Documentary
REAL KINK
freeFall Theatre 6099 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, FLWill J Zang, 2016, USA, 68 min Sponsored by: Florida Leather & Fetish Club and Tampa Leather Club This documentary about the San Francisco kink scene makes master/slave dynamics look like mom and dad strolling through the park. Will Zang brings BDSM out of the margins into the mainstream through his non-prejudiced interviews with co-eds and…
CHAVELA
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLChavela is the captivating look at the unconventional life of beloved performer Chavela Vargas, whose passionate renditions of Mexican popular music and triumphant return to the stage late in life brought her international fame.
WHOSE STREETS
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLWhose Streets? is an unflinching look at how the killing of 18-year-old Mike Brown inspired a community to fight back and sparked a global movement.
THE LAVENDER SCARE
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLAt the height of the Cold War, President Eisenhower deems homosexuals to be security risks. A vicious witch hunt ensues, ruining thousands of American lives.
ALABAMA BOUND
AMC Sundial 12 151 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FLAlabama Bound explores the roller-coaster ride of being gay in the South over the last decade, following the stories of two lesbian families as they fight for their children and the only openly-gay state legislator in Alabama.
UNCLE GLORIA: ONE HELLUVA RIDE!
AMC Sundial 12 151 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FLUncle Gloria is a darkly funny film full of drama and family fireworks about the macho owner of an auto wrecking company in Florida who goes into hiding from the law as a woman setting off a bizarre journey of self discovery.
ABU (Father)
AMC Sundial 12 151 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FLUsing family archives and animation, Arshad Khan shares a deeply personal story of migration from Pakistan to Canada, self-discovery and familial reconciliation.
FAMILIES LIKE YOURS
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLFollows six families as they attempt to balance work and school. From all across the nation and in all different stages of family life, these families represent a cross-section of the modern American family-- the only difference is that they are LGBT families.
THE UNTOLD TALES OF ARMISTEAD MAUPIN
AMC Sundial 12 151 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FLThe documentary celebrates one of the world's most beloved storytellers, following his evolution from a conservative son of the Old South into a gay rights pioneer whose novels inspired millions to re-claim their lives.
REBELS ON POINTE
AMC Sundial 12 151 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FLCelebrating Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo -- the all male, drag ballet company founded over 40 years ago on the heels of New York's Stonewall riots.
SUSANNE BARTSCH: ON TOP
Tampa Museum of Art 120 W. Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa, FLA feature documentary exploring NYC culture through the influence of nightlife legend Susanne Bartsch.
Making Montgomery Clift
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLMontgomery Clift was one of the most influential actors in the history of cinema, bucking traditions on and off screen, but countless biographies have reduced him to labels like “tragically self-destructive” and “tormented.” Now, nephew Robert Clift and Hillary Demmon rigorously examine the flawed narratives that have come to define Monty’s legacy.
Studio 54
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLIan Schrager and Steve Rubell made magic happen when they opened Studio 54 in New York City in 1977. By 1978, Studio 54 was the most famous nightclub in the world. Matt Tyrnauer’s excellent and entertaining documentary explores the enchantment behind the madness that took Manhattan by storm.
Call Her Ganda
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLWhen 26-year old Filipina transgender woman and alleged sex worker, Jennifer Laude, is found dead with her head plunged into a motel room toilet, the perpetrator is quickly identified as 19-year-old U.S. marine Joseph Scott Pemberton. A military recruit in an unfamiliar land, Pemberton was on “liberty leave” when he solicited Jennifer at a disco.
Paternal Rites – DOCUMENTARY CENTERPIECE
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLPaternal Rites is an extraordinary first-person essay film that examines the secret underbelly of a contemporary Jewish American family as they grapple with the aftereffects of physical and sexual abuse on their present-day lives. It is also a groundbreaking film about the nature of trauma and memory itself.
Dykes, Camera, Action!
freeFall Theatre 6099 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, FL“I’m going to make a film about a girl who falls in love with a woman.” A radical idea in 1984 from Su Friedrich, who used that inspiration to make Damned If You Don’t. This beautifully constructed documentary is more than a review of lesbian filmmaking.
Transgeek
freeFall Theatre 6099 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, FLQueer folks in general found an unprecedented freedom with the advent of the internet. TransGeek shines a bright light on the profound impact that the internet had on transgender people. The anonymity and flexibility around gender identity that is available on the web gave voices to the most isolated parts of our queer family.
Every Act of Life
freeFall Theatre 6099 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, FLTerrence McNally says he goes to the theater, “to see characters strip themselves of their secrets, to let us see into their hearts.” He walks the talk in this candid documentary of his work and of his life. With plentiful footage of Terrence himself, this documentary is an honest and loving portrait of a man who has lived his life out loud .
Queering The Script
Metro Wellness and Community Center 3251 3rd Ave N, St Petersburg, FLQueer nerd alert! This fascinating documentary is a fun and informative look at the subculture of queer fandom. Hear from fans at conventions like ClexaCon, as well as Pose actress Angelica Ross, The L Word creator Ilene Chaiken, and Xena: Warrior Princess herself, Lucy Lawless.
Unsettled: Seeking Refuge in America
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLIn this powerful documentary, renowned filmmaker, Tom Shepherd follows the intense struggles of four LGBT+ refugees from Africa and the Middle East. Cheyenne and Mari (Angolan), Subhi (Syrian), and Junior (Congolese) have fled homophobic violence and are starting over in San Francisco.
A Bigger Splash
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLDavid Hockney, still fruitful at 81, is a great American artist. He also is gay. His paintings of nude men and sun-kissed landscapes, in southern California and elsewhere, are instantly recognizable as uniquely his own. In 1973, filmmaker Jack Hazan documented Hockney’s evolving relationship with a young man who was once his lover and remained his muse.
Tongues Untied
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLThirty years ago, filmmaker Marlon Riggs detailed his own experiences as a gay man coming to terms with his sexual identity, the death of many of his friends to AIDS, and the particular stigma that Black gay men faced. Both deeply personal and a brilliant experimental critique of the politics of racism, homophobia, and exclusion of the time.
For They Know Not What They Do
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLFrom The Director of "For The Bible Tells Me So" This new documentary takes us on a journey of understanding and sheds light on religion, gender identity, and sexual orientation in America. At the core of the story are four families whose faith is their source of strength and, sometimes, a source of pain.
Vision Portraits
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLQueer filmmaker Rodney Evans becomes the almost unwilling subject of his own film, as he chronicles his loss of vision. Evans talks with fellow artists - a photographer, a dancer, and a writer - who have gone through similar experiences and who have thrived despite their visual impairments.
Seahorse
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLThis thoughtful documentary about a transgender man named Freddy who undertakes to start a family by becoming pregnant. Though Freddy yearns to raise his own child, pregnancy challenges his understanding of masculinity, gender, and parenthood more than he could have ever imagined.
Circus of Books
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLKaren and Barry Mason were just looking for a way to support their young family when they became distributors for Hustler Magazine. When they took over the renowned LA sex toy and video store Circus of Books, they became fully immersed in the gay community and became a safe place for queer people.
Changing The Game
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLFor young transgender athletes, the sport they love often turns into a minefield of controversy. Decried as cheaters if they excel or barred from competing among the gender they identify with; positive outcomes are rare. But when a sport is a lifeline, what is fair?
History Lessons (Shorts)
Metro Wellness and Community Center 3251 3rd Ave N, St Petersburg, FLJoin us for a collection of six short films that celebrate the history of queer people from long before Stonewall to the present day.
You Don’t Nomi
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLWhen does a critically “bad” film become a cult film? Is “camp” manufactured or does it just happen? Jeffrey McHale’s documentary asks these questions, but in the subtlest of ways. McHale digs deep in his detailed exploration of the nuances and the blatant exploitation of Showgirls, the 1995 worst everything in cinema.
TIGLFF: Next Scene – FREE!
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLA new initiative to offer viewing and filmmaking experiences to our younger audience members who live their lives online and stream On Demand. We are offering opportunities for these young filmmakers, activists, and audience members.
Gay Chorus Deep South – {Closing Night}
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLThe San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus set out to bring their message of hope and resiliency in response to the 2016 presidential election by spending a week touring throughout the deep south.
The Chorus, joined by The Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, brought a message of music, love, and acceptance to communities and individuals confronting intolerance.
SHORTS PROGRAM #1: RITES OF PASSAGE
TIGLFF SCREENING ROOM-ONLINEFrom birthdays and bat mitzvahs to prom dates and expiration dates, this bittersweet program celebrates those special occasions that leave indelible impressions on a life’s journey from adolescence to adulthood
MAKING SWEET TEA
TIGLFF SCREENING ROOM-ONLINEGrab a tall one and settle in to watch this intimate documentary that chronicles the reflective journey of southern-born, black gay researcher and performer, E. Patrick Johnson as he travels home to North Carolina to come to terms with his past.
LATTER DAY JEW
TIGLFF SCREENING ROOM-ONLINEMeet H. Alan Scott: a gay former Mormon/converted Jew/cancer survivor/writer-comedian, as he finds his spiritual path while preparing for his Bar Mitzvah, traveling to Israel during their Gay Pride celebration, and immersing himself in Jewish life and culture.
TRANSFORMISTAS
TIGLFF SCREENING ROOM-ONLINEFilmed covertly without permission from the Cuban government, this intimately epic documentary fluctuates between the past and the present, contrasting the struggles that different generations of drag queens have faced in their country.
AHEAD OF THE CURVE
TIGLFF SCREENING ROOM-ONLINEAn inspirational tribute to the fascinating life and career of Franco Stevens, creator of the ground-breaking lesbian magazine Curve, which generated a world-wide sense of community and positive visibility for gay women.
SHORTS PROGRAM #6: ROLE REVERSAL
TIGLFF SCREENING ROOM-ONLINEIn these inspiring documentaries, change-making role models use their ingenuity and integrity to disrupt the status quo and help define a “new normal.”
STEELERS: THE WORLD’S FIRST GAY RUGBY CLUB
TIGLFF SCREENING ROOM-ONLINECome for the eye candy of hunky rugby players and their spunky lesbian coach…stay for the meaningful stories, exciting tournaments, and the surprising half-time drag show.
Bare
TIGLFF SCREENING ROOM-ONLINENudity is beautiful - this is the theme of famed Belgian choreographer Thierry Smits’ new production. We follow eleven male dancers as they bare more than just their bodies, they bare their souls for all to see.
WHO’S ON TOP? LGBTQs SUMMIT MT. HOOD
TIGLFF SCREENING ROOM-ONLINEMeet Ryan, Shanita, Stacey, Taylor, …and Wy’east (the Native American name for Mt. Hood) which is also a character in this glorious documentary that captures the spectacular scenery of Oregon’s tallest mountain.
Baloney
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLThis provocative documentary tells the story of San Francisco's beloved Gay All-Male Revue of the same name. BALONEY's co-creators, Michael and Rory, invite their collaborators and audiences to embrace the sexualized aspects of striptease and burlesque alongside a blend of fantasy, confession, and social commentary.
Rebel Dykes
TIGLFF SCREENING ROOM-ONLINEA full-length documentary about the explosion that happened when punk met feminism, told through the lives of a gang of lesbian, trans and queer people in the riotous London of the 1980s.
Building a Bridge
TIGLFF SCREENING ROOM-ONLINEHorrified by Catholic leaders’ silence in the wake of the Pulse nightclub massacre, Father James Martin writes a widely-acclaimed book and tours the country speaking with the news media, local parishes and LGBTQ+ Catholics with his message of “compassion, respect, and sensitivity.”
Activist Heroes Double Feature:
TIGLFF SCREENING ROOM-ONLINEAIDS Diva: The Legend of Connie Norman and Yes I Am – The Ric Weiland Story
Portraits of two activist heroes.
Drag Stars Double Feature:
TIGLFF SCREENING ROOM-ONLINETwo Films: Being BeBe: the BeBe Zahara Benet Documentary and Workhorse Queen
Invisible: Women in Southern Music
AMC Sundial 12 151 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FLGrowing up gay in the South is hard enough, but to be an openly gay woman in country music is nearly impossible. Nashville is a man's town, yet this group of gay women have persevered anyhow.
Mama Bears
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLMama Bears is an intimate exploration of two mama bears, conservative, Christian mothers who have become fierce advocates for LGBTQ+ people and a young lesbian whose struggle for self-acceptance exemplifies why the mama bears are so important.
Documentary Shorts Program
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLA series of six documentary shorts.
All Man: The International Male Story
Tampa Theatre 711 N Franklin St, Tampa, FLA nostalgic and colorful peek behind the pages and personalities of International Male, one of the most ubiquitous and sought-after mail-order catalogs of the 80s and 90s.
Framing Agnes
TIGLFF SCREENING ROOM-ONLINEAfter discovering case files from a 1950s gender clinic, a cast of trans actors turn a talk show inside out to confront the legacy of a young trans woman forced to choose between honesty and access.
Pat Rocco Dared
Green Light Cinema 221 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FLIn this colorful trip back in time, filmmaker and activist Pat Rocco shares his incredible life story as one of Hollywood's original boundary pushing gay pioneers.
Jimmy in Saigon
Green Light Cinema 221 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FLJimmy in Saigon is a documentary exploring the mysterious death of Peter McDowell's eldest brother, James, who died age 24 in Saigon. The film explores unspoken grief and family secrets, while honoring those lost long ago.
Keep the Cameras Rolling: The Pedro Zamora Way (Tampa)
Florida Museum of Photographic Arts 400 N. Ashley Drive Cube, 2nd Floor, TampaThe story of Pedro Zamora, the charming young activist who transformed the face of AIDS in America by allowing MTV's REAL WORLD to chronicle his joy, his influence, and his journey with a disease that would ultimately kill him.
Documentary Shorts Program (ReDux – St. Pete)
AMC Sundial 12 151 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FLA series of six documentary shorts.
A Run for More
AMC Sundial 12 151 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FLFrankie Gonzales-Wolfe goes on a personal journey and questions her relationship to her community as she runs for city council in San Antonio, Texas, and attempts to become the first openly elected transgender official in Texas.
Chasing Chasing Amy
AMC West Shore 210 Westshore Plaza, Tampa, FLCan a Lesbian have a romantic friendship with a straight, cis man? Especially when that man is portrayed by Ben Affleck?! Let’s get real. Many lesbians of a certain age hated Chasing Amy, Kevin Smith’s 1990’s romcom about a straight white guy who falls in love with a lesbian. Filmmaker Sav Rodgers, a young filmmaker from Kansas, did a Ted Talk about how Chasing Amy literally saved his life.
It’s Only Life After All
AMC West Shore 210 Westshore Plaza, Tampa, FL“Fans want to know what is personal,” says Emily Saliers. And, in spite of her admitted discomfort with the personal, Saliers and Amy Ray, the iconic Indigo Girls, go there in this acclaimed documentary by filmmaker Alexandria Bombach (On Her Shoulders).
Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn
Green Light Cinema 221 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL“Let people who are closest to the pain, be closest to the power.” So says Malcolm Kenyatta, State Representative from the North Philly district of Pennsylvania and the first Queer person of color in the Pennsylvania State House. Executive Producer, Al Roker (and others) and filmmaker Timothy Harris chronicle Malcolm’s quest for the U.S. Senate amid the stark reality of the blatant racism and homophobia engrained in the political process of this country.
Black Barbie (Reprise screening!)
Green Light Cinema 221 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL“It took 21 years for one black fashion doll to be worthy of the Barbie name.” So says award winning Queer director, Lagueria Davis (Maid of Dishonor) who decided to make “Black Barbie” after spending time with her Aunt Beulah Mae Mitchell, a 45-year employee at Mattel. Those conversations sparked a curiosity about the evolution of Black Barbie leading to complex conversations of race, body image and social influence.
Jewelle: A Just Vision/Swimming in the Dark
Green Light Cinema 221 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FLDorothy Allison (Bastard Out of Carolina,) says of Jewell Gomez’s The Gilda Stories, “Why hadn’t it occurred to anybody that the perfect vampire would be a Black Lesbian?” Why, indeed! After graduating from Columbia School of Journalism Jewelle started writing poetry and plays. Screening with Swimming in the Dark.
1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted A Culture
Green Light Cinema 221 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL“My Christian friends rejected me because I am Gay. My Gay friends were angry with me for being a Christian.” So says Ed Oxford, a Gay theologian and researcher in how the Bible has been weaponized against LGBT people.
Greetings from Queertown: Orlando
Green Light Cinema 221 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FLIn the aftermath of the Pulse horror, Rick Todd (Watermark) watched the Orlando community coalesce around the outpouring of grief and deepening sadness. Those reflections led to a sense of pride and homage for his beloved Orlando, and for those who paved the way toward a thriving LGBT community, even in the face of tragedy.
SPONSORED BY: Watermark Publishing Group
A Big Gay Hairy Hit! Where The Bears Are: The Documentary
Green Light Cinema 221 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FLRick Copp, Ben Zook and Joe Dietl are friends and colleagues who have been in “the business” for decades. Between them they have worked on Golden Girls, Scooby Doo, The Brady Bunch Movie, Two and a Half Men, The Thin Pink Line, and Jack and Jill. As does happen in Hollywood, there came the inevitable lapse for all of them.
The Aggressives Double Feature
Green Light Cinema 221 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FLThe Aggressives Filmmaker Daniel Peddle follows a group of masculine-presenting queer people of color who were assigned female at birth. They hide the feminine aspects of their bodies and often adopt male personas but don't always feel included or represented by the LGBTQ world. Beyond The Aggressives - 25 Years Later Several of the queer…
MASC
AMC West Shore 210 Westshore Plaza, Tampa, FLIn a world of pundits and politicians seeking to “reclaim manhood,” a young queer filmmaker journeys to discover non-toxic masculinity across class, race, and gender in America today, leading him to confront his own religious upbringing, pastor father, and what he was taught it means to be a man.
Andy Motz, 2024, USA, 74 min
Preceded by:
Capetillo
In Spanish with English subtitles
Antonio Asencio, Puerto Rico, 22 min
Deep Dish Dimples
Manuel Villarreal, USA, 10 min
Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror
Green Light Cinema 221 2nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FLThe Rocky Horror Picture Show is not exclusively gay, but it is deeply rooted in queer culture due to its exploration of sexual liberation, gender fluidity, and its features of numerous openly gay, bisexual, and gender nonconforming characters. The film's themes, characters, and its dedicated fanbase have cemented its status as a landmark for the LGBTQ+ community. The 2025 Documentary is a wild journey into the origins of The Rocky Horror Picture show, the biggest cult film of all time, its impact on popular culture and socio-political resonance to this day.