Jack’d is serving more than hookups with its first ever queer film festival!
Well, here’s something you don’t see every day on a dating app! Jack’d is stepping away from the usual swiping, chatting, and looking for someone to keep you company tonight to give queer storytelling a much bigger screen. The app has officially announced its inaugural Jack’d Film Festival, featuring 15 films celebrating the experiences, identities, and stories of queer people of color. And honey, this lineup has some range! Jack’d users can watch the films and vote for the $10,000 Audience Choice Award, and there’s also a $10,000 industry judge award.
Running from November 2 through December 3, 2026, the fully digital festival will stream exclusively on the Jack’d app. So yes, you can grab your popcorn, get comfortable, and enjoy some queer cinema without leaving your couch.
Fifteen Films, Plenty of Stories to Tell
Out of 160 submissions, only 15 projects made the final cut, and the selection covers quite a bit of ground. We’re talking racism, HIV/AIDS, homelessness, homophobia, surrogacy, gender expectations, family struggles, and drag. Basically, there’s more happening here than your average dating profile conversation.
Return of Cleo
One of the entries, JARED, is from Cleo Berry. You may remember him from our post Cleo Berry: AMC Thriller ‘Long Time Listener,’ + Black Queer Identity. JARED is his first time doing all three at once – acting, writing, and directing a project. we’ve added the trailer below.
The lineup also brings together some recognizable names, including Elise Neal, Paula Jai Parker, and Tony Award-winning actor John Cameron Mitchell. From complicated family relationships to unexpected hookups, these films offer plenty of different perspectives. Let’s take a look at what’s waiting for us!
READ: From Jack’d to ‘I Do’: How Kerry & Pierre Found Love, Fitness, and Community
Narrative Short Films
Cockroach (2025)
Directed by Justice Singleton, this film follows a late-night hookup between a Black trans man and an older gay white man that takes a surreal and unexpected turn. The cast includes Singleton, John Cameron Mitchell, Elise Neal, and C.G. Taylor.
EKG (2024)
An Asian American doctor explores queer nightlife while wrestling with the fear and guilt keeping him from connecting with his father. The film features Michael Sasaki, Kay Bebe Queue, and Todd Lien.
Don’t Hang Up (2025)
Starring Paula Jai Parker, this story follows a Missouri matriarch whose world is turned upside down by an unexpected call from a former student, forcing her to confront their shared past and seek redemption.
home (2024)
From filmmaker and HIV/AIDS activist Donja R. Love, this short follows a homeless queer teenager facing a life-changing decision on a cold night while searching for shelter.
FLY (2026)
A competitive ballet apprenticeship audition takes an unexpected turn when a perfection-driven dancer encounters a rival who helps rekindle their love for the craft.
What Are We? Are We Going To Be? We Are. (2025)
A couple’s relationship hangs in the balance when buried secrets come to light during one particularly tumultuous night. Sometimes, one evening is all it takes to turn a relationship upside down.
JARED (2026)
As his marriage comes to an end, a fat Black millennial navigates shame, desire, and fear during a sweltering day in Los Angeles. Last week, JARED received an Honorable Mention at the Nassau International Film Festival.
The Process (2026)
Justin and Ezra are documenting their surrogacy journey, but the process also forces them to confront painful experiences from their past. Parenthood dreams come with plenty of emotional baggage, apparently.
PEPPER (2026)
A rising drag performer and his deaf veteran father must confront fear, acceptance, and a bitter conflict threatening their relationship.
Boys Don’t Do That (2026)
Forced into boxing by his father, Jay must confront buried pain and learn to embrace love, vulnerability, and his identity. A story that challenges the expectations placed on boys and men.
Mean Goals (2025)
An adorkable gay Latino joins an LGBTQ soccer team hoping to reconnect with his father, who is living with Alzheimer’s, through their shared love of the sport. Who knew soccer could become the perfect way to bring a family closer?
Documentaries Worth Checking Out
Tapestry: Reclaiming Our Past (2025)
This documentary explores the lives of Black same-gender-loving men in South Florida, sharing their experiences navigating the AIDS epidemic, racism, homophobia, substance abuse, and relationships. It’s an important look at the stories and histories that deserve to be remembered.
Miss Honey: The Catsuit (2024)
A fashion mishap inspires Douglas Says to create the cut-out catsuit made iconic by Moi Renee’s performance of Miss Honey. Because sometimes, a fashion emergency leads to a little queer history!
Fighting Spaces (2026)
Meet Doc, a semi-professional boxer and military veteran from the Bronx whose early erotic curiosities helped open doors for others in the leather community. It’s a look at identity, community, and finding your place.
Southern Son Shine (2025)
Black queer men living with HIV in the American South confront stigma while reclaiming their stories through vulnerability, joy, and resilience.
So, Who Gets to Pick the Winners?
Of course, this isn’t just a watch-and-scroll situation. The selected films will compete for two awards: the Grand Jury Award and the Audience Choice Award.
The jury includes some familiar faces in queer entertainment, including TS Madison, Miss Lawrence, Bobby Ashley, Mike Gauyo, and Dyllón Burnside. Meanwhile, Jack’d members get to have their say by voting for up to three films through the app.
The festival runs until December 3, and watching is free through the Jack’d app. Members simply need to download the app, create a profile, stream the films, and cast their votes. You can even watch using AirPlay through Apple TV.
Honestly, it’s refreshing to see a dating app use its platform for something beyond helping people find their next date or late-night distraction. Queer creators deserve opportunities to tell their stories, and queer audiences deserve to see those stories told.
So, whether you’re there for the drag, the family drama, the documentaries, or just some genuinely good queer cinema, Jack’d has given us 15 reasons to press play. Now that’s a match worth making!