GLAAD, in collaboration with Trans Film Mentorship (TFM), returned to the Toronto International Film Festival with its annual Trans Filmmaker Summit, celebrating trans, nonbinary, and gender-diverse storytellers. The fourth edition of the summit took place Sunday, September 7, on the TIFF Lightbox rooftop, drawing a sold-out crowd of over 200 filmmakers, allies, and industry leaders.
Zackary Drucker Receives CMF Barrier Breaker Award
The event spotlighted the CMF Barrier Breaker Award, which recognizes trans creatives redefining media representation. This year, the honor went to Emmy Award-nominated director and producer Zackary Drucker, whose work challenges conventional narratives around gender and sexuality.
Drucker joins a list of trailblazers previously recognized by the award, including Ts Madison, Bilal Baig, and Nava Mau. Upon accepting, Drucker shared a stirring message:
“Even in the most dire conditions, our capacity for love and for joy is the bedrock of our humanity. We owe it to ourselves and to each other to blast our light out into the world, to inspire hope as a survival mechanism in each other…”
The tribute was met with a standing ovation, celebrating Drucker’s groundbreaking contributions to film and television.
Short Film Fund Returns with $60K in Support
The summit also featured the return of the Short Film Fund, a collaboration with Spindle Films Foundation. Three emerging filmmakers pitched projects live before a jury including actor Devery Jacobs, filmmaker Fawzia Mirza, and GLAAD Senior Director of Entertainment Alex Schmider.
Participants competed for $10,000 in cash and $50,000 in in-kind production support, designed to provide both funding and mentorship for rising trans, nonbinary, and gender-diverse talent.
The pitches ranged from horror comedy to intimate drama:
- Miles Lamu: Happy Birthday (horror comedy)
- Kaye Adelaide: Fatherphobic (horror comedy)
- Nancy Pettinicchio: In This House We (drama)
Ultimately, Adelaide’s Fatherphobic took the top prize, though all participants received in-kind production resources to help bring their films to life.
A Celebration of Visibility and Creativity
This year’s summit marked the most expansive edition yet, deepening GLAAD’s commitment to uplifting gender-diverse voices in media. Between awards, mentorship, and live pitches, the event offered a rare platform for emerging filmmakers to gain exposure, funding, and community support.
GLAAD’s partnership with TFM and Spindle Films underscores the importance of sustained investment in trans storytelling, ensuring that these voices continue to shape the future of film and television.
