Shoppers are turning to cinema nights , and Cork’s queer community is too. Priosma Queer Film Festival returns 10–13 September 2026 with a bigger, bolder four-day programme of LGBTQ+ films, talks and parties across Arc Cinema, Triskel Arts Centre and The Everyman, bringing nine features and 30 shorts to the city.

Essential Takeaways

  • Dates and venues: Priosma runs 10–13 September 2026 at Triskel Arts Centre, Arc Cinema and The Everyman, offering city-centre access and a lively atmosphere.
  • Bigger programme: The festival grew from three features in 2025 to nine features and 30 short films in 2026, showing international and Irish work.
  • Highlights: Irish premieres include Six Months in a Pink and Blue Building and Another Man, with local premieres such as Cara Holmes’ Lesbian Lines.
  • Shorts and prizes: Four short-film blocks compete for Best Irish Short, Best International Short, Best Cork Short and the Spirit of the Festival Award.
  • Community events: Screenings are paired with Q&As, afterparties and live drag entertainment, so the mood is as social as it is cinematic.

A bolder Priosma lands in Cork , and it feels celebratory

Priosma’s leap in scale is the clearest signal: the festival now spans four packed days and three of Cork’s best-loved venues, which gives screenings a buzzy, festival-weekend feel. Festival director Benjamin Rupprecht told press he’s proud to be programming across Triskel, Arc and The Everyman, and that pride comes through in the line-up. Expect the kind of warm, communal atmosphere where you bump into friends at the bar and stay for the post-film chat.

Openers and finales you’ll want to plan for

The festival opens at Triskel on Thursday with the Irish premiere of Six Months in a Pink and Blue Building, a tender coming-of-age story set in 1990s Mexico City. It closes at The Everyman on Sunday with Another Man, an intimate Spanish-language drama that probes relationships and neighbourly tension. These bookends give the festival clear shape: hear a new voice on night one, then finish with a contemporary relationship drama that lingers.

Local stories get centre stage , and lively conversation

Priosma isn’t just about imported films. Cork filmmaker Cara Holmes’ documentary Lesbian Lines receives its Cork premiere and is followed by a Q&A with Holmes and participants, turning history into living conversation. Similarly, Dragging Up the Past explores Cork’s drag scene and will be followed by a director-led discussion. If you like context with your cinema, the festival packs in post-screening talks that deepen the films’ resonance.

Shorts, prizes and the festival’s taste for discovery

Short films take up a big slice of the programme: four curated short blocks showcase Irish and international makers. Awards include Best Irish Short, Best International Short, Best Cork Short and the Spirit of the Festival Award, judged by a panel including filmmakers Cara Holmes, Si Edwards and Cuán Cusack. For viewers, shorts are the quickest way to sample fresh talent , and they often deliver the sharpest surprises.

Parties, drag and late-night Cork energy

Priosma keeps the social side lively. Friday night’s Lesbian Lines afterparty, HOTLINE, brings music from Cork bands and DJs, and the festival finale features Krystal & The Queers presenting a new drag show, Krissy Down Under. In short, screenings bleed into performance and nightlife , perfect if you want to make a whole evening of it rather than a single film trip.

Closing line It’s a small expansion with big heart , show up for the films, stay for the talks, and let Cork’s queer community lead the way.

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