New York Lesbian & Gay Film Festival

NewFest: The New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Film Festival put on by The New Festival, Inc., is one of the most comprehensive forums of national and international LGBT film/video in the world.

Founded in 1988 (LGBT history), The New Festival, Inc is a non-profit media arts organization dedicated to showcasing the newest and best LGBT media for the greater New York metropolitan area.

NewFest has recently merged with Outfest, The Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, and the Film Society of Lincoln Center to create a national LGBT media arts organization. This merger was completed in 2015 to mark NewFest’s 30th anniversary. As a partner in the first national LGBT media arts organization, NewFest hopes to expand its goals all over the country. NewFest strives to encourage and foster environments for LGBT and allied filmmakers and viewers to represent the diversity and complexity of voices in the LGBT community, and to amplify those voices across the nation.

The largest and most popular program from the New Festival is the week long NewFest LGBT film festival. Additionally, year-round events include: NewFest@BAM an annual "Best of NewFest" showcase at the landmark Brooklyn Academy of Music's Rose Cinemas; NewDraft, a screenplay reading and competition; and the Logo Lounge, which provides a space for viewers, producers, screenplays, and filmmakers can mingle and network during the film festival.