Outfest Fusion LGBT People of Color Film Festival Announces Lineup

Marking the important intersection of queer cinema with other minority voices, Outfest Fusion 2016 will take place early next month in Los Angeles and its lineup is looking pretty impressive.

Opening the fest on Friday, March 4, is the 20th Anniversary screening of (digitally restored) cult film The Watermelon Woman, followed by a panel discussion the next day with writer-director Cheryl Dunye on her film's lasting influence. Other screenings include the GLAAD Media Award-nominated BET documentary Holler If You Hear Me: Black and Gay in the Church, Jake Witzenfeld's Oriented, exploring the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and Made in Bangkok, Flavio Florencio's fabulous documentary about a prestigious transgender pageant in Thailand and star contestant Morganna.

Receiving this year's Fusion Achievement Award is Emmy-nominated and Golden Globe-winning director, producer, and writer Nisha Ganatra, who directed arguably the best episode of Transparent Season 1, "Moppa" (although it's very hard to choose just only one). Ganatra is also responsible for the vivid late-90s treat Chutney Popcorn, an ahead-of-its-time story about love, family, and surrogacy.

For complete listings and to purchase tickets, log on to www.Outfest.org/fusion2016.

And check out the trailer below: