OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival Returns to the Carolina Theatre August 14-21

Tickets to the 30th Anniversary of the Festival are On Sale Now 

DURHAM, August 1, 2025 —OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival returns to Durham for the festival’s 30th Anniversary from Aug 14 – 21, 2025. OUTSOUTH celebrates a worldwide glimpse of today’s LGBTQ+ life through a diverse array of entertaining and sophisticated shorts, documentaries, and feature films. This year, the Carolina Theatre-produced event will showcase 9 feature films and 121 short films from 22 countries. 

“The 30th Anniversary of OUTSOUTH is more than just a remarkable milestone, it’s a reflection of resilience, creativity, and the enduring strength of community. It’s a chance to honor the storytellers who’ve brought us here and to look ahead to the voices still to come,” says Randy McKay, President and CEO of the Carolina Theatre of Durham.

Beginning in 1995 as “A Salute to Pride” and running from 1996-2019 as the North Carolina Gay + Lesbian Film Festival (NCGLFF), the festival was renamed the OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival to reflect the breadth of programming and acknowledge local and regional filmmakers in the Southeast. Since its inception, the festival has been a tentpole event that brings the community together. Discover Durham — an organization that manages the business side of the Durham Tourism Development Authority — has named OUTSOUTH a Signature Event for Durham, the highest honor it can bestow on a cultural event or attraction. 

OUTSOUTH has also received national and international accolades by consistently being ranked as one of the “Top 10 Queer Film Festivals in the U.S.” In 2021, the festival was named one of “20 Fantastic LGBTQ+ Film Festivals Around the Globe,” by Moviemaker Magazine. 

This year, the festival will feature film premieres and screenings, pre-film introductions and post-film Q&As with artists in attendance, receptions and afterparties, and free community events — including a “Made in NC Filmmakers’ Workshop” led by the creative teams of the 2025 OUTSOUTH Shorts “Rainbow Girls” and “Crazy as a Loon,” and a Drag Story Hour hosted by local drag queen Stormie Daie, followed by a family-friendly celebration on the Carolina Theatre’s plaza. 

“We have an incredible line-up of 130 films and very special events. In 2025, it is important that we remain a strong and resilient community. Let’s plan to celebrate our Pride together in August,” says Chuck Wheeler, OUTSOUTH Queer Film Festival Manager.

Individual tickets are $15 (plus taxes and fees) and 5-Passes are $60 (plus taxes and fees). Individual tickets may be purchased online at carolinatheatre.org or in person at the theater’s box office, and 10-passes are available at only available at the Box Office.  

OUTSOUTH is sponsored by The Forest at Duke and the Durham Convention Center, among other local and national businesses. 

About The Carolina Theatre of Durham: 

Carolina Theatre of Durham, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which manages the city-owned Carolina Theatre at 309 W. Morgan Street, Durham, NC 27701. Carolina Theatre of Durham, Inc. is dedicated to presenting vibrant, thought-provoking film and live performances that contribute to the cultural and economic vitality of downtown Durham and the Triangle Region. More information at carolinatheatre.org. 

Contact: Hanna Mercer
Senior Director of Marketing, Carolina Theatre of Durham
hanna@carolinatheatre.org