Shoppers of cinema will be circling their calendars , GAZE International LGBTQIA Film Festival returns from 28 July to 3 August at Light House Cinema and the Irish Film Institute, bringing a bold mix of international premieres, Irish stories and music-driven tributes that matter for culture and community.

Essential Takeaways

  • Opening gala: Pedro Almodóvar’s Bitter Christmas kicks off the festival , visually lush, emotionally rich and already a talking point from its festival run.
  • Local spotlight: Lesbian Lines, a new Irish documentary, centres on the women who ran lesbian helplines from the 1970s–90s , heartfelt, archival and community-minded.
  • International drama: En El Camino offers a neon-lit Mexican thriller with intense chemistry and awards pedigree.
  • Documentary power: Give Me The Ball! revisits Billie Jean King’s activism and legacy with high-profile voices and archival punch.
  • Curated programmes: Joy Boy honours composer Julius Eastman with experimental films, while New Brazilian Shorts showcases fresh queer and trans perspectives.

Why Bitter Christmas is the festival’s can’t-miss opening night

Almodóvar’s new film arrives in Ireland riding the festival circuit buzz, and it’s easy to see why , the film pairs sumptuous design with a story about grief and creative ownership that feels intimate and grand at once. Critics have flagged its striking visuals and emotional swings, so expect something that smells faintly of cinema’s old glamour but speaks in contemporary feeling. For festival-goers it’s a smart opener: big name, big crowd, and plenty to discuss afterwards.

The film’s double-world structure , a filmmaker on Lanzarote and a director scripting that life , plays with artifice in a way that’s very Almodóvar. If you like movies that fold in on themselves and reward close attention, arrive early and save energy for post-screening chats.

Lesbian Lines: Irish history, told by the women who made it

This documentary turns a spotlight on grassroots activism, tracing the phonelines that offered refuge to women when Ireland’s streets and services often didn’t. The director Cara Holmes brings interview warmth and evocative recreations, so the film feels lived-in rather than museum-like. It’s the kind of local storytelling that leaves you both proud and quietly moved.

Seeing volunteers attend screenings will add an extra layer , you’re watching more than footage, you’re witnessing testimony. If you’re deciding whether to go, consider the emotional payoff: funny, resilient and deeply humane stories that still resonate.

En El Camino: neon nights and slow-burning tension

From Mexico, this thriller has already won awards and turns on chemistry and slow-burn suspense. Set along neon-lit highways, it follows a sex worker and a truck driver as their relationship intensifies and old secrets surface, pushing the story toward heartbreak and tenderness. The atmosphere is sultry and the mood tactile , think headlights, diesel and midnight conversations.

If you favour tense, character-driven cinema with a stylish sheen, this is one of the international highlights to prioritise. It’s an example of how queer storytelling is thriving across borders and genres.

Give Me The Ball! , sport, activism and a timely reminder

The Billie Jean King documentary ties sporting highs to political fights, reminding viewers that the battles for equal pay and recognition were fought on and off court. Featuring interviews and archival material, it’s a history lesson with celebrity resonance and a human centre. For anyone interested in sports documentaries or feminist history, the film lands as both celebratory and urgent.

Expect a mix of nostalgia and contemporary relevance , it’s the kind of doc that can inspire conversations about where equality still lags, and where activism has changed the game.

Joy Boy and New Brazilian Shorts: art, sound and fresh voices

GAZE’s programming balances big-name cinema with experimental and short-form work. Joy Boy: A Tribute To Julius Eastman stitches music, politics and spiritual reflection into a patchwork of responses to a radical composer’s life. The result is likely to feel provocative, textured and musically dense , perfect if you enjoy cinema that’s more essay than linear narrative.

Alongside that, New Brazilian Shorts offers a colourful portfolio of queer and trans stories, crossing genres and eras. Together these programmes show GAZE’s range: from auteur features to short-form vitality, from historical reckonings to playful futures.

How to make the most of GAZE 2026

Pick a mix: one big-name premiere, one local documentary and a shorts programme for variety. Book early for Almodóvar and any films with attending guests, and bring a notebook if you love post-screening discussions , there’ll be panels and Q&As that reward attention. If you prefer quieter viewings, aim for weekday screenings and discover new favourites in the Brazilian shorts or experimental slots.

It’s a small organisational step that makes your festival feel full and unhurried.

It's a small change that can make every screening more rewarding.

Source Reference Map

Story idea inspired by: [1]

Sources by paragraph: