Jack’d is positioning itself as a cultural powerhouse, not just a hookup app, by empowering queer creators of color to share stories that challenge conventions and help audiences feel seen.
Insiders whisper this is a brilliant retention strategy. By locking the festival behind the app paywall (or free sign-up wall), Jack’d is turning users into jurors, forcing engagement beyond the swipe-and-match cycle.
Total prize pool: $20,000. Judges: TS Madison, Miss Lawrence, Bobby Ashley, Mike Gauyo, Dyllón Burnside. Deadline: Oct. 21, 5 p.m. PT. Festival dates: Nov. 2–Dec. 3.
From swiping left to judging cinema, Jack’d is proving it’s serious about owning the queer narrative, one $10k prize at a time.
It’s not enough for Jack’d to just connect queer men of color anymore; the app is now in the business of curating their culture. In a move that blurs the line between digital dating and traditional Hollywood gatekeeping, Jack’d has announced the launch of its inaugural Jack’d Film Festival. This isn’t some low-budget YouTube showcase; it’s a legitimate competition with a $20,000 prize pool, designed to elevate original films that center the experiences, stories, and perspectives of queer people of color.
The app, which boasts over 15 million users across 2,000 cities, is leveraging its massive community to become a tastemaker in the indie film scene. But who exactly is holding the gavel? Jack’d has assembled a judging panel that is as iconic as it is unexpected.
Leading the charge are reality TV royalty TS Madison and Miss Lawrence, both of whom have long been vocal advocates for Black queer visibility. They are joined by actors Bobby Ashley, Mike Gauyo, and Dyllón Burnside. This lineup signals a clear intent: the festival isn’t just about art for art’s sake, but about amplifying voices that have historically been marginalized by mainstream studios.
Tyrus Townsend, the Jack’d Film Festival manager, framed the initiative as a platform for filmmakers to "bring their stories directly to their audience," bypassing traditional industry barriers entirely. The mechanics of the festival are where things get interesting for the average user. You can’t just watch from your browser; you have to be in the ecosystem.
Selected entries will be viewable exclusively within the Jack’d app from November 2 through December 3. This exclusivity drives user acquisition, forcing people to download and install the app if they want to participate in the Audience Choice Award. The grand jury award and the audience choice winner will each take home a cool $10,000.
For aspiring filmmakers, the deadline to submit is looming fast: October 21 at 5 p.m. PT. If you miss that window, you’re out of luck until next year.
This pivot represents a significant evolution for Jack’d. While it remains one of the world’s largest LGBTQ+ social networking platforms, serving millions across more than 180 countries, it is now diversifying its value proposition. By integrating high-profile cultural events like this film festival, Jack’d is transforming from a utility for dating into a lifestyle brand.
The inclusion of drag queens and actors from hits like “Pose” and “Ginny & Georgia” on the jury ensures that the event will have star power and social media buzz. It’s a smart play: use the app’s existing user base to generate votes and views, thereby boosting engagement metrics while genuinely supporting queer cinema. The era of the dating app as a passive matchmaker is over; welcome to the era of the dating app as a cultural curator.
