From our Program Director
Welcome to the 21st annual Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.
Before we even begin discussing the great films you’ll see this year, I would like to thank everyone that has been involved in the festival for the past ten years. Without the community’s support, this festival would not be the absolute gem that it is.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the filmmakers from around the world, past, present and future, who are a part of TIGLFF’s history. It’s really quite simple – without filmmakers, we’d have no film festival.
But filmmakers play many, many roles in our world. They’re the ones who bring to life the stories we’re afraid to tell, such as the compelling Adults in the Room. Or the stories that we think no one will believe, like one teenager’s journey in The Man Who Loved Yngve.
Filmmakers are also those gifted artisans who can take an everyday story and turn it into something magical. In Undertow, the daily life of a fishing village takes on the glimmer of enchantment. Filmmakers such as Cheryl Dunye give voice to our darkest fears, as she does in The Owls. And filmmakers also bring our dreams to life. Madsen Minax deftly teases out the dreams of young queer artists in Riot Acts, all the while reminding some of us of youthful dreams long forgotten.
As you settle into your chair and the lights begin to dim, know that the festival staff and volunteers, and the many, many filmmakers who are showing their work, are all thanking YOU. Without your support, these stories wouldn’t be told.
It’s really quite simple – without you, we’d have no film festival.
Thank you, and enjoy YOUR festival!
Margaret Murray
Programming Director
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