Outfest 2006, which runs in nine venues in Los Angeles from July 6-17, will screen 207 shortsand features from 25 countries during its 24th event.

The opening nightgala film is Puccini ForBeginners and the Spanish musical 20Centimeters (20 Centimetros) will close thefestival.

The awards nightfilm is Allan Brocka's Boy Culture. Centerpiece films are Julian Hernandez's Broken Sky (El CieloDividido) from Mexico and Freida Lee Mock's documentary Wrestling With Angels:Playwright Tony Kushner.

The festival hasexpanded its platinum section of avant-garde work, including the Los Angeles premiere of Penny Arcade's show Bitch! Dyke! Faghag! Whore!

In addition to USand international dramatic features and documentary features, the festival isshowing the first lesbian films produced from Indonesia and Romania as well as a Bosnian feature marking thefirst drama with a gay Muslim protagonist.

Several films areprogrammed as a Homo Hip-Hop section and other special programmesinclude a new directors spotlight, the Outfest Screenwriting Lab, and several panels.