The Newark LGBTQ Film Festival is back for its fourth annual celebration, screening from April 30 through May 3, with a vibrant lineup of films and events that center Queer BIPOC voices. Over four days the festival will showcase powerful screenings and the Sakia Gunn Legacy Fellowship presentation, continuing its mission to uplift community voices, celebrate storytelling, and increase visibility.
Like the previous years, this year’s festival will include five feature films, 35 short films, two Sakia Gunn Legacy Fellowship films, and four special events. Proudly rooted in New Jersey and unmatched by the rest of the state, the festival has become a vital platform for Queer BIPOC voices, proving that its impact is felt not only on screen, but throughout the community, say organizers.
“I am deeply excited to gather in community during this moment,” said Denise Hinds, Chair of the Newark LGBTQ Film Festival. “Coming together to share our stories as Queer BIPOC people — on screen and in conversation — is both powerful and necessary. This festival is not only about film; it’s about connection, visibility, and collective care at a time when our communities need it most.”
Thursday Night Short: Two Black Boys in Paradise
This film is fresh off its 2026 EE BAFTA win for British Short Animation, a tender and visually striking stop-motion short that imagines love as both refuge and rebellion. The film follows Dula and Eden, two black teenage boys who create a world of their own where their relationship can unfold freely beyond the weight of racism and homophobia, offering a moving reflection on identity, belonging, and queer possibility. It is directed by Baz Sells. Co-written by Baz Sells and Dean Atta. Narrated by Jordan Stephens.
Thursday Opening Night Film: I Was Born This Way
It is a feature documentary from directors Daniel Junge and Sam Pollard that traces the life and legacy of Archbishop Carl Bean, the trailblazing gay black singer, activist, and spiritual leader whose 1977 Motown hit “I Was Born This Way” became one of the earliest gay anthems. Through archival material, animation, and interviews with voices including Lady Gaga, Questlove, Billy Porter, and Dionne Warwick, the film celebrates Bean’s lasting impact on music, faith, and LGBTQ history, while honoring his belief that love is for everyone. It is directed by Daniel Junge and Sam Pollard and produced by Wellington Love, Daniel Junge, and Jed Alan.
Friday Night Feature: Night in West Texas
This film is a gripping feature documentary that revisits the 1981 murder of a closeted Catholic priest and the wrongful conviction that followed. Directed by Deborah S. Esquenazi, the film centers on James Harry Reyos, a gay Apache man who was sentenced to 38 years for a crime he did not commit, and traces the decades-long fight to uncover the truth. As long-buried evidence resurfaces and a reopened investigation exposes the racism, homophobia, and institutional failures at the heart of the case, the documentary becomes both a powerful portrait of injustice and a moving account of one man’s fight for freedom. It is directed by Deborah S. Esquenazi and produced by Daniel J. Chalfen, Adrienne Collatos, and James Costa.
Saturday Evening – Premiere of the Sakia Gunn Legacy Fellowship Films
The Sakia Gunn Legacy Fellowship Presentation honors the 2026 recipients, Oluwademilade Omoregie and Abigail Espinal, whose work embodies the bold vision, resilience, and imaginative power at the heart of the fellowship. Presented in partnership with the Community Media Center at Express Newark, the program continues to champion emerging BIPOC LGBTQ+ filmmakers while carrying forward Sakia Gunn’s legacy through storytelling rooted in courage, representation, and community.
Saturday Night Short – A Friend of Dorothy
This film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. The film follows a tender portrait of loneliness, companionship, and the unexpected connections that can change a life. 17 year old teenager JJ accidentally kicks his football into Dorothy’s garden. He disrupts the lonely widow’s daily routine and opens the door to an unlikely friendship that gently transforms them both. It is directed by Lee Knight.
Saturday Night Feature: A Litany for Survival: The Life and Work of Audre Lorde
Restored for a new generation, A Litany for Survival: The Life and Work of Audre Lorde is the landmark documentary by Ada Gay Griffin and Michelle Parkerson, created in collaboration with Audre Lorde herself. The film offers a powerful portrait of the celebrated black lesbian poet, mother, teacher, and activist, tracing a life and body of work that transformed conversations around race, gender, sexuality, and liberation. Presented as part of Third World Newsreel’s Preservation as Resistance work, this screening celebrates a documentary that remains as urgent, illuminating, and necessary now as ever. It is directed by Ada Gay Griffin & Michelle Parkerson.
Sunday Closing Film: Saving Etting Street
This is film about a bold act of restoration in Baltimore, where master carpenter Shelley Halstead mentors three young black women as they learn construction skills, gain financial knowledge, and help turn abandoned row houses into homes. Rooted in care, determination, and collective power, the documentary offers an inspiring portrait of black women rebuilding not only structures, but futures, proving how deeply transformation can take hold when it starts at the community level. It is directed by Dena Fisher and Amy Scott.
newarklgbtqcenter.org/newarklgbtqfilmfestival
