Tampa Gay & Lesbian Film Festival celebrates 21 years

By Melissa Russell

April Bates
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     TAMPA, Fla. – April Bates sat under the shade of a tent outside Tampa Theatre, waiting for the next movie to start. Around her, couples strolled hand in hand to the box office to buy tickets to see the next movie, “Mississippi Queen.” 

     “Queen,” which was screened on Sunday, Oct. 17, was one of many films showcased during the 21st anniversary of the Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. 

     The festival brought viewers to the Tampa Theatre in downtown Tampa and Muvico Baywalk in St. Petersburg. The films crossed genres of all kinds including documentaries and movie shorts. One documentary covered a punk band in “Le Tigre on Tour,” while another film, “I Killed My Mother,” portrayed a young man’s love-hate relationship with his mother.

     Bates said she had attended many of the festivals over the years and felt this was one of the best for content, production and entertainment. One of her favorite films was “Out in the Silence,” a documentary about filmmaker Joe Wilson’s controversial marriage to another man.

More than T-shirts

By Nicole Nemeth

To read how the screen printing process works click here! 

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TAMPA, Fla.—Monday afternoon most of the employees at Tampa T-shirts, were taking a quick break. The sound of music and machines filled the factory space.

The process of screen-printing T-shirts has little to do with community. However, Juan Davis, CEO of Tampa T-Shirts, uses the process as a platform to improve the world around them.

“That’s just who we are. Always have been. We are successful because of our community, so we give back,” Davis said.