TIGLFF is one of the longest-running queer arts organizations in the United States. Founded in 1990 as Friends of the Festival, Inc., it began as a weekend film festival connected to the Tampa Bay Gay Men’s Choir. The event quickly evolved and officially adopted the name Tampa Bay International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival in the early 2000s. In 2026, we completed a full rebrand, embracing TIGLFF as our standalone name to reflect a more inclusive and expansive vision. This approach honors the legacy and recognition of our historic name while signaling growth and a continued commitment to the communities we serve.

Founded through the collaboration of local grassroots organisations, TIGLFF has grown from a single weekend of screenings into a dynamic, year-round cultural presence in Tampa Bay. Over the past 36 years, the festival has showcased thousands of films that reflect the depth, diversity, and vibrancy of queer lives—originally hosted at the historic Tampa Theatre and venues across Tampa.

In 2005, programming expanded to include monthly screenings in both Tampa and St. Petersburg, making LGBTQ+ cinema more accessible throughout the region. Following the 2020 pandemic, TIGLFF embraced a virtual model to increase access and inclusion and launched the Tampa Bay Transgender Film Festival, a dedicated space for trans and gender-diverse storytelling.

As of 2026, TIGLFF continues to thrive through:

• Monthly screenings at Green Light Cinema (St. Petersburg)
• The Annual LGBTQ+ Film Festival across Tampa Bay
• The Annual Tampa Bay Transgender Film Festival across Tampa Bay
• Community events, mixers, filmmaker panels, and special programming year-round