Our fabulous pals at GAZE 2020 International Film Festival will return to the big screen and for the first time will also be available from the comfort of your own home this September and October with the newest releases in LGBT+ film in a specially curated programme of the most engaging, mind-bending and life-affirming cinematic experiences.

Hosting nine Irish Premieres for feature films and thirty-four Irish Premieres for short films, including European and World Premieres. It may be a brave new world out there, but GAZE endeavours to make a big celebration for the community while highlighting the importance of LGBT+ stories on-screen.

Cinema screenings are at the core of the GAZE Film Festival programme, with films that have universal themes to speak to all audiences. The team have curated a broad programme that  includes brand new films as well as rediscovered classics, with accessible comedies and dramas as well as urgent contemporary films detailing the experiences of migrants and queer people of colour – and even an Irish language documentary about two young trans people!

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This year, Ireland’s biggest LGBT+ and allies film festival expands its reach to a much greater audience nationwide. For the very first time through the festival’s new online programme, films at GAZE will be seen across the Republic of Ireland, from Letterkenny to Longford, Ringaskiddy to Roscommon. Thanks to the new VOD platform, IFI @ HOME, the entire programme will be accessible to many homes.

Talking about this year’s festival, Sarah Williams, Chairperson, of GAZE International LGBT+ Film Festival says:

’Queer culture, in all its glorious nuances and subversive contexts, is something GAZE tries to curate through film. We hope you’ll be inspired, enraged, encouraged, that you’ll laugh and most importantly feel connected. We are immensely proud of our team, who, despite all uncertain odds, have delivered a beautiful, topical and compelling festival of films and events, in this extraordinary year that continues to shake us all to the core.’’

GAZE is first and foremost a film festival to be seen on the big screen and a festival of this calibre is nothing without big-screen cinema. GAZE is thrilled to be back at the Irish Film Institute (IFI) and the Light House Cinema for 12 incredibly special screenings, including the beautiful Opening Film Two of Us about love in later life between two women, and the Closing Film, the mesmerising No Hard Feelings, a story about the divergent lives between two young Iranian men, set in Germany.

Other festival highlights include the award-winning If It Were Love, a hypnotic work of French docu-fiction that recreates the joy of the dancefloor from the 1990’s rave scene, directed by Patric Chiha; a rare screening of classic 1996 film The Watermelon Woman, the romantic comedy-drama film which highlights black storytelling on-screen, from American writer, director, and star of the film Cheryl Dunye.  From September 30 revel in all these great movie selections from GAZE 2020, plus all the Short film programmes available in-cinemas and online. Which in itself is a definite festival highlight every year!

Other festival highlights include its annual and exceptional discussion panels and workshops in association with Screen Skills Ireland and activities, but in a safe environment (not allowing a pandemic to get film buffs down) which includes Inside the Overactors Studio and Drag and Draw to tickle the GAZE 2020 patrons many a shade of pink, at the festival this year.

Finally, GAZE will award Senator David Norris for this year’s festival Vanguard Award for his unending contribution and legacy to the lives of LGBT+ people in Ireland.

GAZE 2020 runs at the Light House Cinema, Smithfield and the Irish Film Institute (IFI), Temple Bar, while also streaming online to your home nationwide, from September 30 – October 4. Find out more at www.gaze.ie