Dublin International Film Festival launches 2024 programme packed with queer highlights

This year's programme includes a wide selection of queer feature films and LGBTQ+ Irish shorts that we can't wait to see.

Entertainment . Written by Nicole Lee.

Three side-by-side photos of films from the DIFF 2024 festival which includes Irish queer shorts
Image: DIFF 2024 Festival Brochure

Dublin International Film Festival (DIFF) kicks off in February, and the 2024 programme includes a wide selection of queer feature films and LGBTQ+ Irish shorts that we can’t wait to see.

DIFF promises to bring the best selection of international cinema to Irish audiences, and Director Gráinne Humphreys said the team received a record level of film submissions this year. The films were selected from 756 entries in 16 different countries spanning from the US to Japan, Norway and Uruguay.

DIFF Shorts Programmers said, “We can’t wait to share these films with our audiences, witnessing the transformation of images on a screen into windows that open to the hearts & minds of the viewers.”

The festival runs from February 22 until March 2, with film screenings across Smithfield, Temple Bar and Dún Laoghaire. The programme is jam-packed and there’s something for film enthusiasts, filmmakers and cinema fans alike.

 

For queer film fans, there is a wonderful selection to choose from, starting with the Irish queer shorts screening on Saturday, February 24.

Pregnant with a Drag Queen

This docu–drama declares “Drag doesn’t change who you are, it reveals who you are.” The story takes place in 1990s Dublin and follows a queer child who discovers their true identity and inner strength after they give birth to Veda, a vibrant drag queen icon. Directed by Colin Brady and produced by Steven Sheehy, this film uses comedy to elevate the sensitive and inspirational story of self–realisation.

Never Kill a Femboy on the First Date

 

Written by Lee Loi Chieng, directed by Oonagh Kearney, and produced by Aoibhín Murphy, this film follows an Asian Irish crossdresser’s bold plans to seduce a closeted GAA player. The one-night stand becomes dangerous when a group of young men discover that he is not a woman.

Pregnant with a Drag Queen and Never Kill a Femboy on the First Date are showing as part of the Virgin Media Discovers programme at 5pm on Saturday, February 24, at the Light House Cinema.

In addition to Irish shorts, the festival promises to include some incredible LGBTQ+ feature films from around the world.

Housekeeping for Beginners

When Dita’s partner is diagnosed with a terminal illness, she is left with little choice but to raise her two children. With her house a home to a wild group of queer adults, Dita must act quick to save her family and even considers marrying the only available man she can find. The film explores the universal truths of family and the bonds we both inherit and create.

Housekeeping for Beginners won the Queer Lion at Venice and is showing at 11am on Sunday, February 25, at the Light House Cinema.

Orlando, My Political Biography

Preciado, a transgender man and academic, invites 26 trans and non–binary people aged eight to 70 to play Orlando, the titular character of Virginia Woolf’s 1928 novel, Orlando: A Biography. All of the re-enactments are, “unique, personal, visual and interpretative,” and tell stunning stories of transition.

Orlando, My Political Biography is showing at 4pm on Wednesday, February 28, at the Light House Cinema.

The Summer With Carmen

This delightfully charming comedy begins while best friends Demos and aspiring filmmaker Nikitas are enjoying a day at Athens’ queer beach. Together, they imagine their lives as a film and consider turning a recent summer memory involving a dog named Carmen into a screenplay.

The Summer With Carmen is showing at 9pm on Friday, March 1, at the Light House Cinema.

The full Dublin International Film Festival programme for 2024, including these queer titles and more, is now available, and tickets can be purchased here.

© 2024 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.

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