A new short film has been released following one gay couple as they get ready for and attend an LGBTQ+ prom night in Dublin. Created by Sarah Gwynne, the project was commissioned as part of the Bealtaine Festival and supported by Certified Proud.

The prom night was held in Street 66 on May 16, 2024. With the theme ‘Lust for Life’, it gave older members of the LGBTQ+ community a chance to experience the traditional event that they may have missed out on when they were younger.

Conor and Richard are at the centre of the film, sharing their personal experiences growing up in Ireland and the US, respectively. When it came to prom, or the debs, neither felt comfortable attending as their true selves when they were teenagers. Now, decades later, they finally had the opportunity to enjoy an occasion which so many people take for granted.

“This is very, very important for me, going to the prom with Richard,” Conor says in the film. “It doesn’t matter that it’s 40 years later, what matters is that I’m able to go to it with the man that I love and I’m not afraid and I’m not ashamed of doing that and I feel safe.”

After the event, Richard expressed: “This is what I imagined it could be when I was a teenager. It was just super fun and just with people that are really cool, and I had a boogie and drinks with my love.”

In addition to the film, Bealtaine also commissioned a series of portraits on prom night, taken by photographer Dónal Talbot. They were exhibited in Temple Bar Gallery + Studios from May 1 to 3, beautifully showcasing some of the attendees.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Bealtaine Festival (@bealtainefestival)

Bealtaine 2025 runs throughout the month of May, with an array of fantastic events to choose from. Find out more here.