AceShowbiz - The closing night screening for NewFest 37 captivated audiences with Christy, a compelling sports drama starring Sydney Sweeney. This powerful film served as a fitting culmination for a festival that vibrantly celebrated queer rebellion and the enduring spirit of the outsider.

The sentiment of embracing nonconformity resonated deeply at NewFest. MG Evangelista, one of four recipients of Netflix and NewFest’s 2025 New Voices Filmmakers Grants, shared a poignant message from co-writer Anino: “Long live the outsiders, the misfits and the beautiful monsters.” This perfectly encapsulated the festival's mission to uplift queer voices in cinema.

Now in its fourth year, the New Voices Filmmakers Grants program offers $25,000 in unrestricted funds and invaluable mentorship. Recipients gain guidance from luminaries like Jane Schoenbrun (I Saw the TV Glow), Charlotte Wells (Aftersun), Aitch Alberto (Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe), and Shatara Michelle Ford (Test Pattern).

This year’s grant winners – Evangelista, Farah Jabir, Shuli Huang, and Kevin Xian Ming Yu – were selected by an esteemed jury: Academy Award nominee Yance Ford, director Isabel Sandoval, and director Roshan Sethi. Their films screened for free. This program exemplifies how NewFest transforms queer filmmakers and audiences from outsiders into celebrated insiders, championing a proud, rebellious ethos.

David Hatkoff, executive director of NewFest, articulated this philosophy: “We invite allies in to be our guests and stand beside us, but I do think that there is something different about how this was made for you — the queer person is who the entire thing was designed to serve — and everyone else is optional.” This clear focus underscores the festival’s dedication to its primary audience.

This narrative commitment permeated the festival’s line-up, showcasing 130 U.S. and international films across five venues. Highlights included the opening night selection, Blue Moon, a biographical comedy-drama about songwriter Lorenz Hart, starring Ethan Hawke, and the closing night selection, Christy, focusing on boxer Christy Martin.

Hatkoff further elaborated on thematic significance. He quoted Richard Linklater's remarks on Blue Moon, noting it portrays a character “feeling apart from and quite self-hating for things having to do with their identity and sexuality.” For Christy, Hatkoff stressed that “queer folks are such a fundamental part of the history of sports, but we don’t actually have a lot of representation of queer women in sports.” These selections underscore NewFest’s commitment to exploring complex queer experiences and addressing underrepresentation.

Ultimately, NewFest 37 stood as a powerful testament to the vibrancy and resilience of the queer community, providing a vital platform for stories that affirm, challenge, and inspire, ensuring outsider voices are not just heard, but celebrated.