Panti Bliss helped launch the highly anticipated festival programme for GAZE 2014, which takes place from Thursday, July 31 until Monday, August 4 in the Light House Cinema, Dublin.

Ireland’s LBGT film festival celebrates its 22nd birthday this year and to mark the event, GAZE is focusing on the theme “The Power Of Our Stories”.

At the launch, Panti also revealed that GAZE audiences are in for an extra treat this year as the festival will feature a world exclusive 10-minute preview of Queen of Ireland, Panti’s new documentary which will be officially premiered in 2016. The film follows Rory O’Neill’s (aka Panti Pandora Bliss) journey from the small Mayo town of Ballinarobe to ‘national treasure’. Director, Conor Horgan will be present at the screening to talk through the progression of this masterpiece in the making. Queen of Ireland will be screened at 6.30pm on Saturday, 2nd of August at the Light House Cinema.

A key highlight in the Irish LGBT social calendar, the GAZE’s festival programme already looks set to inspire and excite, with a number of Irish premieres and award winning documentaries being screened for the first time in Ireland. The full festival programme was announced on Friday, July 4 2014 at the Lounge, Parliament Street, Dublin 2.

Some highlights for this year include:

• Opening Night Gala: The Circle – For this year’s Opening Night Gala, Thursday, 31st July, GAZE will host a night of film and fun with a special drinks reception kicking off at 7pm before guests are treated to the Irish and UK premier of Stefan Haupt’s The Circle, screening at 8pm in Screen 1.
• Quick Change – Takes an inside look at the dangerous, underground world of the illegal cosmetic trade and the transgender community it serves. This Irish premier will screen at 6.30pm, Friday 1st in Screen 1.
• The Last Match – A passionate story about secret love, athletic aspirations and criminal intrigue set in contemporry Havana. Screening at 10.30pm, on Friday the 1st August, in Screen 2.
• The Celluloid Closet – This retrospective film gathers clips from dozens of mainstream Hollywood films to illustrate how North American cinema has dealt with LGBT themes over the years. A special free screning takes place at 6.30pm, Saturday  2^nd August in Screen 2.
• The Foxy Merkins – This buddy film follows the adventures of two lesbian hookers as they wind their way through a world of bargain hunting housewives, husky-voiced seductress and double-dealing conservative women. Screens at 10.30pm, Saturday 2^nd August in Screen 2.
• The Case Against 8 – A fly on the wall account of the epic five-year legal battle that overturned Proposition 8. This Irish premier is screening at 2.30pm, on Saturday 2^nd August in Screen 1.
• The Dog– A documentary portrait following the life of John Wojtowicz, who spectacularly attempted to rob a Brooklyn bank in 1972. Catch The Dog on Sunday, 3rd August at 6.30pm in Screen 1.
• Closing Night Gala: 52 Tuesdays – this year, GAZE will wrap up another fantastic festival programme with a very exciting screening. This year’s choice is the award winning 52 Tuesdays. Screening at 8pm on Sunday, 3^rd of August, in Screen 1

For more details about GAZE then check out www.gaze.ie.

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