SUBMISSION DEADLINE:
Friday, 05 September 2025
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ImageOut: Rochester
Thursday, 09 October 2025 until Sunday, 19 October 2025
ImageOut is a premier LGBTQ+ film festival in Rochester, NY. We present LGBTQ+ arts and cultural experiences showcasing films, other creative works and artists to promote awareness, foster dialogue and build community. ImageOut is recognized and respected as a major arts and cultural organization in New York State, celebrating and bringing visibility to LGBTQ+ artists and themed work.
This year, we are hosting our 33rd annual Fall Film Festival on October 9-19, 2025.
We are also hosting our 5th annual First Cut Film Festival on April 24-29, 2025.
ImageOut is an Iris Prize partner and is one of the few select LGBTQ+ film festivals from around the world who can outrightly nominate a film for the Iris Prize Shorts Film Competition in Cardiff, Wales. It is one of the richest shorts film competition in the world.
The festival awards Jury Prizes for Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Feature, and Best Short. The audiences also vote for their favorites and Audience Prizes are given for Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Feature, and Best Short. All feature-length films receive a $500 cash prize along with a commemorative certificate. Short films receive $250 cash prize and certificate.
FLOWER CITY FLICKS: Short films by local and area filmmakers can also compete in a juried competition with the winner receiving $500 cash prize and certificate. This is to encourage LGBTQ+ filmmaking in Western New York. The annual awarding of this prize is subject to festival discretion and contingent upon number of submissions.
Short film submissions will also be considered for possible nomination to the Iris Prize competition in Cardiff, Wales.