Newfest 2026: The 38th New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival

NewFest, the organization behind New York's LGBTQ+ film and media scene since 1988, holds its 38th annual festival from October 15 to 25. It describes itself as the city's largest presenter of LGBTQ+ film and the largest convener of queer audiences. Screenings take place at venues across Manhattan and Brooklyn, with an online component as well.

The lineup is anchored by a run of centerpiece presentations. On October 19, the Spotlight Centerpiece is Elsinore, the true story of actor Ian Charleson, played by Andrew Scott. Perfect screens October 21, a story of a heartbroken drifter who finds refuge at a lakeside haven that hides dark secrets. The International Centerpiece on October 22 is Clarissa, which transplants Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway to Lagos, Nigeria. On October 23, the New York Centerpiece is Jordan Firstman's Club Kid, a Cannes sensation about a hard-partying club promoter whose life is upended by the 10-year-old son he never knew he had.

The festival closes on October 25 at 7:00 PM at SVA's Silas Theater with The Man I Love and a party. Ira Sachs, a NewFest alum, directs Rami Malek as a downtown actor living with AIDS in late-1980s New York.

Tickets are currently on sale to NewFest members and patrons through the festival's website, and membership brings discounts and invitations. A virtual pass is also available for those who want to watch from home.