Introduction to Outdoorland
The Munich International Film Festival is underway, and one of the highlights is the awarding of the Queer Media Society (QMS) award for the best Queer feature film. This year, the honor goes to US author and director Elena Oxman’s film Outdoorland. The award comes with a cash prize of €4,000, sponsored by Warner Bros. Discovery, the Bavarian regional film fund FFF Bayern, and the Schachtiek Family Foundation.
The Film: Outdoorland
Outdoorland tells the story of Cass, played by Asia Kate Dillon, who juggles multiple jobs as a nanny, restaurant server, and party drug dealer. After a one-night stand with a colleague, Cass agrees to watch her daughter Ari while her mother is away from the city. As days pass without a word from Ari’s mother, Cass and Ari form a bond that forces Cass to confront her own difficult childhood. The film premiered at SXSW in March and is being sold by Italy’s Coccinelle film sales.
The Award and Its Significance
The QMS award is significant not only because of its cash prize but also because of its mission to promote greater visibility and representation of LGBTQIA+ content and characters in all media productions. The award was announced on Monday evening after a day of panel discussions at the Festival Beergarden Convention, which focuses on promoting diversity in the international film industry. Jury president Angelina Maccarone praised Outdoorland for joining "the series of Queerer Film Stories, in which outsiders become heroes."
Other Honors
In addition to Outdoorland, the Brazilian TV series Oxygen masks do not drop automatically by Marcelo Gomes and Carol Minem received an honorable mention. The series had its world premiere in the festival’s Spotlight department.
The Queer Media Society
The Queer Media Society was launched in Berlin in 2018 with the goal of promoting greater visibility and representation of LGBTQIA+ content and characters in all media productions. The society’s efforts include recognizing and rewarding outstanding LGBTQIA+ films and media productions, such as Outdoorland, which will be screened at the festival with director Elena Oxman in attendance.
