NewFest38 is the 38th annual edition of New York City's premier LGBTQ+ film festival, presenting 144 films from 23 countries across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. It is the largest LGBTQ+ film festival in the United States, spotlighting queer cinema through premieres, panels, parties, and virtual screenings.
In-person screenings Oct 15–25; virtual streaming Oct 15–30
Multiple subway lines depending on venue (e.g., 2/3/4/5/B/D/N/Q/R/W for Manhattan; 2/3/B/Q for BAM in Brooklyn)
NewFest38, the 38th edition of New York’s LGBTQ+ film festival, takes over theaters across Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens from October 15 to 25, 2026. If you can’t make it to a screening, a big slice of the program streams on demand through October 30, so the festival keeps going after the last in-person curtain.
What is NewFest?
NewFest started in 1988, and in the decades since it has grown into the largest LGBTQ+ film festival in the United States. The organization calls itself New York’s largest presenter of LGBTQ+ film and media and the biggest convener of queer audiences in the city. Anyone who has squeezed into a packed opening night knows that isn’t just a slogan.
The mission is simple: give voice and visibility to the full range of LGBTQ+ experiences through film. That means premieres and buzzy festival titles. It also means legacy restorations, episodic work and a steady pipeline of new filmmakers getting their first real shot in front of a New York crowd.
NewFest also builds things that last beyond a single October. The Sound & Scene: NewFest + Concord QTBIPOC Short Film Initiative launched in 2024 with Concord Originals to back queer and trans filmmakers of color. It’s one reason the festival matters to the people making the work as much as to the people watching it.
What’s on this year
The numbers are big. According to IndieWire, the 2026 lineup includes 144 films from 23 countries:
- 29 narrative features
- 9 documentary features
- 8 legacy retrospective features
- 7 episodic series
- 13 shorts programs
Opening Night, October 15: The festival kicks off with La Bola Negra, the film that won Best Director at Cannes for Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, the duo better known as Los Javis. Variety reported that both directors and star Julio Torres were set to attend. It’s a New York premiere with real heat behind it, and the kind of ticket that goes quickly.
Closing Night: Ira Sachs, a filmmaker with deep New York roots, closes things out with The Man I Love. It plays as the Closing Night Film & Party.
Sound & Scene at BAM, October 18: BAM hosts a showcase of the Sound & Scene QTBIPOC Short Film Initiative. If you like discovering filmmakers before everyone else does, this is your night in Fort Greene.
Other titles the festival has highlighted include Club Kid, Elsinore and Clarissa. The full slate is on the official festival site. With 144 films, it pays to sit down with the schedule early and map out your must-sees.
The festival is also leaning hard on representation behind the camera. NewFest says 67% of this year’s films come from women, non-binary, trans and Two-Spirit directors.
Tickets and how to go
Single tickets
– General admission, in person: $19.50
– Centerpiece screenings: $27.50
– Opening Night or Closing Night, including the party: $75 each
– Individual streaming tickets: $14.50
Passes
– Virtual Pass: $95
– Silver Pass: $350
– Gold Pass: $750
– Diamond Pass: $1,500
Ticket packages save you up to 15%. That’s worth it if you’re planning three or four screenings. The festival hasn’t spelled out what perks come with each pass tier in the details we have, so check the official site before you commit to the higher levels.
Where it happens
Screenings are spread across five venues: SVA Theatre, BAM, MoMI, Nitehawk Prospect Park and the LGBT Community Center. That covers Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, so check which venue your screening is at before you head out. It’s an easy thing to mix up when you’re booking several films at once.
Getting there
Your train depends on your venue. For the Manhattan screenings, the 2/3/4/5, B/D, N/Q/R/W lines cover a lot of ground. For BAM in Brooklyn, take the 2/3 or B/Q. For Nitehawk Prospect Park and MoMI, plan your route ahead of time, since they’re in different corners of the city.
Local tips
– Hop between boroughs carefully. A Brooklyn screening followed by a Queens one can take longer than you’d think, especially on weekend service.
– If Opening Night is a priority, don’t wait. A Cannes winner with its filmmakers in the room is the toughest ticket of the week.
– Can’t do the trek? The Virtual Pass and single streaming tickets run through October 30, five days past the final in-person screening. That gives you time to catch up on what everyone was talking about.
Frequently asked questions
Is NewFest a good festival?
Yes, and it has the track record to back it up. NewFest is widely considered the premier LGBTQ+ film festival in North America. Since its founding in 1988, it has drawn praise from outlets like Entertainment Weekly. People know it for strong programming, deep community ties and its role in launching the careers of emerging queer filmmakers. This year’s edition features 144 projects from 23 countries, and 67% of the films are directed by women, non-binary, trans and Two-Spirit filmmakers.
What is the New York LGBTQ+ film festival?
NewFest: The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival is the largest LGBTQ+ film festival in the country. It was founded in 1988 and takes place every fall in New York City. NewFest38 runs October 15 to 25, 2026, with in-person screenings at SVA Theatre, BAM, MoMI, Nitehawk Prospect Park and the LGBT Community Center. Virtual streaming is available nationwide through October 30. The festival’s mission is to give voice and visibility to the full scope of LGBTQ+ experiences through film and media.
Which LGBTQ+ film festivals are happening in 2026?
That’s beyond what we can reliably cover in this guide, which focuses on NewFest38. For everything about this festival, running October 15 to 25, 2026, the official NewFest site is your best source.
What movies are scheduled to be on the lineup for the 2026 New York Film Festival?
The New York Film Festival is a separate event, so check its own announcements for that lineup. If you meant NewFest38, the 2026 program includes 144 projects from 23 countries. Highlights include the opening night New York premiere of La Bola Negra, the Cannes Best Director winner, plus Club Kid, Elsinore and Clarissa, among many others. The complete lineup is posted on the official NewFest site.
About this article
- Fact-checked before publication.
- Published · Updated
