Announcing the 24th Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film Fest

TAMPA, Fla.—TIGLFF, the nation's fifth largest LGBT-oriented Film Festival announced today the dates for the 24th Annual Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival which this year will take place between Friday, October 4 and Saturday, October 12. As in years past, the main festival venue will be the Tampa Theatre (711 N. Franklin St, Tampa), and the St. Petersburg venue will be the Baywalk Muvico (151 2nd Avenue, North, St. Petersburg. The presenting sponsor of this festival is C1 Bank. "The festival is coming and this is going to be an exceptional year," said Board Chairman and President Jason A. Stewart.  The festival season will kick off with a newly expanded Launch Party at the Tampa Museum of Art on September 19, 2013, featuring entertainment and the introduction of the newly developed TIGLFF iPhone Event App and mobile optimized website. The Festival opening night event commences on Friday, October 4 at 7:00 pm, with a star-studded Orange Carpet, and for the first time in the festival's history, admission to the opening night film will be free. There will be food and entertainment in front of the Tampa Theatre, immediately followed by the festival opening night film, The Happy Sad, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Rodney Evans. This film was a festival favorite when it premiered in June at San Francisco's Frameline LGBT Film Festival.  "The Happy Sad will appeal to various demographics within the community. In an unprecedented rally for support and viewership, the festival presents this year's opening night free of charge, encouraging everyone to attend.  This has been made possible by the Alan Ira Dusowitz Friends of the Festival Fund and Reeve's Import Motorcars," Stewart said. The opening night Orange Party, immediately following the film, will be held at The Vault located only one block from the Tampa Theatre. This year's films will conclude with the screening of G.B.F. followed by a closing night party.  INDIEwire reported this week, "The film [G.B.F.] has a cast of young up-and-comers including Sasha Pieterse (Pretty Little Liars), Evanna Lynch (The Harry Potter franchise), Natasha Lyonne (Orange is the New Black), Joanna "JoJo" Levesque (RV, Aquamarine), Paul Iacono (The Hard Times of RJ Berger), Michael J. Willett (United States of Tara), Molly Tarlov (Awkward), and Rebecca Gayheart (Jawbreaker) and features Megan Mullally (Parks and Recreation, The Kings of Summer and most notably as Karen Walker in Will & Grace)." "It's an exciting time to be leading the Festival's Board of Directors and I am confident that 2013 will be a year that we increase our reach and impact our patrons with films that create meaningful interactions, offering a fresh perspective to our identity and building the necessary momentum needed to take us to the next level as we approach the 25th anniversary of TIGLFF in 2014," Stewart said.  For access to preview screeners or advertising options, please contact Festival Director Renee Cossette at 813-879-4220.