CinePride Fest Shines: New Trans Short ‘Queerbait’ Stirs LA
If you felt a new kind of electric energy in Los Angeles this week, it’s not just the September heat, it’s the debut of CinePride Film Festival lighting up the city, and honey, I am live for every moment of it. Thursday, September 11, 2025, marked the first-ever opening of this bold new LGBTQIA+ film fest, and let me tell y’all, the vibes? Instant classic.
A Night of Firsts, And Community Feels
The evening kicked off with an unforgettable opening party at ALK in The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood, think red carpets, cocktails, and a room packed with creatives, activists, and LA’s queer fab. Doors opened at 6:30 PM, and by 7:00 PM, the space was buzzing with filmmakers, allies, and folks who just love a good story and a glittery moment, CinePride’s Opening Night was the place to be. DJs kept the floor alive, floral looks broke the internet, and the air hummed with that special LA energy: “We’re here, we’re queer, and we’re bringing the stories home.”
Why CinePride? It’s About More Than Movies
CinePride isn’t just a festival, it’s a statement. With the closure of Outfest in 2023, LA’s queer film community felt a gap, and as the fabulous Cecilio Asuncion, CinePride’s executive director, put it, “It’s important that these spaces exist because we’re being silenced.” This is a festival born to amplify, uplift, and showcase the full, fabulous spectrum of LGBTQIA+ lives, especially voices too often left on the margins. The programming is intentional, intersectional, and, dare I say, revolutionary: 31 films, six world premieres, and a mix of dramas, comedies, docs, and shorts that reflect the beauty and complexity of our global community.
The festival runs through Sunday, September 14, at Landmark Theatres Sunset, so if you missed the party, you’ve still got time to catch the magic in West Hollywood.
‘Queerbait’ Lights Up the Screen, And the Conversation
But let’s talk about the real showstopper, at least for this hype queen and her crew. Thursday’s most buzzed-about screening? The world premiere of “Queerbait,” a trans-led short film that’s already stirring hearts and sparking conversations across LA’s queer scene. Executive produced by Cate Blanchett, “Queerbait” is a tense, gripping academic drama about mentorship, power, and dignity, exactly the kind of story that’s too often missing from mainstream screens.
In a city and an industry that sometimes treats trans narratives as afterthoughts, “Queerbait” arrives loud, proud, and unapologetic. The audience reaction? Pure electricity. It’s the kind of film that doesn’t just entertain, it challenges, it affirms, and it reminds us why spaces like CinePride matter. For trans creators, for queer artists of color, for anyone who’s ever felt unseen in the stories Hollywood tells, this is the festival you’ve been waiting for.
What’s Next? Get Your Tickets, Bring Your Friends
But “Queerbait” is just the beginning. With screenings, panels, and parties running all weekend across West Hollywood, CinePride is your chance to celebrate, connect, and be part of something bigger. Check out the full lineup and grab your passes at CinePride’s official site, and tag me @JazzyLeeEvents if you spot me in the crowd (I’ll be the one in the fiercest floral blazer, snapping selfies and shouting “YAS, KWEEN!” at every Q&A).
For many of us, CinePride is more than a festival. It’s a movement, a family reunion, and a reminder that our stories, Filipino, trans, queer, all of us, are worth telling, sharing, and celebrating. Let’s keep the party going, LA. See you at the movies.
“Authentic storytelling challenges stereotypes, humanizes our experiences, and ensures that queer people, especially the most marginalized, see themselves reflected in ways that affirm their existence.”
, Cecilio Asuncion, CinePride Executive Director
Share your CinePride highlights, your favorite films, and your LA Pride moments in the comments, I wanna hear from you!
