Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival Sets Fifth-Year Recipients For Its RE:Focus Fund

The Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival on Monday revealed 11 new recipients for its annual RE:Focus Fund, celebrating its fifth year of supporting filmmakers identifying as women, non-binary and/or trans. 

This year’s selections come from seven countries — Canada, the U.S., the UK, Chile, Singapore, Brazil and Sweden — and comprise four feature films and seven shorts. See more details about the recipients below.

Since its inception, the fund has been designed to respond to the immediate needs of filmmakers, and works to eliminate barriers to career advancement. It started as a travel grant program recognizing that trans, non-binary and women filmmakers were underrepresented in international festival attendance, and has expanded the number of projects awarded each year. The fund has distributed more than $250,000 in festival travel grants and professional development programs for filmmakers since its creation.

“The 2023 RE:Focus cohort represents an array of voices, each with a unique perspective on the 2SLGBTQ+ experience,” said Jenna Dufton, Inside Out’s director of festival programming. “Their exceptional work promises to entertain and inspire, forging connections and a more inclusive future for the film industry. We have been honored to witness the transformative impact of this grant and look forward to seeing this latest class of talented filmmakers share their completed work with the world.”

The Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival held an in-person festival with select virtual screenings in May 2023. Its annual Finance Forum was postponed due to the WGA strike.

Submissions for the RE:Focus Fund’s annual grant for the upcoming year will open again in the summer of 2024. Click here for details on the program.

Below is is the full list of RE: Focus Fund projects, selected by Dufton and the festival’s programming coordinator Lu Linares:

All The Words But The One (U.S.)
Narrative Short | Director: Nava Mau
Maya and Santiago haven’t seen each other since their explosive relationship ended years ago,
so neither is expecting to be sitting across from each other at a professional dinner with their new partners.

Chimera (Chile)
Documentary Short | Director: Gael