Frameline, the media and arts nonprofit that hosts the annual San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, has announced that Film student Nana Duffour is a recipient of the annual Frameline Completion Fund Grant. Film alum Josalynn Smith ‘19 was also honored with a special mention.
Every year, the Frameline Completion Fund provides grants to emerging and established filmmakers, supplying much-needed financial support to artists who are struggling to secure funding in the homestretch of finishing their films centering on LGBTQ+ people and their communities. 2025 Frameline Completion Fund grants were awarded to four shorts projects with Duffour earning one for her thesis short Rainbow Girls. Executive produced by Cheryl Dunye and Nava Mau (Baby Reindeer), the film follows three young black trans women as they stage an audacious heist targeting the city’s most exclusive luxury brands against the backdrop of a gentrified, tech-boom San Francisco.
The jury for the 2025 Frameline Completion Fund also honored three additional films with special mentions, including Smith’s fiction feature Ride or Die. The film follows Paula as her California dreams intertwine with a reunion with her crush, Jamie. What begins as a casual errand becomes a cathartic journey through the Midwest where a budding romance is transformed by a plot for vengeance.
The jury recognized the diverse range of films—grant winners and special mentions alike—each standing out for “ its cinematic language, the relevance of its themes, and its unique voice. These films offer fresh perspectives on queer existence, challenging stereotypes and reimagining dramaturgical structures."
According to Allegra Madsen, Frameline’s Executive Director, “At a time when other sources of funding are being pulled or radically changed, queer arts organizations like Frameline must continue the work of uplifting LGBTQ+ creatives. If we don’t tell our own stories—and support our own stories—no one else will.”
