Events
Evolution of Drag – Drag Through the Decades
Glamazon and drag performer/producer Daphne Ferraro brings her smash hit multi-media drag extravaganza to St. Pete
Evolution of Drag – Drag Through the Decades
Glamazon and drag performer/producer Daphne Ferraro brings her smash hit multi-media drag extravaganza to St. Pete
The Mattachine Family
Oscar (Juan Pablo di Pace, Mamma Mia) and Thomas (Nico Tortorella, Scream 4) meet cute, get married, have charming friends and burgeoning careers. Fate steps in and the two agree to be foster parents to a little boy, Arthur. When Arthur is reunited with his birth mother, Thomas realizes he loves being a dad.
Big Easy Queens
Seems like a perfect time in Florida for campy gangland humor. Fort Lauderdale Director Erynn Dalton (The Gravedigger) delivers this raucous delight. Miss Minnie Bouvèé (Eric Swanson) is a full-bodied queen of the Big Easy underworld who finds herself under threat by a mysterious masked predator and the fragrance of gardenias, a “sore spot of torment” from Miss Minnie’s past.
Our Son
Featuring great lead performances by two talented gay actors, Our Son is an absorbing exploration of parenthood and family. Gabriel (Pose’s Billy Porter) and Nicky (Beauty and the Beast’s Luke Evans) share a life in a spacious city apartment with their sweet 7 year old son, Owen (Christopher Woodly). Nicky works long hours while Gabriel stays home to care for Owen.
Chasing Chasing Amy
Can 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.
Black Barbie
“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.
Big Boys
Big Boys is a sweet and humorous story about the awkwardness of growing up and feeling different from your peers. Jamie is an anxious and chubby, 14-year old. While he’s not the least bit interested in sports, he might just be a culinary master.
Afternoon Delights Shorts
A series of short films.
Lie With Me (Arrête avec tes mensonges)
Based on the bestselling French novel, Lie With Me is a story about lost love and the importance of being true to yourself. Established author Stéphane Belacourt (Guillaume de Tonquédec) returns to his beautiful hometown to promote a renowned local cognac distillery and deliver a keynote speech.
Jess Plus None
Let’s just say it: Jess is a hot mess. She is impulsive, whiney, and completely self-absorbed. That she is the maid of honor for her best friend is like an afterthought to Jess’ preoccupation with her recent breakup. The wedding is literally in the woods and a reunion of sorts for college friends and partners.
All the Colours of the World are Between Black and White
As the title of this debut film suggests, those who are willing to see beyond their own rigid black and white points of view, are able to see a full spectrum of vibrant colors, nuances, and complexity. When Bambino, a salt of the earth delivery driver in Lagos, meets aspiring photographer, Bawa, the two men form an instant intimacy.
The Lost Boys (Le Paradis)
Featuring an invigorating original score by Bachar Mar-Khalife and engaging performances, Lost Boys boldly explores ideas of freedom, the human need for love, and the ever-lingering effects that experiences in the juvenile detention system have on young people.
Late Night Shorts
A series of short films.
It’s Only Life After All
“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).
Glitter and Doom
“You look like someone with a lot of songs inside,” says Glitter to Doom. And the songs are those of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers – the Indigo Girls. New arrangements and mashups of their classics are a delight in Tom Gustafson’s (Were the World Mine) homage to the soundtrack of love and the burning desire for “the dream.”
Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn
“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!)
“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
Dorothy 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.
Barrio Boy
Barrio Boy is a coming of age story with an edge and with heart. Quique is surrounded by machismo at the Nuyorican barber shop where he cuts hair. One summer day while playing ball with his coworkers, he has a chance encounter with an Irish stranger.
Golden Delicious
Everyone wants something from high school senior Jake: his father is pushing him to try out for the basketball team—an abandoned dream of his own—and his girlfriend wants to take their relationship to the next level. But it’s not until Aleks, an openly gay teen with a love for basketball, moves in across the street that Jake begins to struggle with his own desires.
Mutt
Mutt follows Feña (Lio Mehiel) through a stress-filled New York City day, as he anticipates his estranged Chilean father’s visit. In his feature debut, Vuk Lugulov-Klotz, who is also trans, builds the story by consistently adding unfair burdens onto Feña’s shoulders.
Opening Night Shorts
A series of short films. Filmmakers will be in attendance!
SPONSORED BY: Bell Pharmacy
The Venus Effect
Liv is in her early twenties. She works at her family’s garden center in the province. Totally unprepared, she falls in love with the chaotic but spirited Andrea. Andrea has sought refuge at her uncle’s idyllic apple plantation because of stress.
SPONSORED BY: Savvy Mortgage
Norwegian Dream
Set against the majestic beauty of the Norwegian Island of Sotra, immigrant and newly hired 19-year-old Robert (Hubert Milkowski) navigates the racist and homophobic world of the fish factory camaraderie against the undeniable intrigue for his mentor, Ivar (Karl Bekele Steinland). Both men are young, beautiful, and quietly raging...
SPONSORED BY: The Knights of The Krewe of Cavaliers
1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted A Culture
“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.
Before I Change My Mind
It’s 1987, and while the other students wonder if new kid Robin is a boy or a girl, Robin forges a complicated bond with the school bully, making increasingly dangerous choices to fit in.
Lie With Me
Based on the bestselling French novel, Lie With Me is a story about lost love and the importance of being true to yourself. Established author Stéphane Belacourt (Guillaume de Tonquédec) returns to his beautiful hometown to promote a renowned local cognac distillery and deliver a keynote speech.
SPONSORED BY: Love the Golden Rule
Saturday Night Shorts
A series of short films. Filmmakers will be in attendance!
SPONSORED BY: Russell Property Group
Peafowl
Myung is a transgender woman who cut ties with her family and hometown because she needs to live authentically. Now, all she wants is gender affirmation surgery, but the only way to earn money is by winning the Waacking dance competition, which was a disaster.
SPONSORED BY: Creative Loafing
Greetings from Queertown: Orlando
In 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
Rick 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.
Rivière
Seventeen-year-old Manon leaves the Swiss mountains to head out in search of her father, who is nowhere to be found. As she forms new bonds and encounters her first love , she is determined to follow the path she has set herself on the ice: to become a professional hockey player.
SPONSORED BY: St. Pete Clearwater Film Commission
Moonlight
Three time periods - young adolescence, mid-teen and young adult - in the life of black-American Chiron is presented.
Moonlight
Three time periods - young adolescence, mid-teen and young adult - in the life of black-American Chiron is presented.
The Aggressives Double Feature
The 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…
Lez Bomb
A still closeted young woman brings her girlfriend home for Thanksgiving, only to have her coming out efforts thwarted by the unexpected arrival of her male roommate.
Can’t Stop Change: Queer Climate Stories from the Florida Frontlines
As Florida's violent legislation dominates headlines, LGBTQ2S+ communities are also on the frontlines of accelerating climate change. Can’t Stop Change: Queer Climate Stories from the Florida Frontlines weaves interviews with 15 LGBTQ2S+ artists, organizers, and educators across Florida (and the new Florida diaspora) into an intersectional climate justice narrative.
But I’m a Cheerleader
Megan (Natasha Lyonne) considers herself a typical American girl. She excels in school and cheerleading, and she has a handsome football-playing boyfriend, even though she isn't that crazy about him. So she's stunned when her parents decide she's gay and send her to True Directions, a boot camp meant to alter her sexual orientation. While there, Megan meets a rebellious and unashamed teen lesbian, Graham (Clea DuVall). Though Megan still feels confused, she starts to have feelings for Graham.
Continue The Mission Fundraiser
Tampa Theatre | John T. Taylor Screening Room Doors Open At 1:30 Tickets: $75 or 2 for $140 Reception & Refreshments Short Film Programming Current Board Meet & Greet Tiglff's…
To the Moon
Closeted single dad Sam (Jacob Sampson) finds his world upended when he meets a handsome stranger. Meanwhile, his daughter Ella (Phoebe Rex) struggles with the challenges of teenagerhood, and their writer’s block-suffering neighbor Claire (Amy Groening) tries to mine this offbeat father/daughter duo for source material. An ensemble comedy about love, choreographed dance, kitchen safety, stranger danger, planetary physics, and the idea that it’s never too late in life to figure out who you really are.
Kevin Hartford, 2024, Canada, 85 min
PRECEDED BY:
The Space You Need
Sam Peter Jackson * UK * 21 Min
Long Shorts Program
No Man is an Island
John Crane * United Kingdom * 24min
This is Jan
Robert Larriviere * USA * 21min
Crisantemo
Yuri Matoszko & Kane Kwik * Brazil * 28min
Amida
Majid Marhashemi * Iran * 25min
Mia Mio
Roxanne Peguet * Luxembourg * 20min
Plainclothes
Lucas , a closeted undercover cop, falls for a married man he’s assigned to entrap in Carmen Emmi’s ’90s-set erotic drama Plainclothes. Initially focused on his duty to arrest men cruising in shopping mall bathrooms, his mission takes an unexpected turn after a charged encounter with one of his marks. Plainclothes simmers with urgency, its story of repression and control striking a nerve in a time when queer visibility and freedom are once again under threat. (synopsis by Jarred Abbott – Frameline)
Carmen Emmi, 2025, USA, 95 min
PRECEDED BY:
Three Courses
In Spanish with English subtitles
San Pedro Zacatenco & Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico, 12 min
Lakeview
When a queer friend group unites for a girls' weekend celebrating a divorce, their old feelings, new relationships, and shifting dynamics crash into each other in the shadow of summer’s dying light. Darcy (Lesley Smith) is finally divorced, to the relief of her friends, but they are bringing their own drama to this celebration weekend. Lakeview is a celebration of the power (and damage) of familiarity, what happens when lessons learned don’t lead to patterns broken.
Tara Thorne, 2024, Canada, 100 min
Preceded By:
Rose Colored
Ruby Wright, USA, 10 min
Like the Very Gods
Lazarus Lazarides, USA, 12 min
MASC
In 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
Sugar Beach
Rosalyn, a wealthy and talented high school senior, grapples with immense grief after the loss of her brother. The void left behind by his absence consumes her, and she begins a descent into addiction—alcohol becoming her solace as she numbs the pain and confusion. Amidst her downward spiral, she finds herself in a complex relationship with two other people, Isaac, and Emma.
Noely Mendoza, 2025, USA, 90 min
Preceded by:
Arriba Beach
Portuguese/English
Nishchaya Gera, Portugal, 35 min
Closing Shorts Program
All That’s Left
Fae Hartt * USA * 18min
Parallel Lines
Danny Wascou * USA * 16min
Loves Last Stand
Sam Stewart * USA * 15min
Campumentary
Victoria Kelleher * USA * 10min
Simp
Gabriel Carnick * USA * 7min
Unburied
Ayo Lawson * Nigeria * 13min
The Last Story on Earth
Aaron Immediato * USA * 18min
Beautiful Stranger
Javian Rodriguez * USA * 7min
Dragfox
Lisa Ott * Switzerland/UK * 8min
Birthright
João Cândido Zacharias, Brazil, 80 min
After receiving news about his mother’s death, Thomas returns to Brazil with his partner, Beni. Once there, he learns of a country house belonging to a grandmother he never met. Curious to reconnect with his family history, they visit the house and Thomas is welcomed by two elderly aunts that treat him like their long-lost child. As Thomas becomes increasingly enchanted with the place, Beni begins to suspect that something evil lurks beneath the façade of a tranquil country life.
Preceded by:
They Slay
Maddie Macloud, USA, 25 min
Longtime friends begin to butt heads at a Halloween party when an unruly demon unearths the group’s uncomfortable truths.
Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror
The 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.
Best of the Fest – Summer Edition Shorts
The best short films from our Summer Edition.
Lights, Camera, Connection – A Queer Screen Social at Green Light Lounge & Kitchen
A Queer Screen Social at Green Light Lounge & Kitchen (next door to the cinema)
I Wish You All The Best
After being kicked out of their house, a teen embarks upon a journey of self-discovery that teaches them about love, friendship and family.
The Gymnast
The talented Jane Hawkins (Dreya Weber, Lovely & Amazing) was an impressive gymnast at the top of her game until a devastating injury ended her career. Now she pours the…
Night of 1000 Oscars – Trans Pride Dance Party & Ball
TIGLFF launches the 2026 Trans Pride Dance Party & Ball, “Night of 1000 Oscars,” in partnership with Central Florida Ballroom Collective. The night starts with a high energy dance party with Dyke Nite St Pete, then rolls straight into the ballroom competition. Categories. Commentary. Tension. Tens across the board. This event is also a community fundraiser in collaboration with Swamp Bois and Doll Dynasty supporting their Gender Affirming Care Fund. A night to serve, celebrate, and show up for each other.
Venue: 7th Ave, Ybor City