May 15-19, 2024
The Independent Picture House
4237 Raleigh St., Charlotte, NC 28213
Presented By
Red Carpet Sponsors
Silver Screen Sponsor
Box Office Sponsor
Spotlight Sponsor
Media Partner
Special Thanks To
Select films during Reel Out Charlotte: The Queen City’s Annual LGBTQ Film Festival are sponsored by Culture Blocks — a community partnership funded by Mecklenburg County.
2024 Festival Screenings & Events
Reel Out Charlotte Opening Party
Wednesday, May 15th from 5:30 – 7:00pm
Kick off your film festival experience with us for The Reel Deal: Musical Movie Trivia, presented by the Hispanic Federation and hosted by our 2023 Charlotte Pride Drag Court at Divine Barrel. Doors open at 5:30 pm for a night of fierce competition and fabulous prizes. The show starts at 6 pm, featuring an hour of musical movie trivia challenges. Whether solo or with a team, all are welcome to join in the fun. Don’t miss this electrifying kickoff to a week of LGBTQ+ cinema celebration!
Suggested donation of $5 at the door.
See you there!
Join us for our Opening Night/LGBTQ Shorts Night
Presented by
Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 7:30pm
With popcorn and drinks in hand, take your seat and your place as a judge for the annual LGBTQ Shorts Night! An eclectic mix of LGBTQ short films will grace the big screen, with audience members voting at the end of the night for Best Short. Shorts Night is one of the most popular and well-attended events of each year’s film festival. Don’t miss out — grab your free tickets today!
Five days of independent LGBTQ cinema
Reel Out Charlotte, the Queen City’s Annual LGBTQ+ Film Festival, is back for another year! Join us as we celebrate the beauty of independent cinema and see our LGBTQ+ lives, loves, and triumphs on the big screen.
Join us at our venue, The Independent Picture House, in partnership with the Charlotte Film Society!
Get your tickets now!
$10 — Individual screening tickets
Purchase individual tickets to the film screening of your choice.
$40 — All-Access Passes
An All Access Pass to Reel Out Charlotte (The Queen City’s Annual LGBTQ Film Festival) will get you access to all festival screenings, including the paid and free shows.
Free tickets are first come, first served and must be reserved.
All-Access Pass holders must arrive 15 minutes before each screening or your seat will be released.
Festival Schedule At-a-Glance
Wednesday, May 15
5:30pm — Reel Out Charlotte Opening Party at Divine Barrel
7:30pm — Annual LGBTQ Shorts Night***
Thursday, May 16
6pm — 20,000 Species of Bees + Talkback with Cine Casual & the Hispanic Federation***
Friday, May 17
6:00pm — The Judgment
8:30pm — F.L.Y.***
Saturday, May 18
1pm — Riley + Talkback with Sidelines & Stonewall Sports***
3:45pm — The Egoist
8:30pm — Kokomo City
*** Denotes showing is FREE to all attendees thanks to a generous grant by the Arts & Science Council’s Culture Blocks — a community partnership funded by Mecklenburg County.
PURCHASE YOUR ALL-ACCESS PASS TODAY!
An All Access Pass to Reel Out Charlotte (The Queen City’s Annual LGBTQ Film Festival) will get you access to all festival screenings, including the paid and free shows. Free tickets are first come, first served and must be reserved.
All-Access Pass holders must arrive 15 minutes before each screening or your seat will be released.
2024 Festival Screenings & Events
Browse the details of all our film screenings and special events. When you’re ready to purchase tickets, click the ticket button to be taken to FilmFreeway, our event ticketing system.
Click here to view information on film caption/subtitle availability.
FREE EVENT!
WED, MAY 15, 7:30pm
Annual LGBTQ Shorts Night
in partnership with the Hispanic Federation
Mix-and-mingle with community members and indie film lovers. With popcorn and drinks in hand, take your seat in the screening room and your place as a judge for the annual LGBTQ Shorts Night. An eclectic mix of LGBTQ short films will grace the big screen, with audience members voting at the end of the night for Best Short. Shorts Night is one of the most popular and well-attended events of each year’s film festival. Don’t miss out — grab your free tickets today!
Our Annual LGBTQ+ Shorts Night is FREE to all attendees thanks to a generous grant by the Arts & Science Council’s Culture Blocks — a community partnership funded by Mecklenburg County.
PLEASE NOTE: Tickets are FREE but required for the Shorts Night. Guests without Shorts Night tickets will be granted entry at the door on a first-come-first-serve basis as night-of capacity allows.
FREE EVENT!
THURS, MAY 16, 6:30pm
20,000 Species of Bees
128 minutes
2023, Spain
Spanish, Basque, & French with English subtitles
Director: Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren
Drama
During a summer in a village house linked to beekeeping, an eight-year-old and her mother experience revelations that will change their lives forever.
This showing is FREE to all attendees thanks to a generous grant by the Arts & Science Council’s Culture Blocks — a community partnership funded by Mecklenburg County.
FRI, MAY 17, 6pm
The Judgment
111 minutes
2023, Egypt, Lebanon, & US
English
Director: Marwan Mokbel
Horror, Drama
An Egyptian gay couple return from the US to Egypt for a family emergency. When they fall prey to witchcraft as punishment for their homosexual sins, one of them falls into religious terror and exposes his unhealed past.
FREE EVENT!
FRI, MAY 17, 8:30pm
F.L.Y.
103 minutes
2023, US
English
Directors: Rafael Albarran, Trent Kendrick
Comedy
F.L.Y. is a slice-of-life comedy about two exes, Max and Rafael, who get stuck in a house together. Having not seen each other in five years and with a new boyfriend in tow, things get off to a rocky start as Max navigates the situation with Raf, who just moved to LA with the dream of becoming the next drag superstar.
This showing is FREE to all attendees thanks to a generous grant by the Arts & Science Council’s Culture Blocks — a community partnership funded by Mecklenburg County.
FREE EVENT!
SAT, MAY 18, 1:00pm
Riley
93 minutes
2023, US
English
Director: Benjamin Howard
Drama
The life of a disciplined high school athlete begins to unravel when his queer identity competes against the idea of who he was supposed to be.
This showing is FREE to all attendees thanks to a generous grant by the Arts & Science Council’s Culture Blocks — a community partnership funded by Mecklenburg County.
SAT, MAY 18, 6pm
The Egoist
111 minutes
2022, Japan
Japanese with English subtitles
Director: Daishi Matsunaga
Drama, Romance
Based on Makoto Takayama’s semi-autobiographical novel, director Daishi Matsunaga’s EGOIST is a uniquely sexy and heartfelt drama about family. Kosuke, a fashion magazine editor in his mid-30s, revels in the blessings of his comfortable lifestyle. When he hires Ryuta, a personal trainer, in order to get into shape, he gets more than he bargained for. The two fall in love, but when Kosuke discovers Ryuta secretly works as an escort to provide for himself and his mother, the two men strike a financial agreement. However, when tragedy strikes, Kosuke and Ryuta’s mother grow closer and must confront a new future together.
SAT, MAY 18, 8:30pm
Kokomo City
73 minutes
2023, US
English
Director: D. Smith
Documentary
KOKOMO CITY is a raw depiction of the lives of four black trans sex workers as they confront the dichotomy between the black community and themselves.
FREE EVENT!
SUN, MAY 19, 2:00pm
DOUBLE FEATURE: Turtles
83 minutes
2023, Belgium/Canada
French, English with English subtitles
Director: David Lambert
Comedy, Drama
Since Thom and Henri met 35 years ago, their love for each other has never faltered. The seemingly perfect life they had built in Brussels started to go awry when Henri retired from being a police officer. Now, Henri’s days seem to stretch endlessly, each one as bland as the next while his feelings for Thom are fading fast. They drift away from each other a little more each day, to the point that their house has become a battleground. Thom’s love for Henri remains strong, though, and he is not ready to give up. He will do anything to save his relationship and rekindle their love, even if that means asking Henri for a divorce.
This showing is FREE to all attendees thanks to a generous grant by the Arts & Science Council’s Culture Blocks — a community partnership funded by Mecklenburg County.
FREE EVENT!
SUN, MAY 19, 2:00pm
DOUBLE FEATURE: Old Lesbians
29 minutes
2023, US
English
Director: Meghan McDonough
Documentary
For the last quarter century, Houston native Arden Eversmeyer journeyed across the country to record hundreds of oral “herstories” with a mostly invisible population that is rapidly disappearing. Old Lesbians honors Arden’s legacy by animating the resilient, joyful voices she preserved in the Old Lesbian Oral Herstory Project, from first crush to first love, from the closet to coming out, and finally from loss to connection.
This showing is FREE to all attendees thanks to a generous grant by the Arts & Science Council’s Culture Blocks — a community partnership funded by Mecklenburg County.
SUN, MAY 19, 5:15pm
Femme
73 minutes
2023, US
English
Director: D. Smith
Documentary
FEMME follows Jules, who is targeted in a horrific homophobic attack, destroying his life and career. Some time after that event, he encounters Preston, one of his attackers, in a gay sauna. He wants revenge.
FREE EVENT!
SUN, MAY 19, 7:45pm
BONUS FEATURE: Eden’s Garden Episode 1 – The Jungle Has No Face
35 minutes
2023, US
English
Director: Malachi Seven King
Drama
In this garden, snakes aren’t the only secret. Peek into the world of a group of transmen in NYC navigating the journey of learning manhood, overcoming family drama, and surviving the mean streets on their way to success.
The pilot episode to Eden’s Garden focuses on a group of men who are tied by a choice of no return in transitioning from female to male. Will CJ overcome his demons that ties him to cycles? Will Gino see the truth he is scared to admit? Will Rico achieve his true desires? Will Chaz accept what he is no longer willing to hide? The introductory episode covers the dynamics of life from the shoes of men learning what manhood is when you make the choice of transition. In the midst of this journey, they are also influenced by their life’s environment that leads each character to a different fate. Will they be brothers or foes?
Special Thanks to
Attendee Information and Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pay for my ticket in cash?
— No, cash will not be accepted by Charlotte Pride to pay for your ticket. All ticket purchases for the festival must be made via FilmFreeway. Cash may be used to pay for concessions at the Independent Picture House.
Are concessions offered?
— Yes, the Independent Picture House will have a full concessions stand with candy, popcorn, sodas, water, and alcohol (21+).
Are there ID or minimum age requirements to enter the event?
— Minors under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all film screenings and events. All events are open to attendees regardless of age, unless otherwise noted.
Do films have any ratings or content guides?
— Guests are advised that none of our films are rated by the MPAA or other authorities and may contain varying levels of sexual or suggestive content, profanity, triggering content including violence, and other content not appropriate for all ages. Please see the film listing at charlottepride.org/reelout for film content details.
What are my transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event?
— Parking is readily available at The Independent Picture House. Public transit options include LYNX Blue Line, Sugar Creek Station (approximately half-mile from venue) and CATS routes 4, 13, and 211.
What can I bring into the event?
— Outside food and beverage is not allowed inside the venue.
What’s the refund policy?
— Tickets are non-refundable.
Is this event accessible?
— The Independent Picture House has an accessible, ground-floor entrance and includes accessible restrooms. ASL interpretation will not be provided. Captions and subtitles may not be available for all films. Please see full film listing at charlottepride.org/reelout for details on films with captions. If you require any other accommodations, please notify media@charlottepride.org no later than Wednesday, May 1, 2023.
What are your COVID precautions?
— In keeping with current CDC recommendations, masks are not required for those who are fully vaccinated. We highly encourage guests who are not vaccinated to wear masks. We will update these precautions if recommended by government authorities.
Film Caption/Subtitle Information
Captions/Subtitles will be available for the following feature films:
20,000 Species of Bees, the Egoist, Turtles
Captions/Subtitles will be available for the following short films:
Stone, Lee Baby, Catboy, Unnamed, It’s a Match
