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The Storytellers Circle

A Community of Leaders Championing LGBTQ+ Cinema. Stand for visibility. Fund the future of queer storytelling

Join the Storytellers Circle

The Storytellers Circle is a giving community for NewFest donors who believe in the power of storytelling to transform lives.  

Your investment sustains NewFest’s year-round work, allowing us to discover new artists, produce programs, and amplify LGBTQ+ visibility across the globe.

Members of The Storytellers Circle are an integral part of our community and receive exclusive benefits, festival ticket packages, and invitations to private year-round events and programming.

NewFest is no longer issuing Festival Passes. If you purchased a NewFest festival pass in the past, your Storytellers Circle benefits and access will give you everything you received with a festival pass but now with additional year round benefits to use beyond the New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival!

Explore the Storytellers Circle Benefits



  • Exclusive member events

  • Invitation to all NewFest Comes Out(side) summer screenings

  • NewFest Member Tote

  • 10% Discount on Concessions at SVA Theatre

  • 10% Discount on NewFest merchandise

  • Exclusive Member screenings

  • Pre-sale ticket access for all Festivals

  • Access to NewFest Streaming Platform for all festivals – Curated Content & Festival Xtras

  • Acknowledgment in the Festival Guide

  • Acknowledgment On-screen at Queering the Canon, NewFest Pride & The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival

The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival:

  • 2 invitations to Film Festival Kick-Off

  • 2 General Admission tickets to all Screenings at The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival

  • 2 tickets to Opening & Closing Night Screenings & Parties

  • 2 Tickets to a Centerpiece Screening of Your Choice

  • Access to the Festival Lounge

  • Guest Credentials

  • Invitation to the Queer Media Mixer

  • 50% Discount on Additional GA Tickets at The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival


Queering the Canon:

  • 10% Discount on Additional GA Tickets for Queering the Canon

  • 1 General Admission ticket to all Queering the Canon screenings

  • Access to Streaming Platform – Queering the Canon: Curated Content & Festival Xtras


NewFest Pride:

  • 10% Discount on Additional GA Tickets for NewFest Pride

  • 1 General Admission ticket to all NewFest Pride Screenings

  • 2 Tickets to NewFest Pride Opening/Centerpiece/Closing Night Screening & Party

  • Access to Streaming Platform – NewFest Pride: Curated Content & Festival Xtras


  • 2 Invitations to Storytellers Circle exclusive events, screenings & other offerings throughout the year

  • Storytellers Circle: Priority line access at all festivals

  • Storytellers Circle: Reserved Seating at all festivals

  • Free Popcorn and Non-Alcoholic Drink at SVA Theater Per Screening


  • Exclusive member events

  • Invitation to all NewFest Comes Out(side) summer screenings

  • NewFest Member Tote

  • 10% Discount on Concessions at SVA Theatre

  • 10% Discount on NewFest merchandise

  • Exclusive Member screenings

  • Concierge ticket access for all Festivals

  • Access to NewFest Streaming Platform for all festivals – Curated Content & Festival Xtras

  • Acknowledgment in the Festival Guide

  • Acknowledgment On-screen at Queering the Canon, NewFest Pride & The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival

The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival:

  • 4 Invitations to Film Festival Kick-Off

  • 4 General Admission tickets to all Screenings at The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival

  • 4 Tickets to Opening & Closing Night Screenings & Parties

  • 4 tickets to all Centerpiece Screenings

  • Access to the Festival Lounge

  • Guest Credentials

  • Invitation to the Queer Media Mixer

  • 50% Discount on Additional GA Tickets at The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival


Queering the Canon:

  • 10% Discount on Additional GA Tickets for Queering the Canon

  • 1 General Admission ticket to all Queering the Canon screenings

  • Access to Streaming Platform – Queering the Canon: Curated Content & Festival Xtras


NewFest Pride:

  • 10% Discount on Additional GA Tickets for NewFest Pride

  • 1 General Admission ticket to all NewFest Pride Screenings

  • 2 Tickets to NewFest Pride Opening Night Screening + Party, Centerpiece Screening, and Closing Night Screening

  • Access to Streaming Platform – NewFest Pride: Curated Content & Festival Xtras


  • Invitation (x3) to Storytellers Circle exclusive events, screenings & other offerings throughout the year

  • Storytellers Circle: Priority line access at all festivals

  • Storytellers Circle: Reserved Seating at all festivals

  • Free Popcorn and Non-Alcoholic Drink at SVA Theater Per Screening


  • Exclusive member events

  • Invitation to all NewFest Comes Out(side) summer screenings

  • NewFest Member Tote

  • 10% Discount on Concessions at SVA Theatre

  • 10% Discount on NewFest merchandise

  • Exclusive Member screenings

  • Concierge ticket access for all Festivals

  • Access to NewFest Streaming Platform for all festivals – Curated Content & Festival Xtras

  • Acknowledgment in the Festival Guide

  • Acknowledgment On-screen at Queering the Canon, NewFest Pride & The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival

The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival:

  • 4 Invitations to Film Festival Kick-Off

  • 4 General Admission tickets to all Screenings at The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival

  • 4 Tickets to Opening & Closing Night Screenings & Parties

  • 4 Tickets to all Centerpiece Screenings

  • Access for 2 to the Festival Lounge

  • Guest Credentials

  • 2 Invitations to the Queer Media Mixer

  • 50% Discount on Additional GA tickets at The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival


Queering the Canon:

  • 10% Discount on Additional GA Tickets for Queering the Canon

  • 2 General Admission ticket to all Queering the Canon screenings

  • Access to Streaming Platform – Queering the Canon: Curated Content & Festival Xtras


NewFest Pride:

  • 10% Discount on Additional GA Tickets for NewFest Pride

  • 2 General Admission ticket to all NewFest Pride Screenings

  • 2 Tickets to NewFest Pride Opening Night Screening + Party, Centerpiece Screening, and Closing Night Screening

  • Access to Streaming Platform – NewFest Pride: Curated Content & Festival Xtras


  • 3 Invitations to all Storytellers Circle exclusive events, screenings & other offerings throughout the year

  • Storytellers Circle: Priority line access at all festivals

  • Storytellers Circle: Reserved Seating at all festivals

  • Free Popcorn and Non-Alcoholic Drink at SVA Theater Per Screening

  • Verbal acknowledgement at Opening & Closing Night of all Festivals


  • Exclusive member events

  • Invitation to all NewFest Comes Out(side) summer screenings

  • NewFest Member Tote

  • 10% Discount on Concessions at SVA Theatre

  • 10% Discount on NewFest merchandise

  • Exclusive Member screenings

  • Concierge ticket access for all Festivals

  • Access to NewFest Streaming Platform for all festivals – Curated Content & Festival Xtras

  • Acknowledgment in Festival Guide

  • Acknowledgment On-screen at Queering the Canon, NewFest Pride & The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival

The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival:

  • 6 Invitations to Film Festival Kick-Off

  • 4 General Admission tickets to all Screenings at The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival

  • 6 Tickets to Opening & Closing Night Screenings & Parties

  • 6 Tickets to all Centerpiece Screenings

  • Access for 4 to the Festival Lounge

  • Guest Credentials

  • 4 Invitations to the Queer Media Mixer

  • 50% Discount on Additional GA Tickets at The New York LGBTQ+ Film Festival


Queering the Canon:

  • 10% Discount on Additional GA Tickets for Queering the Canon

  • 4 General Admission ticket to all Queering the Canon screenings

  • Access to Streaming Platform – Queering the Canon: Curated Content & Festival Xtras


NewFest Pride:

  • 10% Discount on Additional GA Tickets for NewFest Pride

  • 4 General Admission ticket to all NewFest Pride Screenings

  • 6 Tickets to NewFest Pride Opening Night Screening + Party, Centerpiece Screening & Closing Night Screening

  • Access to Streaming Platform – NewFest Pride: Curated Content & Festival Xtras


  • 3 Invitations to all Storytellers Circle Exclusive events, screenings & other offerings throughout the year

  • Storytellers Circle: Priority line access at all festivals

  • Storytellers Circle: Reserved Seating at all festivals

  • Free Popcorn and Non-Alcoholic Drink at SVA Theater Per Screening

  • Verbal acknowledgement at Opening & Closing Night of all Festivals

About NewFest


Founded in 1988, NewFest is the largest LGBTQ+ film festival in the United States and a year-round media arts organization championing queer storytelling. Through film festivals, grants, artist labs, school programs, and community screenings, NewFest creates spaces where LGBTQ+ stories and creators can thrive. At a time when queer visibility faces political and cultural challenges, NewFest remains a powerful platform for representation, dialogue, and creative freedom.

Join the Storytellers Circle


A movement is only as strong as those who fund it. Your support ensures LGBTQ+ stories are told, celebrated, and preserved for generations to come.

NewFest now longer sells passes to the festival. With a membership you’ll receive the equivalent to the festival pass benefits from previous years but now with exclusive year round benefits!

For Questions Contact: patrons@newfest.org

 

You will need an Elevent account to set up your Storytellers Circle account. You’ll need to use the same email every time you sign in.

You can sign into your Elevent account, or create a new one if needed, using the Sign In link at the top right corner of the Newfest website. 

When the pre-sale window is announced, you will be able to purchase tickets to the full announced program, including any highly anticipated films, before they go on sale to the general public. To access presale, please log in to Elevent on the NewFest page with the account you used to set up your Storytellers Circle account. You will see an option to purchase a ticket, or redeem your member benefits if you have any available to use. 

For Questions Contact: patrons@newfest.org