The Black Trans Short Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by Comfrey Films. This year we will welcome any narrative + non-fiction short films, solo projects and Black trans-led collaborations. For our inaugural festival in 2025, we screened powerful independent films submitted by Black TGNCI creators, spanning a range of genres and deeply personal narratives that wove into stories about community organizing, grief, healing justice, sisterhood / siblinghood, personal identity, spirituality, and so much more. Over 3 days, we created a space that centers the healing and transformative culture work that Black Trans folks are leading in our communities. Every filmmaker and audience member made this space feel magical and deeply necessary. We’re excited to bring it back April 30-May 2nd, 2026.

The Black Trans Short Film Festival will take place on April 30-May 2, 2026 in venues around Durham, NC.

Follow us on Instagram @comfreyfilms and subscribe to our newsletter to get all the latest updates on Comfrey Films’ Black Trans Short Film Festival. If you’re a Black Trans filmmaker or someone hoping to sponsor this project, you can reach out to us via email at btsff@comfreyfilms.org

Thank you for your interest in sponsoring the Black Trans Short Film Festival. Check out our sponsorship guide here. Reach out to us at btsff@comfreyfilms.org if you have any questions or want to talk more.

Yes, you can help bring the Black Trans Short Film Festival to life by donating here.

Go to filmfreeway.com/btsff to submit your film.

If this is your first time ever submitting a film on FilmFreeway, you’ll have to set up a profile, upload your film or add a link to your film, and go through a short set up process which includes answering a few questions about your film.

We know that the work of Black trans storytellers has been historically undervalued. Because of this, you’re invited to submit your films regardless of the year it was created. Our goal is to get your powerful stories in front of audiences.

The submission fee for the Black Trans Short Film Festival is $35. We are committed to making this accessible to Black Trans storytellers, and sustainable enough that we can continue to offer and grow this space in the years to come. We are offering a discounted submission fee of $17.50 up until the Nov. 1st early submission deadline.

Each filmmaker is allowed to submit up to two short films per FilmFreeway account.

There is a preliminary jury that selects the top films to screen at the festival. The final jury will review these selected films to decide on the Best in Festival jury prize winner.

During the festival, audience members will get a chance to vote for the People’s Choice festival prize winner.

Yes!

If your film did not win a prize last year and you’ve made changes to it, you’re welcome to submit it again.

You can submit your film in whatever language it was made, but it does need to have English subtitles.

Yes, as long as it is 20 minutes or less in length.

Yes, our Best in Festival Jury winner will receive $2,500 and a distribution offer. Our People’s Choice winner will receive $1,250. Keep an eye out for Comfrey Films Instagram @comfreyfilms and subscribe to our newsletter at comfreyfilms.org for additional prizes as they get added.

• If you submit your film and attend the festival, you’ll be invited to an exclusive Black TGNCI filmmaker mixer where you can meet and engage with other peers and more established industry professionals.