NewFest, New York’s LGBTQ+ film and media organization, continues its tradition of kicking off Pride month in the city with its sixth annual five-day NewFest Pride summer series featuring in-person screenings nd events, with select titles streaming virtually throughout the US from May 28th to June 1st, 2026.
Adam Shankman’s zany Stop! That! Train!, starring RuPaul and a host of Drag Race favorites, is the Opening Night Film & Party of NewFest’s summer series. Among the other New York premieres in this year’s lineup is Barbara Forever, Brydie O’Connor’s loving portrait of trailblazing lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer, winner of Sundance’s editing award and Berlinale’s Teddy Award for Best Documentary. Closing out NewFest Pride on June 1st, fresh from its Queer Palm win at Cannes, is the North American Premiere of Jane Schoenbrun’s Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma starring Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson.
Gregg Araki’s radical romp I Want Your Sex, starring Olivia Wilde, Cooper Hoffman, Mason Gooding, Chase Sui Wonders, and Charli XCX, will make its New York debut at the fest. Adrian Chiarella’s unsettling conversion therapy horror Leviticus will receive a Centerpiece screening.
NewFest is once again partnering again with the Meatpacking BID and Rooftop Films for the New York Premiere of Alexandria Stapleton’s The Brittney Griner Story on Gansevoort Plaza in the Meatpacking District. While episode five of the mega-hit gay hockey romance Heated Rivalry will screen outdoors at Pier 17 to usher in Pride month.
The festival will also include a shorts program celebrating Black Queer Pride, featuring three World Premieres.
“This year’s unapologetically dazzling NewFest Pride line-up signals a rousing call that contemporary queer cinema is fully alive and thriving,” shares NewFest Director of Programming Nick McCarthy. “From award-winners and breakouts at Sundance, Berlinale, and SXSW to genre gems, dynamic documentaries, and riotous romps, the sterling slate showcases a robust variety of voices that are loud and proud. We look forward to hosting the New York Premieres of films that celebrate LGBTQ+ icons such as Barbara Hammer, RuPaul, Gregg Araki, and Brittney Griner alongside auspicious debuts from a new wave of filmmakers whose impact we’ll be hearing about for generations to come. Pride is a space to laugh, shout, reflect and—most importantly—gather together as a community to share our stories, engage in dialogue, and create an alchemy of effusive queer energy, insight, and bliss.”
“NewFest Pride has always lived at the intersection of party and protest, and nothing captures that better than this lineup of anticipated premieres, community gatherings, and a free outdoor screening of Heated Rivalry at the iconic Pier 17. Five days: in person and virtual, indoors and out, and entirely on our terms”, comments outgoing NewFest Executive Director David Hatkoff of the final NewFest Pride under his successful seven year tenure.
6th Annual NewFest Pride full lineup:
STOP! THAT! TRAIN! directed by Adam Shankman – New York Premiere
Opening Night Film & Party – Thursday, May 28th at 7pm; SVA Theatre
Step aboard the glitzy Glamazonian Express in this star-studded, riotous ride from director Adam Shankman (Hairspray) that queers the parody genre in the grand, outrageous tradition of AIRPLANE!. As a catastrophic “Stormaganza” threatens to derail the high-speed train, coach-and-first class stewardesses, scientists, and President Gagwell (RuPaul) must work together to prevent disaster.
The Dads directed by Luchina Fisher – New York Premiere + Q&A
Friday, May 29th at 7pm; SVA Theatre. Also available virtually May 28 – June 1
As anti-trans legislation and hostility escalate in the United States, a group of dads build a nascent movement to support their trans and gender expansive kids in this feature documentary inspired by the eponymous, award-winning short film.
Leviticus, written and directed by Adrian Chiarella
Friday, May 29th at 8pm; SVA Theatre
Romance and horror intertwine in this sublime Sundance sensation, as two teenage boys must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most — each other.
Bookends directed by Mike Doyle – New York Premiere + Q&A
Saturday, May 30th at 4pm; SVA Theatre. Also available virtually May 28 – June 1
An aspiring novelist moves in with his grandparents after a bad breakup with his boyfriend as the two generations’ life experiences, values, and philosophies collide in exasperating, funny, and heartbreaking ways. Featuring wry and heartfelt performances by Academy Award-winner F. Murray Abraham, Caroline Aaron, Noam Ash (who also wrote the screenplay), and Charlie Barnett.
Barbara Forever directed by Brydie O’Connor – New York City Premiere + Q&A
Saturday, May 30th at 5pm; SVA Theatre
A sublimely exhilarating exploration of the life, work, and legacy of iconic, pioneering lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer. Recipient of awards at multiple festivals, including Sundance and Berlinale.
I Want Your Sex directed by Gregg Araki – New York Premiere + Q&A
Centerpiece. Saturday, May 30th at 8:15pm; SVA Theatre
The newest film from legendary queer auteur Gregg Araki (THE DOOM GENERATION) in over a decade, this deliciously diabolical comedy-thriller toys with kinky dynamics, workplace boundaries, and the absurdity of the contemporary art world. Starring Olivia Wilde, Cooper Hoffman, Mason Gooding, Chase Sui Wonders, and Charli XCX.
Adam’s Apple directed by Amy Jenkins – New York Premiere + Q&A
Sunday, May 31st at 4pm; SVA Theatre. Also available virtually May 28 – June 1
A transgender teen and his mother chronicle their lives, artistically weaving a rare and intimate portrait of a family in transition. Two decades of footage trace a boy’s path to manhood and his parents’ vulnerability as they reckon with change.
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma – North American Premiere + Q&A
Monday, June 1st at 7pm; SVA Theatre – Closing Night Film
After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the Camp Miasma slasher franchise is handed over for contemporary resurrection to enthusiastic young director Kris (Emmy Award-winner Hannah Einbinder). But when she visits the original film’s star Billy (Emmy Award-winner Gillian Anderson) – a now-reclusive, Norma Desmond-esque actress shrouded in mystery – their connection leads to an unexpected emotional and erotic bond as the two women fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium.
Drenched in nostalgia and queer reclamation, this potent pastiche pays homage to horror and slasher genres while imbuing a deeply interrogative nature with a sense of genuinely gleeful play. Join NewFest on Closing Night for this highly anticipated “final girl” film that’ll stun and delight through its sly subversion, knockout performances, and visual reverie.
Outdoor Screenings:
HBO Max Presents: Heated Rivalry Comes Out(side)
Sunday, May 31st; Pier 17 – Free Public Screening
The smash hit Crave Original, available to stream on HBO Max, will have its open-air debut at Pier 17 with an outdoor screening of an episode of the award-winning series.
The Brittney Griner Story directed by Alexandria Stapleton – New York Premiere
Monday, June 1st at 8:00pm; Gansevoort Plaza – Free Public Screening – also available virtually May 28 – June 1
This personal and profound odyssey follows basketball star Brittney Griner from her playing career and harrowing imprisonment in Russia through the extraordinary geopolitical battle to secure her freedom. Presented in partnership with Meatpacking Business Improvement District (BID) and Rooftop Films.
Shorts Program:
Black Queer Pride NY Shorts – With Filmmaker Q&A
Sunday, May 31st at 3:00pm; SVA Theatre. Also available virtually May 28 – June 1
Annual short film showcase that celebrates unapologetic Black LGBTQ+ joy, love, family, and excellence. All roads lead to “we” in this homegrown collection of stories that feature artistic aspirations, intergenerational connections, and budding romances – all set within the intimate interiors and out on the vibrant streets of New York City. Featuring the following shorts:
Fly directed by Carlton Daniel Jr. – New York Premiere
When a ballet company holds auditions for a competitive apprenticeship, a perfection-driven dancer has their world upended by a rival who rekindles their love for the craft.
Jaylah directed by Christina Batte
After receiving a call from her crush, a naive 17-year-old must decide between looking after her grandmother or losing her virginity.
Hail Maya directed by Fredgy Noël – World Premiere
On her last night in the dorms, a faithful Catholic undergraduate trades salvation for sin, diving headfirst into a tangle of lust, love, and betrayal that confession can’t absolve.
If You Only Knew directed by Safiyah Chiniere – New York Premiere
After losing someone dear to her, fem finds the courage to confront her Jamaican father about his absences. A conversation that leads to an unspoken truth.
Road Runner directed by Yaz Josiah – World Premiere
Shot on 35mm and 16mm, Road Runner is an experimental meditation on moving incognegro through the world as a Black person of Trans experience—a portrait of what it means to honor ourselves now, in motion, before the world catches up.
For Love directed by Micah Cyrus – World Premiere
Flustered with his static life in love and career, a mid 30s man takes a chance at romance with an affable beau from Mexico City after putting himself aside for nearly a decade.
Events:
Watch Party: New York Liberty Pride Night Game
Friday, May 29th at 7pm
NewFest will host a NY Liberty Game Watch Party on May 29th, inviting New York City’s enthusiastic queer WNBA fans and the wider community. This event will celebrate the much-loved Liberty team and kick-off the excitement for the upcoming New York Premiere screening of THE BRITTNEY GRINER STORY, a highlight of NewFest Pride’s programming.
Virtual Exclusives – available May 28 – June 1:
Barbara Hammer Through the Eyes of Others – Shorts Program
The pioneering lesbian experimental filmmaker Barbara Hammer produced more than 80 films between 1968 and 2019; this program showcases an array of works that explore her artistic output, her as a being, and the ripple effects both continue to have. The filmmaker began this process herself while she was alive—AUDIENCE offers a playful array of snippets from conversations about her work with attendees of numerous screenings. The program goes on to move through films by filmmakers who were/are in conversation with Hammer—from engaging in her practices to making homages, writing letters, and (upon Hammer’s invitation) even using her footage. Curated and presented in partnership with MIX NYC.
In Transit directed by Jaclyn Bethany – NewFest37 Audience Award winner for Best Narrative Feature
In a small Maine town, two adrift women discover unexpected passion when one models for the other. Jennifer Ehle, Alex Sarrigeorgiou, and Francois Arnaud (HEATED RIVALRY) shine in Jaclyn Bethany’s hushed yet deeply felt drama of art and desire.
Individual tickets and all-access passes to NewFest Pride are now on sale at newfest.org.
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