DIVA spoke to the director of the heartfelt film starring Orange Is The New Black co-stars Asia Kate Dillon and Lea DeLaria
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY VAJRA FILMS
Outerlands (2025) sees Cass struggling to get by in a rapidly gentrifying San Francisco. They’re doing everything from waiting tables, dealing drugs, and babysitting rich kids. But after a fiery one-night stand, an unexpected childcare gig forces them to confront their past. Elena Oxman’s tender, rebellious debut is a fierce celebration of queer resilience, chosen family, and self-acceptance.
DIVA caught up with director Elena Oxman ahead of its screening at BFI Flare.
Was there a specific moment or reference point which inspired your film?
Outerlands grew organically out of my short film Lit (starring D’Lo and Rinabeth Apostal) which we shot in San Francisco in 2014. The short told the story of two strangers who meet at a queer bar (the beloved Lexington Club, which closed in 2016) and embark on a late-night odyssey around the city. Outerlands continues Lit’s exploration of addiction, queer intimacy, and the beauty of San Francisco at night, while adding the theme of childhood wounds and how we heal from them.
If you had to describe your film in three words, what would they be?
Heartfelt. Poetic. Handsome.
What was the most unexpected lesson you learned while making this film?
I’d heard the famous warning against writing children and animals into your first film and admit I was nervous. But our 11-year-old actor Ridley came so prepared, and her mom and on-set tutor provided such amazing support that our limited hours with her were hardly an issue. The same goes for our amazing dog Musik – she and her trainer were pros and the process went so much more smoothly than I could have imagined. I guess the lesson is don’t believe everything you hear, and work with pros.
How does it feel to have your film showcased at BFI Flare?
It’s a huge honour! This will be our international premiere and our first queer festival, and I’m so excited to share the film with LGBTQIA audiences for the first time – also to come together in community at a moment when celebrating our stories feels of the utmost importance.
BFI Flare is a celebration of LGBTQIA storytelling. What do you hope LGBTQIA audiences at BFI Flare take away after watching your film?
I hope it will be an affirmation of the importance of self-love. There are so many things in this world that can make loving oneself hard, and as queer people we may have internalized messages that something is wrong with us from a young age. I hope the film offers an image of how we can hold ourselves with kindness and love, and having done so, become beacons of love for others.
Why do you think LGBTQIA filmmaking is so important in 2025?
As our community’s rights are being threatened, it feels urgent to continue telling our stories and sharing our human experiences. We can’t force others to change their minds, but we can continue making art that affirms our value and sustains us through the dark times, as art has always done.
This year’s Flare is split into the themes of Hearts, Bodies, and Minds. Do you have an LGBTQIA film which affected your heart, body, or mind?
The Wachowski sisters’ Bound affected me on all levels. It was hot, it was heartfelt, and it made me think about genre in a new way (how conventional genres like the crime thriller can be containers for startling originality, and how queerness can boldly embed itself in unexpected places).
What was the best piece of advice you received while working on this film, and what advice would you give to emerging queer filmmakers?
Trust the process. Many aspects of making a film turn out to be beyond our control (and being directors, I think many of us like to control things, lol). But films come together in mysterious ways. Find a balance between steering and letting go and let yourself be surprised by how things come together in unexpected ways.
What’s the one question you wish more people would ask about your film?
That’s hard to say as we are just getting the film out there. At this point, I’m more interested in being the one asking questions: how does the film land with people? What kinds of thoughts and feelings does it spark? The audience feels like the final, crucial ingredient in bringing a film to life, and I am curious, nervous, and excited to see what Outerlands becomes once it meets its audience.
OUTERLANDS screens as part of the 39th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival on Saturday 22 March and Sunday 23 March. For more details / tickets here
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