Tampa Bay International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival to hold week-long screenings

Everybody likes a good lesbian film. So how about a week full of good lesbian and gay films, courtesy of the Tampa Bay International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (TIGLFF) this October 2-10 in Tampa, Florida?

Beginning this Friday, one of the country’s largest and longest-running independent gay and lesbian film festival will hold their week-long event “to showcase a selection of compelling film and video by, for or about the LGBT community that entertains, empowers and enlightens the festival audience.”

The lesbian film schedule

Here’s the schedule of films for viewing from October 2 to 10:

Kiss Me, Kill Me – Friday, October 2nd – 8:00PM • Palladium
Deep Run – Saturday, October 3rd 11:00AM • MFA
Desert Migration – Saturday, October 3rd 1:00PM • Palladium
That’s Not Us Saturday, October 3rd 3:15PM • Palladium
Lea DeLaria Saturday, October 3rd 6:00PM • Palladium
Beautiful Something Saturday, October 3rd 8:15PM • Palladium
Seed Money Saturday, October 3rd 10:30PM • Palladium
Filmmaker’s Brunch Sunday, October 4th 10:00AM • Hollander
Drag Becomes Her Sunday, October 4th 12:00PM • Palladium
Men’s Shorts Sunday, October 4th 2:00PM • Palladium
Guidance Sunday, October 4th 4:00PM • Palladium
Margarita with a Straw Sunday, October 4th 6:15PM • Palladium
Nasty Baby – Sunday, October 4th 8:15PM • Palladium
Sworn Virgin – Sunday, October 4th 4:00PM • MCC
Out to Win – Sunday, October 4th 6:00PM • MCC
Those People – Sunday, October 4th 8:15PM • MCC
Portrait of a Serial Monogomist – Monday, October 5th 7:30PM • freeFall
In the Grayscale – Monday, October 5th 7:30PM • Studio Movie Grill
Summer of Sangaile – Tuesday, October 6th 7:00PM • freeFall
Naz & Malik – Tuesday, October 6th 9:00PM • freeFall
The New Girlfriend – Tuesday, October 6th 7:30PM • Studio Movie Grill
From this Day Forward – Wednesday, October 7th 7:00PM • freeFall
While You Weren’t Looking – Wednesday, October 7th 9:00PM • freeFall
Love Island – Wednesday, October 7th 7:00PM • Studio Movie Grill
Baby Steps – Wednesday, October 7th 9:00PM • Studio Movie Grill
Women’s Shorts – Thursday, October 8th 7:00PM • Hickman
How to Win at Checkers – Thursday, October 8th 9:00PM • Hickman
The Wiz – Thursday, October 8th 8:00PM • Woodson Museum
Eisenstein in Guanajuato – Thursday, October 8th 7:00PM • Villagio
Darkness by Day – Thursday, October 8th 9:00PM • Villagio
Liz in September – Friday, October 9th 7:00PM • Hickman
S&M Sally – Friday, October 9th 9:00PM • Hickman
54 – The Director’s Cut – Friday, October 9th 8:00PM • Muvico Sundial
Rooftop Shorts Party – Friday, October 9th 10:30PM • Hotel Zamora
The New Man – Friday, October 9th 7:00PM • MCC
Henry Gamble’s – Birthday Party Friday, October 9th 9:00PM • MCC
Reel in the Closet – Saturday, October 10th 12:00PM • Hickman
Akron – Saturday, October 10th 2:00PM • Hickman
Best of Fest Shorts – Saturday, October 10th 4:15PM • Hickman
Two 4 One – Saturday, October 10th 6:15PM • Hickman

Gay and lesbian film festival beginnings

In previous years, the TIGLFF had been held at the historic Tampa Theatre. For this year, the festival would be held in smaller venues throughout Tampa Bay, including downtown St. Petersburg’s Palladium Theatre. This would allow the festival to reach audiences where they live.

“The board and staff are extremely excited as we implement our vision for expansion of the festival into new venues throughout Tampa Bay. As we work to build and maintain our audience, we are ever mindful of the traditions of the past 25 years that have brought us to where we are today,” Thom Isbon, TIGLFF Board President said of the move last May.

The TIGLFF was first begun in 1990 through the outreach of several local community-based organizations. The first festival was created as a fundraiser under the name Pride Film Festival, and was followed by Suncoast Film Festival.

Later in the 1990s, this became known as the Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (TIGLFF). In 2015, this was renamed the TampaBay International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (TIGLFF).