As Out On Film prepares for its 39th annual LGBTQ+ film festival this fall, the Atlanta nonprofit is welcoming new leadership with the appointment of filmmaker and nonprofit executive Cindy L. Abel as executive director.
Abel joins the Academy Award-qualifying festival as the organization expands its year-round programming, strengthens community partnerships and fundraising efforts and looks ahead to its 40th anniversary in 2027. She will oversee strategic planning, fundraising, marketing, operations, financial management and organizational growth while Festival Director Jim Farmer continues leading the festival’s artistic vision and programming.
With more than 25 years of leadership experience spanning the nonprofit, corporate, political and entertainment sectors, Abel brings a background that blends organizational management with creative storytelling. She founded Atlantis Moon Productions in 2007, producing documentaries distributed through Apple TV, Prime Video and PBS that explore social justice, human rights and underrepresented voices.
Her career also includes leadership roles with the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, Georgia Equality, Stonewall Cincinnati, the Atlanta Film Festival and Women in Film & Television Atlanta, along with communications and organizational change work for AHEAD, Cox Automotive, Keurig Dr Pepper and AstraZeneca.
The appointment comes as Out On Film continues to grow beyond its annual festival into a year-round cultural organization focused on queer storytelling through film, education and community engagement.
Board Chair Joshua D. Lorenz said the organization sought a leader who could help guide that growth while preserving the festival’s artistic identity.
“Out On Film has built an extraordinary reputation as one of the world’s leading LGBTQ+ film festivals,” Lorenz said. “As we continue to grow as a year-round cultural organization, we were looking for a leader who could strengthen our foundation while honoring the creative vision that has made Out On Film so successful.”
Founded in 1987, Out On Film is one of the nation’s longest-running LGBTQ+ film festivals and is recognized as an Academy Award-qualifying festival for Best Live Action Short. The organization has also been named one of USA Today’s 10Best Film Festivals for four consecutive years, earned recognition from MovieMaker Magazine and serves as an Iris Prize Partner Festival. Last year’s festival drew more than 17,000 attendees, showcased 155 films, hosted 43 filmmaker conversations and special events and reached audiences in 254 cities across 13 countries through its virtual platform.
This year’s festival, themed “The World We’re Making,” will take place Sept. 24 through Oct. 4 at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema. The full schedule of features, documentaries and shorts will be announced Aug 19.
Abel said she hopes to build on the organization’s legacy while broadening its impact throughout the year.
“Out On Film has earned its extraordinary reputation as one of the world’s premier LGBTQ+ film festivals because of its unwavering commitment to filmmakers and the community,” Abel said. “Together, we’ll continue to expand Out On Film’s year-round impact and ensure queer stories continue to educate, entertain, inspire and connect audiences.”
As the festival approaches its fourth decade, the leadership transition positions Out On Film to continue growing both as an internationally recognized film festival and as a year-round community institution serving LGBTQ+ audiences through storytelling, education and advocacy.
