A First Timer’s Experience at Reelout Film Festival 2020

Reelout is a ten day queer film + video festival that has taken place in Kingston, Ontario Canada, for twenty-one years and counting. First established in 1999 by Marney McDiarmid, Reelout has undergone several impressive transformations such as: the location, from a backroom in Kingston’s only gay bar to a downtown independent cinema; the size and diversity of the audience; the number of films and genres shown; and the community support demonstrated through attendance, sponsorship, or funding. 

Reelout is not only a festival that showcases queer films and videos of different genres such as horror, comedy, romance, drama, documentary, and shorts, it is also a festival where you can attend parties, make new friends, and last but not least, have fun! More importantly, Reelout is a festival that offers a safe space and a sense of community for people of all gender and sexual identities. 

It was our first time attending the festival, but for many others, attending Reelout is a ritual. At the festival, a man who identified as queer said that each year after the festival ends he actually counts down the days until it will begin again the following year. After attending Reelout, the passion and excitement this man felt towards the festival does not come as a surprise. Even as first timers, we could not help but notice the hard work ethics, passion and the devotion of the festival’s coordinators, workers, and other contributors and team members. These qualities are demonstrated through the fact that they are in attendance every single day and night of the festival – whether that be through giving a speech at the start, standing in the concession area with a big smile, or standing in the cinema to ensure all runs smoothly. 

We hope you enjoy our blog on Reelout and our reviews of the shorts and films we watched – Tales From Turtle Island, Good Kisser, and UNSETTLED: Seeking Refuge in America. Thanks for stopping by!

– Alexa, Taylor, & Josephine