Toronto, ON (November 13, 2025) – outACTRAto, the 2SLGBTQIA+ committee of ACTRA Toronto, proudly announces Tender Chosen as the winner of the seventh Queer Your Stories Short Film Competition. The competition is a partnership with Inside Out, Canada’s largest 2SLGBTQ+ film festival and the single largest promoter and exhibitor of 2SLGBTQ+ content in Canada.
Tender Chosen is written and directed by Mason McDonald and includes McDonald as one of the lead characters.
When Noah (McDonald), a transmasculine person, faces an unexpected and unwanted pregnancy, they are forced to navigate a medical system built on ignorance and misinformation. Tender Chosen is a deeply moving portrait of an unconventional polyamorous relationship exploring the delicate layers of identity and intimacy, and the quiet power of community care. The film exposes the tenderness of queer love and affirms the conflicting truths we carry.
Tender Chosen is a love letter to the walking contradictions of this world and those who love them.
The short film is inspired by McDonald’s own experience: “In this reimagined personal story, Noah is held through every step. Instead of trauma in isolation, they grow closer to themself and their community. Where systems fall short, chosen family is always there. In this safe bubble, they are seen for exactly who they are. I wish I could’ve been ready to give this gift to myself at the time, so now I give it to Noah.”
outACTRAto’s Queer Your Stories 7 (QYS7) Short Film Competition was open to 2SLGBTQIA+ ACTRA Toronto members interested in producing a short film. Submissions were reviewed by a jury of outACTRAto members and two senior programming staff from Inside Out. The winner receives financial and in-kind production support, and the film will play at the 2026 Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival.
QYS7 is sponsored by AFBS, Grandé Camera (Toronto), ACTRA Toronto, Sunbelt Rentals Film and TV, Alter Ego Post, TA2 SOUND+MUSIC and the Inside Out Toronto 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival.
About outACTRAto:
ACTRA Toronto’s outACTRAto Committee is dedicated to raising awareness about 2SLGBTQIA+ performers, our stories and our place in the industry and society. We value diversity and equality, and we aim to be recognized, supported and valued as queer performers. We aspire to educate and inform our industry about realistic queer representation on screen as we seek a more accurate and balanced reflection of our rich and multifaceted community. We denounce and will work to end harassment and stereotyping of any kind. We will work to achieve true-to-life queer onscreen visibility of our culture and our stories and to realize change in our industry.
About ACTRA Toronto:
ACTRA Toronto is the largest organization within ACTRA, representing over 15,000 of Canada’s 30,000 professional performers working in recorded media in Canada. An advocate for Canadian culture since 1943, ACTRA is a member-driven union that continues to secure rights and respect for the work of professional performers.
Media contact:
Jennifer McGibbon, Public Relations Officer, ACTRA Toronto jmcgibbon@actratoronto.com, 416-642-6710
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outACTRAto Twitter; outACTRAto Instagram