Tampa's Gay Film
Festival Changes Its Name

The annual Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival will ring in next year's festivities with a new name: the Clip Film Festival. The change was announced during the closing night of the 2007 festival as an effort to widen audience appeal, according to a press release from the group.

The new name "took a leap of faith in its simplicity," said Christopher Constantinou, Friends of the Festival Inc. president. It was settled upon because focus groups overwhelmingly felt that it "reflects a persona of a friend, something [people] wanted around."

The name change had been under consideration for many years, and the final decision came down to a vote by the board of directors last year. "We realized we needed more than a name -- we needed a brand, something that can represent the qualities of diversity, inclusion, and community," Constantinou said in the statement.

Although "gay" and "lesbian" have been removed from the title, audiences are assured the festival, which includes a year-round film outreach series, will continue to focus on LGBT issues. (The Advocate)