The 30th annual Tampa Bay International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (TIGLFF) will be held Oct. 4-12, 2019, showcasing the best in film by and for the LGBTQ community.
This year’s festival will present 97 films from 25 different countries. It will also screen five collections of short films, welcome guests to live performances, host discussions with filmmakers and more. It’s a diverse lineup of entertainment representing a diverse community.
Film fans from around Tampa Bay will have the opportunity to celebrate the festival’s 30th anniversary at two locations, the historic Tampa Theatre and Metro Inclusive Health. Read Watermark’s in-depth coverage about the 30th annual TIGLFF here and grab your popcorn for the full film schedule below.
FEATURES
Friday, Oct. 4
OPENING FILM: “SELL BY” (2019)
7:30 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 94 Min.
Adam and his boyfriend Marklin have been together for five years. They love each other but are considering marriage just because “it’s time.” They’re about to find out if they have an expiration date.
“BIT” (2019)
10 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 90 Min.
On her first night in LA, Laurel, a transgender teenage girl on vacation falls in with four queer feminist vampires. The campy and provocative lesbian vampire film everyone has been waiting for.
Saturday, Oct.5
“QUEERING THE SCRIPT” (2019)
11 a.m. | Metro Inclusive Health | 90 Min.
A fun look at the subculture of queer fandom. Hear from fans at conventions as well as “Pose” actress Angelica Ross, “The L Word” creator Ilene Chaiken and “Xena: Warrior Princess” herself, Lucy Lawless.
“TRICK” (1999)
11:30 a.m. | Tampa Theatre | 89 Min.
Aspiring Broadway songwriter Gabriel and hot go-go dancer Mark undergo a quest through the streets of New York in search of places to seal the deal, featuring Miss Coco Peru’s infamous line “It burns!”
“ZEN IN THE ICE RIFT” (2018)
1 p.m. | Metro Inclusive Health | 87 Min.
Zen is a walking cube of ice, constantly bullied by her hockey teammates. When Vanessa runs away from home and hides in her family lodge, she feels free to trust someone for the first time.
“UNSETTLED: SEEKING REFUGE IN AMERICA” (2019)
1:45 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 81 Min.
Four LGBTQ refugees from Africa and the Middle East—Cheyenne, Mari, Subhi and Junior—have fled homophobic violence and are starting over in San Francisco. They share their struggles in this intense documentary.
“THIS IS NOT BERLIN” (2019)
3 p.m. | Metro Inclusive Health | 105 Min.
An intoxicating coming of age story about Carlos, an outsider who likes unpopular music and building robotic sculptures. Punk rock, sex, and drugs combine in this 80s era drama.
“SAME BUT DIFFERENT: A TRUE NEW ZEALAND LOVE STORY” (2019)
6 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 95 Min.
Single mom Rachel is funny and ready to “get back out there.” Filmmaker Nikki is creative and oblivious to Rachel’s gushing attempts to meet her. This romantic comedy based on a true love story will leave you smiling.
“THE SHINY SHRIMPS” (2019)
8 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 103 Min.
What’s a gay water polo team without a choreographed dance routine? A joyful film about a flamboyant amateur water polo team on its way to the Gay Games.
“LAST FERRY” (2019)
10 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 86 Min.
A young lawyer looking for love on Fire Island is drugged, mugged and witnesses a murder. An edge of your seat thriller about a hopeful Fire Island vacation turned living nightmare.
Sunday, October 6
“A BIGGER SPLASH” (1974)
11:45 a.m. | Tampa Theatre | 105 Min.
Great American artist David Hockney’s paintings of nude men and landscapes are instantly recognizable. This documentary explores his relationship with a man who was once his lover and remained his muse.
“BILLIE AND EMMA” (2018)
1:45 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 104 Min.
Billie and Emma are sent to a Catholic high school for very different reasons. Together they explore friendships, sexual awakening and the promise of a whole lifetime of loves, lost and found.
“SIX CHARACTERS IN SEARCH OF A PLAY” (2019)
3:45 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 88 Min.
In this cinematic version of Del Shores’ staged performance, Del opens the secret vault of his memory and shares six characters whom we have not met but whom those of us from the south certainly know.
“ADAM” (2019)
6 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 95 Min.
Adam assumes a new gender identity to stay in the good graces of his summer crush after being mistaken for a trans guy. The stakes of his deception prove much higher than he originally thought.
“GOOD KISSER” (2019)
8 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 75 Min.
Jenna agrees to a weekend fling with girlfriend Kate and the worldly Mia. As the night unfolds, she realizes she’s bitten off more than she can chew. Things get sticky, even without the ice pops in bed.
Monday, October 7
“TONGUES UNTIED” (1989)
5:00 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 55 Min.
Marlon Riggs details his experiences as a gay man coming to terms with the death of many of his friends to AIDS and the stigma that Black gay men face. A documentary that remains poignant today.
“MORE BEAUTIFUL FOR HAVING BEEN BROKEN” (2019)
6:30 p.m. | Metro Inclusive Health | 111 Min.
Devoted FBI Agent McKenzie “Max” De Ridder has recently lost her mother. In the wake of grief she forms a bond with a young boy with special needs and an unexpected relationship with his mother.
“FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO” (2018)
6:45 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 93 Min.
A journey of understanding that sheds light on religion in America. Noted Biblical scholars and clergy-activists discuss the tactics of the evangelical movement to dehumanize LGBTQ+ people.
“JOSE” (2018)
8:45 p.m. | Metro Inclusive Health | 86 Min.
Jose fills his free moments playing with his phone and having random sex with other men. He is thrust into new passion self-reflection that push him to rethink his life and take a leap of faith.
“PARADISE HILLS” (2019)
9:15 p.m | Tampa Theatre | 95 Min.
Uma wakes up in a boarding school for wayward young women, whose families pay for their daughters to emerge perfect. With the support of the fellow captives, she must find a way to escape.
Tuesday, Oct. 8
“VISION PORTRAITS” (2019)
5:15 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 79 Min.
Close your eyes. Picture a sunset, an open book, a glass of water, the forest. Is there anything you didn’t see? Queer filmmaker Rodney Evans becomes chronicles his loss of vision.
“BEING IMPOSSIBLE” (2018)
6:30 p.m. | Metro Inclusive Health | 97 Min.
As Ariel discovers her body for the first time, she must decide who she wants to be. Will she securely conform to the female identity she knows or explore existence in the space between genders?
NARRATIVE CENTERPIECE: “STRAIGHT UP” (2019)
7 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 95 Min.
Todd wants to try being straight. Not because he thinks being gay is bad; he just thinks he is bad at being gay. Enter Rory, who hates people and forges a relationship that’s all talk and no sex.
“THE GROUND BENEATH MY FEET” (2019)
9 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 108 Min.
Lola is an overachiever in a cutthroat corporate environment, who keeps her relationship with her boss and the existence of an older sister a secret. She slowly finds her own grip on reality slipping away.
Wednesday, Oct. 9
DOCUMENTARY CENTERPIECE: “SEAHORSE” (2019)
5 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 89 Min.
A transgender man named Freddy decides to start his a family by becoming pregnant. Though he yearns to raise his own child, pregnancy challenges his understanding of masculinity, gender and parenthood.
“KATTUMARAM” (2018)
6:30 p.m. | Metro Inclusive Health | 73 Min.
Anandhi is of the age to be married but she rejects each suitor and lives her life in quiet resolution to her circumstances. Until she meets brooding photographer Kavita and falls in love.
“CIRCUS OF BOOKS” (2019)
7 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 90 Min.
Karen and Barry Mason were just looking for a way to support their young family when they became distributors for Hustler Magazine. A funny and fascinating look at an important part of gay culture.
“CLEMENTINE” (2019)
8:30 p.m. | Metro Inclusive Health | 93 Min.
Karen becomes entangled with the younger Lana after breaking into her ex’s lake house on a bender of passion. The women grow a friendship that might be another bad idea.
“BENJAMIN” (2018)
9:15 p.m. | Tampa Theatre |85 Min.
Benjamin is a young filmmaker in London; boyishly handsome, awkwardly brilliant and full of self-doubt. This dark comedy is a movie for and about geeks—and for people who love them.
Thursday, Oct. 10
“CHANGING THE GAME” (2019)
5:15 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 88 Min.
For young transgender athletes, the sport they love often turns into a minefield of controversy. Three trans athletes share their struggles and successes in this intimate documentary.
“AN ALMOST ORDINARY SUMMER” (2019)
7 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 100 Min.
When two grandfathers from different backgrounds fall in love, telling their families is the last hurdle before their wedding. This beautiful film embraces the drama and lets it flow in waves of laughter.
“KNIVES AND SKIN” (2019)
9:15 p.m.| Tampa Theatre | 111 Min.
Carolyn, Joanna, Laurel, and Charlotte are your average teenagers until Carolyn disappears. This thriller explores the big traumas and micro-aggressions that paint a feminist and surreal picture of girlhood.
INTERNATIONAL CENTERPIECE: “SONG LANG” (2018)
8:30 p.m. | Metro Inclusive Health | 102 Min.
When a brooding debt collector and martial arts practitioner threatens to set fire to a pile of traditional opera costumes for an upcoming performance, one of the actors steps in to argue for more time.
Friday, Oct. 11
“YOU DON’T NOMI” (2019)
5:30 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 91 Min.
When does a critically “bad” film become a cult film? Is “camp” manufactured or does it just happen? Jeffrey McHale’s documentary asks these questions, but in the subtlest of ways.
SUZANNE WESTENHOFER: LIVE!
8 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 90 Min.
Suzanne never does the same show twice. She can’t because she doesn’t write anything down. She charges boldly onto the stage and what happens is always a mystery and a delight.
“END OF THE CENTURY” (2019)
10 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 84 Min.
Time bends in this film about the chance meetings of two handsome men. Are they merely beautiful strangers in a foreign city, or are they part of each other’s histories and maybe even destinies?
Saturday, Oct. 12
“A DOG BARKING AT THE MOON” (2019)
1:30 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 108 Min.
Xiaoyu returns to China with her American husband to visit her parents after her father’s coming out. The family is haunted by its past as they try to make sense of the present.
“AND THEN WE DANCED” (2019)
3:30 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 113 Min.
Merab aspires to make the National Ballet and he feels confident, until Irakli shows up. The two are fiercely competitive and fiercely attracted to each other.
CLOSING NIGHT FILM: “GAY CHORUS DEEP SOUTH”
8 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 98 Min.
After the 2016 election, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus set out to bring their message of hope and resiliency to the deep south. But there is much more than singing to this thoughtful documentary.
SHORTS
Saturday, Oct. 5
SOMETHING TO CRY ABOUT: DRAMA IN YOUR SHORTS
4 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 108 Total Min.
A collection celebrating queer people of diverse backgrounds and experiences.
“LAVENDER” (2019) |11 Min.
Lives become increasingly entangled when a young gay man begins an unconventional relationship with an older married couple.
“DEVI: GODDESS” (2017) | 13 Min.
Tara risks family and social boundaries as she pursues her household maid. Once discovered, Tara struggles to define who she really is.
“ALL WE ARE” (2018) | 17 Min.
After meeting through a personal ad, two men form what they believe will be nothing more than a fantasy-motivated fling until a confession threatens to pull them apart.
“SOMETHING TO CRY ABOUT” (2018) | 12 Min.
The short documentary explores the difficulty of expressing intimacy between men, the complexities of desire and the gift of a good cry.
“XIAO XIAN” (2019) | 17 Min.
Xiao Xian is in charge of finishing a dress and her best friend convinces her to go partying. She cannot imagine what will end up happening that night.
“A BROKEN APPOINTMENT” (2018) | 3 Min.
The unraveling of a relationship is beautifully depicted, exploring closeting in a young gay relationship.
“TREACLE” (2019) | 18 Min.
Belle and Jessie go road-tripping through California to help Jessie get over a recent breakup. Lines blur when a drunken, lonely Jessie kisses bisexual Belle.
“HANK” (2018) | 17 Min.
Hank and husband Tommy struggle to save their 15-year marriage by entertaining the idea of an open relationship. Tommy takes to the idea, Hank struggles to cope.
Tuesday, Oct. 8
UNIVERSAL DRAMA
8 p.m. | Metro Inclusive Health | 101 Total Min.
A collection celebrating queer people around the world.
“DARIO” (2018) | 15 Min.
Dario loves to dance and wants nothing more to dance at Carnival with his troupe. Will he be able to follow his heart?
“MY WORLD IN YOURS” (2019) | 29 Min.
Shams left her girlfriend Hanine back in Palestine and she attempts to get asylum in Sweden to bring her to be with her there.
“PARKING” (2018) | 9 Min.
When two men having sex in the backseat of a car are robbed, they can’t call the police because being gay is an even greater crime.
“TOMORROW ISLAND” (2019) | 17 Min.
At the dawn of the Cold War, a young Soviet telegraph operator makes a desperate attempt to save her American lover from being stranded on the Russian side of the Bering Strait.
“SWEETHEART DANCERS” (2019) | 12 Min.
Sean and Adrian are a two-spirit couple determined to rewrite the rules of Native American culture through their participation in the “Sweetheart Dance.”
“INFINITE WHILE IT LASTS” (2019) | 19 Min.
Asexual Danny is hesitant to start a relationship with flirtatious Seiji, whom he meets at a house party, despite their instant chemistry and attraction.
Thursday, Oct. 10
HISTORY LESSONS
6:30 p.m. | Metro Inclusive Health | 107 Total Min.
A collection celebrating the history of queer people from before Stonewall to the present day.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARSHA” (2017) | 14 Min.
This dreamy, beautiful film imagines iconic transgender activist Marsha Johnson and her life in the hours before she ignited the 1969 Stonewall Riots.
“INVISIBLE WOMEN” (2018) | 25 Min.
Charting the last 50 years of Manchester, England’s LGBTQ history with Angela and Luchia’s incredible journey of activism and rebellion.
“THE GAY RUB” (2018) | 16 Min.
USF graduate Steven Reigns chronicles historical LGBTQ markers to draw more attention to the LGBTQ significance that prompted them.
“RAINBOW VOICES OF AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND” (2018) | 21 Min.
New Zealand’s rainbow community celebrates the re-opening of the “Rainbow Room” at country’s parliament building.
“HAVE WE MET BEFORE?” (2019)
The history of sex in the gay community from the 1970’s to present day. Yes, the internet and smartphones have changed that too!
“STONEWALL: THE MAKING OF A MONUMENT” (2019) | 19 Min.
LGBTQ communities have gathered at New York City’s Stonewall Inn to express their joy, anger, pain and power since the 1969 riots.
Saturday, Oct. 12
TIGLFF: Next Scene
11 a.m. | Tampa Theatre | 96 Total Min.
A collection showcasing young LGBTQ+ content creators from Tampa Bay and beyond.
“LIME MAN” (2019) | 4 Min.
Lime Man risks life and limb, plus missing the boss’ deadline, to make a special delivery.
“TADPOLE” (2018) | 7 Min.
Shy Chris anxiously prepares his room for his friend Alex to spend the night. But Chris doesn’t expect Alex’s friend Tommy to tag along.
“POSITIVE YOUTUBERS” (2018) | 15 Min.
A student documentary about four Brazilian Youtubers who talk openly about their HIV status in a refreshingly positive way.
“MONOSAURUS LEX” (2018) | 7 Min.
A little magic helps middle schooler Lex understand the beauty in everyone’s unique differences.
“HIM, HER, THEM” (2018) | 3 Min.
A commentary on the social construct of gender, set to music.
“SECOND PUBERTY” (2018) | 2 Min.
A black and white introspection about transitioning and the anxiety that comes with it.
“BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE” (2019) | 15 Min.
Two teenage celebrities decide to change the course of their lives as Brazil’s new president takes office in an environment of fanaticism, prejudice and violence.
“NO FEMS” (2019) | 8 Min.
A frank and insightful look at the pressures to be masculine in the gay community.
“HEAD’S UP” (2018) | 6 Min.
In a contemporary look at HIV and practicing safe sex, a young gay man comes to terms with his new reality.
“THE GAYBYSITTERS CLUB” (2018) | 8 Min.
When tomboy Kristi finds out her best friend Maryann might be dating a BOY, she calls an emergency club meeting. But just why is Kristi so upset?
“BIRTHDAY GIRL” (2018) | 6 Min.
On her birthday, Brynn is surprised by her mother and friends. Her father’s arrival is the surprise no one saw coming.
“QUEERLY BELOVED” (2018) | 15 Min.
An experimental documentary exploring the spectrum of gender and sexual identity.
TICKLE IN YOUR SHORTS
5:45 p.m. | Tampa Theatre | 99 Total Min.
A collection of quirky films to lighten your mood.
“ENGAGED” (2019) | 17 Min.
The pressure to pop the question becomes too much for Darren as his relationship is thrust into the spotlight.
“I KNOW HER” (2019) | 3 Min.
Pillow talk after a fun night leads to some interesting revelations.
“THE HANDYMAN” (2019) | 9 Min.
A single, gay man schemes creative ways to have a hunky repairman continue to have to come back to his house to fix things, but the fantasies become more than either of them expected.
“WHALE, HELLO THERE” (2018) | 9 Min.
Anna and Beca can text and chat for hours online, so going on a date should be fine, right?
“STEPDADDY” (2019) | 8 Min.
Wyatt and Patricia reconnect over sloppy spaghetti, but she keeps getting texts from dad.
“MORE THAN HE KNOWS” (2019) | 14 Min.
A trip to Palm Springs helps bring to the fore some long suppressed desires.
“GAY BABY” (2018) | 9 Min.
Deonte exclaims, “It ain’t personal, it’s clinical!” in his quest to have a baby the natural way.
“HOW TO FOLD A FITTED SHEET” (2019) | 9 Min.
Bellamy’s having a bad day. Watch her make it worse.
“THE COMMON FAG” (2018) | 5 Min.
A playful look at the trials and tribulations of breaking out of the box we’re born in.
“GIRL’S WEEKEND” (2019) | 11 Min.
An awkward and touching reunion between an estranged lesbian and her not-so-accepting family.
SWEATER (2019) | 5 Min.
Corey is having a terrible day, but his new sweater and free coffee start to brighten his mood.
The Tampa Theatre is located at 711 N. Franklin St. in Tampa. Surrounding metered spaces are available for parking and are free after 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and all day on weekends. The William F. Poe Garage and 717 Parking nearby are also available for varying prices. Metro Inclusive Health is located at 3251 3rd Ave. N. in St. Petersburg and features free parking. All screenings and presentations are subject to change. For the most up to date information and to purchase your tickets, visit TIGLFF.com.
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