A spirit of rebellion takes over NYC's premier LGBTQ film festival

From “Lesbian Space Princess” to “Come See Me in the Good Light” and “Christy,” the 37th edition of Newfest is flush with films that celebrate resilience, rebellion and art.

For more than three decades, Newfest, New York’s premier LGBTQ film festival, has featured and celebrated the year’s best queer films, with past years’ screenings including classics like “High Art” (1998), “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” (2001) and “Carol” (2015).

This year, Newfest’s fall film fest, which follows two mini-festivals held in the spring and summer, starts Thursday and runs through Oct. 21. Screenings will take place in-person at theaters in Manhattan and Brooklyn as well as virtually. Notably, Arizonans will have free virtual access to a selection of this year’s films in the wake of the cancellation of the long-running Phoenix LGBTQ film festival that organizers said was “in direct response” to an executive order signed by President Donald Trump.

The 37th edition of Newfest’s signature event will be bookended by the opening-night screening of “Blue Moon” — Richard Linklater’s portrait of lyricist Lorenz Hart, starring Ethan Hawke, Andrew Scott and Margaret Qualley — and a closing-night celebration for “Christy,” David Michôd’s biopic of boxer Christy Martin, starring Sydney Sweeney in the title role. It will also showcase four distinct centerpiece films, including “Come See Me in the Good Light,” which documents the poet Andrea Gibson’s final days, and the drag-queen-inspired “A Deeper Love: The Story of Miss Peppermint.”

Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley in “Come See Me in the Good Light.”Apple TV+But it’s not just the headliners that are drawing in viewers, with highly anticipated titles like Kristen Stewart’s “The Chronology of Water” and offerings from up-and-coming creatives scattered throughout the 13-day festival. What unites these screen works, beyond their focus on LGBTQ individuals, themes and audiences, is their defiant messaging, according to Newfest’s director of programming, Nick McCarthy.

“What we want to do is be inspired by the work that we are seeing — to really reflect the moment as opposed to prescribe a moment,” McCarthy said. “It’s been exciting this year to see so many projects that show, I think, perseverance within our community, but also the concept of breaking through.”