Dear Filmmakers,

Thank you for submitting your work to the Tampa Bay International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. We deeply appreciate the time, creativity, and care that goes into each submission, and we are honored to share these stories with our audiences.

We want to provide an update on TIGLFF’s programming. The separate St. Pete festival originally planned for January 2026 is on pause. We plan to resume submissions for the pre-pandemic format of a combined Tampa and St. Pete festival in September 2026.

This change is part of a broader evolution for TIGLFF. We are rebranding and expanding to include not only film but other forms of LGBTQ+ art and storytelling. Our goal is to continue building spaces where community connection, creativity, and joy thrive, following the legacy of “Friends of the Festival,” our founders, from over 35 years ago. Recent initiatives, such as the community picnic added to our Trans Film Festival, have demonstrated the power of shared experiences in strengthening our local arts community, and we aim to expand on this model.

All submissions received for the originally scheduled January 2026 festival (Submitted June 2025 > September 2025) will be carried forward for consideration in the September 2026 festival, which we hope will include both in-person and virtual screenings to reach broader audiences. Filmmakers who do not wish for their work to remain in consideration are invited to contact us for a full refund of submission fees.

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A Brief History of TIGLFF

Friends of the Festival, Inc. (FOF) is the non-profit organization behind TIGLFF, which hosts the longest-running LGBTQ+ film festival in Florida. Since 1990, TIGLFF has showcased hundreds of screenings for LGBTQ+ audiences in the Tampa Bay area, primarily at the historic Tampa Theatre. Over the years, we’ve expanded to include year-round monthly screenings, our annual festival, and the Trans Film Festival, fostering community, creativity, and joy through LGBTQ+ storytelling. In 2026, we are rebranding to broaden our scope while continuing these core programs.

We appreciate your support and look forward to celebrating your work in the next chapter of TIGLFF.

Awards & Prizes

We give nominal Audience Award for the top short & feature films in our program.

Rules & Terms

Film Submission Requirements

1. Films should be of interest to lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex and/or transgender people. We are seeking narrative, documentary, experimental and animated films and videos (both features and shorts) on DCP, digital download, hard drive, 35mm and BluRay or DVD if necessary.

2. Vimeo links are preferred for preview screeners.

3. Each submission should be entered separately on FilmFreeway. If you are submitting more than one entry, please complete a separate entry for each submission.
Film Submission Requirements

4. Rough cuts and works-in-progress are eligible for submission if an exhibition copy will be available by August 1st, 2025. Please identify the screener as a “Rough Cut” and specify what is missing (i.e. temp sound, needs color correction, etc). Please be aware that an updated version of your rough cut MAY NOT be able to be re-screened for submission consideration.

5. By submitting your work to TIGLFF, you grant to Friends of the Festival, Inc. a nonexclusive license to use an excerpt of your submission tape of up to two minutes in length, for promotional purposes only, including but not limited to internet and television broadcast.

6. Still photos of your work are requested with your submission and are required for all films selected for the festival. Good stills make a difference in film placement and press coverage, particularly for shorts. Even the shortest short can get press coverage or festival prominence with a captivating still image. If you email stills to us they must be in JPEG format and hi-resolution (at least 300 dpi).

7. You are also encouraged to enclose a synopsis, production credits and press information regarding your film.

17 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Carmela Marie Murphy

    We are so thankful to Tampa Bay International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival for screening our film, "A Bird Hit My Window and Now I'm a Lesbian." We were so honored to be a part of the Closing Night Shorts Program and to participate in such a long running queer festival! Renee was super helpful and communicative.

    xoxo,
    Carmela and AJ

    April 2025
    Helpful
  • Dariush Jafari

    Many congratulations to the Tampa Bay International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, who love their festival and continue on their path regardless of the obstacles that have arisen. It was a great pleasure and happiness to be present at your festival. I hope you continue on your path with strength as you have begun.

    February 2025
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  • Michele Noble

    Congrats on your 35 years!! Great Festival! Very welcoming to filmmakers & audiences! Wonderful communication! Terrific in every way! Highly recommend! Our film, The Yellow Sponge is the Dish Sponge had a Sold Out screening! Amazing block of films! Thank you Tampa Bay International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival! Thank you Renee and everyone who made this fantastic festival happen!! ❤️😘

    February 2025
    Helpful
  • Jason Kluytman

    Honored to be a part of this amazing event! Thank you for including our film.

    February 2025
    Helpful
  • Maria Millan

    Great selection! So glad 'Trans_CCS' was part of this amazing curation!

    January 2023
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