TeaDance showcases feature, documentary and short films from all over the world that are made by, about or of interest to the lesbian, gay, bi, trans and questioning community.

Taking place in Columbia, South Carolina, TeaDance will feature the best in LGBT cinema from all around the globe. The fest will be in September, leading up to the South Carolina Pride event, the largest in the state.

Film is a dynamic medium with the power to educate, inspire, intrigue and bring people together. Our festival will feature films of all genres in a jam-packed two day festival featuring not only films but also Q&A sessions with the filmmakers as well. TeaDance hopes to not only showcase amazing independent film, but also educate and entertain the public with films that feature LGBT characters and storylines.

Our mission is to have LGBT cinema a part of everyday culture and we want to expose it to as many people as we can.

We are currently accepting submissions for our festival and are looking for films and scripts that:

- are made by LGBT filmmakers and/or
- feature LGBT characters and/or
- have subjects that may be of interest to the LGBT community.
- scripts/screenplays with a LGBT connection.

These films and scripts can be documentaries, comedy, horror, drama, experimental, music video, or any other genre as long as it has a LGBT connection.

Awards will be given out to the best film and filmmakers and screenwriters. More info on the 2018 fest coming soon!

Awards & Prizes

Awards will be given for:

Best Feature Film
Best Short Film
Best Actor/Actress
Best Director
Best Screenplay (Short and Feature)
Jury Award
Honorable Mention awards

Official Sponsor "Final Draft" will award the best screenplay categories with Final Draft Scriptwriting software! InkTip will award the winning unproduced screenplays with a free listing on InkTip!

All Official Selections get a 3-month subscription to iPitch.tv and winners get a 1-year subscription.

Rules & Terms

Filmmakers who have film chosen as an official selection must provide exhibition copies in NTSC Blu Ray or DVD format by August 10th. If not received by then, then your film will be removed from the screening schedule.

The 2018 festival is for films produced January 2015 or after.

If the film is not in English, then it must have English subtitles

​All submissions are screened and evaluated by the TeaDance Preview and Selection Committee, appointed by the festival steering committee. Judges decisions are Final.

The submission of a film to the TeaDance Gay & Lesbian Film Festival will be considered to be an acknowledgement of the festival rules.

Participation in TeaDance Gay & Lesbian Film Festival implies the authorization to use the entered film for Internet and TV promotion of this and future festivals

​TeaDance Gay & Lesbian Film Festival will determine the date and time when submissions will be shown and while every effort will be made to follow screening times as printed in the festival program, TeaDance cannot be held accountable for changes to the schedule after the festival line-up is announced.

The Festival will not be responsible for the cost of receiving any additional materials i.e. DVDs, posters, photos, etc.

​Once a film has been accepted, it cannot be withdrawn from the competition unless the filmmaker has already submitted another film. In this event, TeaDance Gay & Lesbian Film Festival will not be liable to refund the fee or return the materials entered.

TeaDance reserves the right to refuse to screen any submission deemed by the festival to be overly offensive, violent or racist.
19 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Anna Cooley

    Thank you so much for choosing Sleepwalker! I am sorry I couldn't be there.

    December 2017
    Helpful
  • Tyler Byrnes

    Great festival to work with. Tommy kept everyone well informed and had the program up on the website in no time. Was not able to attend but I'm certain that the fest itself was just as well organized. Overall a great experience, looking forward to submitting more and attending TeaDance in the future.

    November 2017
    Helpful
  • Jack Tracy

    Great communication from the festival.

    November 2017
    Helpful
    Filmfreewaylogo
    Response from festival:

    Thanks for the review! Sorry you didn’t make it to the festival this year otherwise you may have given us a more accurate networking review? Hard to network when you are not at the fest. :) Good luck in 2018.

  • Marianna Moneymaker

    This film festival is worth applying, they are attentive filmmakers.

    November 2017
    Helpful
  • Robert Cox

    An interesting Film Festival. Would have loved to attend, but circumstances prevented me from doing so.

    October 2017
    Helpful
    Filmfreewaylogo
    Response from festival:

    Sorry you didn’t attend! Networking is only possible if you do!