Shoppers are turning to cinema screens this summer as GAZE Film Festival returns for its 34th year, bringing a wave of LGBTQIA films to Dublin’s Light House Cinema, the Irish Film Institute and IMMA , a timely festival that offers community, catharsis and conversation.

Essential Takeaways

  • 34th edition: GAZE runs until 3 August across three Dublin venues with 14 features and six Irish shorts.
  • Curated strands: Programmer-led categories , Beguile Me, Push Me, Move Me, Watch Me and Thrill Me , help guide viewers.
  • Strong Irish presence: Local films explore queer Traveller voices, lesbian helpline histories and immigrants living with HIV.
  • Immediate resonance: The festival sold out multiple screenings and offers spaces for collective viewing after recent distressing news.
  • International mix: From Pedro Almodóvar opening night to starry drag-infused fare, there’s variety for different tastes.

Why GAZE still matters , a festival that feels like a congregation

GAZE began life in 1992 and has quietly become a Dublin summer ritual, a place where film fans and communities meet in the dark for something more than entertainment. The programme this year feels tactile: there’s a comforting hum to films about belonging, and a sharpness when they recall violence or exclusion. Festival Director Sam Ahern has said audiences are craving that shared, human experience , and that’s visible in the sold-out shows already.

The festival’s return to three venues , Light House Cinema, the Irish Film Institute and IMMA , gives it a roomy, city-wide feel. According to the programme, organisers have intentionally framed films into five strands to help people pick what they want: whether you need to be moved, thrilled, or simply watch and reflect, there’s a tag that suits the mood.

Homegrown stories you won’t see elsewhere

Irish shorts and features form a strong backbone of this year’s GAZE, and they’re intimate in the best possible way. Films include Lesbian Lines, which documents the helpline volunteers who supported thousands of women between the 1970s and 1990s, and Queen Lizzy, a portrait of Elizabeth Connors, a queer Traveller poet finding her footing.

There’s real cultural weight in films that centre Traveller voices and migrants; they’re rare in mainstream queer cinema and this festival gives them a visible stage. If you want to support cinema that amplifies under-heard communities, these are the screenings to bookmark , and they tend to spark the best post-film conversations in the bar afterwards.

Programming with purpose , the Move Me strand and the moment

This year’s Move Me strand has been highlighted by the festival team as a particularly important selection, and not without reason. With distressing international events fresh in people’s minds, programmers are leaning into films that let audiences process grief, anger and solidarity together. Sam Ahern has spoken about the need for communal spaces to reflect and feel.

So if you’re thinking of going to GAZE because you want more than a film , because you want to be with others who get it , check the Move Me listings first. Expect emotionally direct storytelling, films that invite conversation, and screenings where the audience’s reaction is part of the experience.

International treats: Almodóvar and drag spectacle

GAZE isn’t only a platform for Irish cinema; it’s also a chance to catch international auteurs and crowd-pleasers. The festival opens with Bitter Christmas, an auto-fiction film from Pedro Almodóvar, which promises his characteristic colour, warmth and emotional complexity. On a different tone, Stop! That! Train! , from director Adam Shankman and featuring familiar Drag Race faces , brings star turns and camp spectacle.

Mixing auteur-level drama with pop, queer entertainment is smart programming. It keeps the festival accessible to those who want highbrow cinema and to anyone who simply wants a joyous night out. Tickets for the high-profile screenings may sell fast, so book early if you’ve got a favourite on your list.

What to know before you go , practical tips

Plan your visit around the strands if you want a curated experience, and check venue accessibility in advance , many GAZE patrons value an inclusive, comfortable environment. Expect lively post-screening Q&As with filmmakers or community members on certain nights; these are where context really deepens a film.

Also, be flexible: sold-out shows happen, and the “mystery film” on the bill adds a playful surprise if you’re feeling spontaneous. Bring a friend, or go solo and be prepared to meet others , festivals like this are small social ecosystems.

It's a small change that can make every screening feel like a shared happening.

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