Amplifying voices: Way Out Fest continues to showcase best in queer cinema

After a few years of making alterations to the Way Out West Film Fest, Roberto Appicciafoco is feeling refreshed, taking back the festival to a traditional format.

Appicciafoco is the festival director, which is also marking its 21st year. It will run from Friday, Oct. 13, through Sunday, Oct. 22, at the Guild Cinema.

“After the pandemic forced us to pivot to online streaming for three years, this marks the first in-person festival since 2019,” he says. “We’re thrilled to reconnect with our community through live screenings. Additionally, we’re excited about our collaboration with new programmers who curated some outstanding short film programs.”

Appicciafoco says the festival continues to showcase the finest in queer cinema from around the world in New Mexico.

He began the film festival 21 years ago and had a mission of achieving queer representation in film and video with the creation of the film festival.

“This mission has remained our core focus for over two decades,” he says. “In recent years, we’ve expanded our vision through collaborations with various arts organizations, diversifying our inclusion not only in film but also across different media and art forms. This year, we’ve partnered with the 516 Arts, which recently launched the ‘Fluid Gaze’ exhibition.”

This year’s festival features 80 films, though it was paired down from around 400 submissions.

“Selecting films for the festival is a meticulous process that begins in early spring,” he says. “We assemble a screening committee, including some new programmers who were previous screening committee members, to evaluate the films we receive. This process spans from late spring through the summer, during which we carefully watch and assess all the films.”

Appicciafoco says wanting to create a film festival was planted while he was a student at the University of New Mexico. At the time, he was working at the movie house, curating programs that would focus on queer cinema.

“After I graduated, I somehow got connected with the film festival circuit and I spent a few years working at film festivals such as Sundance, Palm Springs International and Seattle International Film Festival,” he says. “I continued making New Mexico my home base and during one of my returns, friends gave me a push to see what it would be like to have an LGBTQ+ film festival here, since one didn’t exist in the state, and the big question was, would it be supported? With all the ups and downs and challenges we faced and continue to do so, after 20 years I think what makes it all worthwhile is the overwhelming community support added to the fact of seeing our lives projected on the screen is a very powerful thing.”