Legacy” screening. In 2000, Patrik-Ian Polk’s seminal rom-com was the rare feature to center the lives of gay Black men, particularly a lively foursome of friends as they grapple with romance, sex, and some fierce drag numbers (set to the music of Sister Sledge) in West Hollywood. As explored in the podcast Nancy, Punks remains unavailable on home media, so don’t miss this unique opportunity to catch this true crowd-pleaser in person.

Screens Saturday, July 16.

Shall I Compare You To A Summer’s Day?

Egyptian director Mohammad Shawky Hassan’s queer contemporary musical sounds like a truly one-of-a-kind cinematic experience. Inspired by his diaries, Hassan spins these sexy stories of love and longing into gorgeous folk tales, threading them all together with the sounds of Egyptian pop music. This imaginative approach to autofiction lures its audience in with gorgeous colors, handsome actors, and imaginative editing.

Screens Thursday, July 21, and in the virtual screening room from July 22-24.

Three Headed Best

This “microbudget gem” introduces us to bisexual couple Peter and Nina (Jacob Schatz, Dani Hurtado) as they begin to explore the boundaries of their open relationship. Things get complicated when Peter’s new boyfriend Alex (Cody Shook) begins to upset the delicate arrangement, but Three Headed Beast handles it all with thoughtful sensitivity and beautiful cinematography. After premiering at Tribeca earlier this year, the film counts The Green Knight filmmaker David Lowery among its many fans.

Screens Tuesday, July 19, and in the virtual screening room from July 20-22.

Three Tidy Tigers Tied A Tie Tighter

In a dystopian reality not far removed from our own, three young, queer friends navigate the vibrant city life of São Paulo, Brazil at a time when an amnesia-causing virus is spreading at a rapid pace. Don’t let the masks deter you—this isn’t your typical “pandemic movie.” Instead, it’s a whimsically absurd modern-day fairytale that stays grounded in its leads’ heartfelt connection. The film earned the prestigious Teddy Award for best LGBTQ feature at the esteemed Berlin International Film Festival.

Screen Saturday, July 16, and in the virtual screening room from July 17-19.

Unidentified Objects

Roadtrip movies may be a dime a dozen, but we guarantee you’ve never seen one like Unidentified Objects. Matthew Jeffers stars as Peter, a self-described “college-educated, homosexual dwarf” who agrees to drive his disarming neighbor Winona (Sarah Hay) to a remote field where she’s convinced aliens are due to whisk her away, setting off a surreal, comedic odyssey, where they’ll encounter “lesbian cosplayers, shroom-addled survivalists, extraterrestrial highway cops,” and so much more.

Screens Wednesday, July 20, and in the virtual screening room from July 21-23.

Even more Outfest titles to look out for:

Beyond what we’ve highlighted above, Outfest will be screening a number of exciting features we’ve previously mentioned in other festival previews, featured in our Screen Gems column, or covered when their trailers have dropped. Details for each are below with links to where you can read more about them on Queerty:

• All Man: The International Male Story: A documentary about the rise of the erotic catalogue. Screens Sat., July 16—virtually from July 17-19.
• Anything’s Possible: Billy Porter’s directorial debut is a rom-com about a trans teen. Screens Thurs., July 14.
• Far From Heaven: Carol director Todd Haynes’ tearjerker from ’02 gets a special screening with the filmmaker and Julianne Moore in attendance. Screens Sun., July 17.
• The First Fallen: A striking drama about the first year of the AIDS epidemic in Brazil. Screens Sun., July 17—virtually from July 18-20.
• Framing Agnes: A doc that breathes new life into some forgotten trans history. Screens Sun., July 17—virtually from July 18-19.
• Girl Picture: This Finnish coming-of-age story was a Sundance hit. Screens Fri., July 22.
• Hypochondriac: A paranoid horror about a gay man haunted by trauma—and creepy wolf creatures. Screens Sat., July 16.
• Lonesome: A gay cattle rancher attempts to escape his mysterious past in the big city. Screens Sat., July 23.
• Moneyboys: A celebrated drama that provides a rare look at the lives of gay men in China. Screens Weds., July 20—virtually from July 21-23.
• Nightbreed: A presentation of Clive Barker’s overlooked queer horror from ’90, featuring a conversation with the director. Screens Sun., July 17.
• Peter Von Kant: Gay filmmaker François Ozon’s gender-flipped remake of the classic, The Bitter Tears Of Petra Van Kant. Screens Sun., July 17.
• Please Baby Please: A queer biker gang stirs up trouble for a married couple in this sexy, comedic pastiche. Screens Fri., July 15—virtually from July 16-18.
• They/Them: This clever horror brings the slasher genre to a gay conversion camp. Screens Sun., July 24.