Films Screening

The Black Trans Short Film Festival will welcome any narrative + non-fiction short films, solo projects and Black trans-led collaborations and be an expansion of our incredibly impactful 2024 Black Trans Short Film Competition. In 2024, a total of 22 powerful independent films were 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. It became clear right away that this space was necessary to support the healing and transformative culture work that is happening in our communities--we are excited to bring this event back with an even more expansive vision as a 3-day Black Trans Short Film Festival in Durham, NC!

The Black Trans Short Film Festival will take place on April 24-26, 2025 in venues around Durham, NC.

Tickets are on sale now! Click the ‘Get Tickets’ button at the top of this page or go to https://filmfreeway.com/BTSFF/tickets
to get yours!

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

You’re welcome to bring your kid(s), although we will not have childcare. The films screening are not rated. Some of the films explore different forms of violence. There’s a 5 minute film in Saturday’s screening that depicts blood and gore. There’s a sex scene in a short film on Thursday. Viewer discretion is advised.

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

Yes, we’ve got $15,000 in gear and cash prizes for our Jury Winner and People’s Choice Winner! Our Best in Festival Jury winner will receive $2,500. Our People’s Choice winner will receive $1,250. Check out gear prizes on our Instagram @comfreyfilms.

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.

Please watch the recorded info session video below, and if you still have questions send them to btsff@comfreyfilms.org.

Need help during the festival? Reach out to us anytime. Here’s how:

• Join the BTSFF WhatsApp group: Click the  🔗 BTSFF WhatsApp Invite Link to connect, share photos, and receive real-time updates.

• Call or text the Comfrey Films Helpline if you need support from the Comfrey Films team and are not in physical proximity to us: 681-433-3635

If you are having an emergency requiring professional medical attention please contact traditional emergency services first and then notify Comfrey Films staff by texting or calling us at the Help Line: 681-433-3635

We must do everything we can to keep each other safe especially as we navigate this political moment and beyond.

• Please note: You must have / wear your badge to access the festival events. This is part of our safety planning to ensure that only folks who have registered have access to the festival events.

  We are so grateful to all of our volunteers and the team at Fortified Justice who will be holding down safety/security throughout the festival. If you notice something unusual or concerning, notify a CF staff member immediately and keep a lookout for the Fortified Justice security team. Call or text the Comfrey Films Helpline at 681-433-3635 if you cannot locate a staff person.

  COVID + safer practices: We encourage folks to test for COVID before and after the festival and practice universal masking. We will provide masks and sanitizer daily for folks to utilize. If at any point you aren’t feeling well, please stay home and rest!

Addresses are in the registration page for the tickets. You will receive an email after you’ve registered with venue information. Thursday and Friday’s events are in downtown Durham. Saturday’s screening is in Raleigh, we will provide a shuttle pick up from downtown hotels to the Raleigh screening and back to Durham.

We’re offering roundtrip shuttle service for festival attendees to utilize on Saturday, April 26 which will transport you to the Alamo Drafthouse in Raleigh where we will host the final Screenings & Awards Ceremony.

• Pick-Up: One shuttle at 4:30pm from The Durham Hotel; Two shuttles at 4:30pm from Unscripted Hotel

• Drop-Off: 9:30pm pickup from The Alamo and drop-off at The Durham / Unscripted