About
TIGLFF’s Trans Pride is an expansion of what was originally the Tampa Bay Transgender Film Festival. Driven by local trans community advocates and inspired by the Netflix documentary Disclosure, the Tampa Bay Transgender Film Festival was created to foster positive awareness of transgender and gender nonconforming communities.
At its core, this pride celebration centers around film as a way to raise awareness and nurture community connection. It recognizes the urgent need to highlight the full range of lived experiences within the transgender and gender nonconforming community, and the power of media to Entertain, Empower, and Enlighten. Alongside film screenings, the festival hosts local events that elevate trans culture and art while creating space for gathering, celebration, and community care.
We embrace all forms of film and media that explore themes of transgender and gender diversity. Films and events are thoughtfully curated by a committee of local transgender and gender diverse community members and are shared both in person and online throughout the weekend of Transgender Day of Visibility.
History
The Annual Tampa Bay Transgender Film Festival began in 2020 in Partnership with St Pete Pride as a fully virtual event hosted by TIGLFF around Transgender Day of Remembrance. This festival emerged as a space for visibility, reflection, and connection during an especially isolating time.
From its start, films and events have been curated each year by a rotating committee made up entirely of transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming community members, ensuring that every event and program remains grounded in authentic trans voices and experiences. The early years of the festival featured national film screenings, online social and support events, and a digital resource hub highlighting local organizations serving the trans and gender diverse community.
After a brief pause in 2022, the festival shifted its focus to align with Transgender Day of Visibility beginning in March 2023, adopting a more celebratory and community-driven approach. That year introduced in-person gatherings, including an opening reception and a community picnic featuring a clothing and art swap. The 2023 festival also marked a creative milestone, partnering with Humanity Rising to produce and premiere You’re Loved (2023), a documentary by Carys Mullins featuring the stories of three young transgender and nonbinary people in Florida and Texas, alongside mental health providers and allies.
The 2024 and 2025 festivals continued to grow this model, combining film screenings, community events, and social gatherings such as the annual picnic and closing party. Together, these moments celebrate not only transgender storytelling but also the resilience, creativity, and joy of our community across Tampa Bay and beyond.
In 2026, alongside the rebrand of The Tampa Bay International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival's shift to TIGLFF, the Tampa Bay Transgender Film Festival has evolved into TIGLFF's Trans Pride weekend. This change reflects both the growth of the festival and the local needs of our communities. While film remains at the core of our celebration, TIGLFF's Trans Pride is intentionally broadening its scope across Tampa Bay with new screenings & events for more opportunities for connection, visibility, and joy.
The 2026 Transgender Film Festival Leadership consists of:
- Unity Jalal (she/her), TIGLFF Board President & Trans Film Fest Co-Chair
- Charlie Suor (he/him), Trans Film Fest Co-Chair
- Nathan Bruemmer (he/him), Trans Film Fest Co-Founder
- Kayden Rodriguez (he/they), TIGLFF Board Immediate Past President & Trans Film Fest Co-Founder
