What to expect at this years gay & lesbian film festival
Gaze aka the Gay & Lesbian Film festival celebrates its 20th year this bank holiday weekend at the Light House cinema, Dublin. Starting this Thursday August 2nd thru to Monday 6th August 2012, the event kinks off with a retrospective look at what has made the festival such a highlight in the LGBT social calendar over the past two decades.
Key screenings to be shown over the course of the festival include:
Circumstance, a powerful and moving Iranian film – 2nd August, 8pm
Mother Tongue, a heartwarming story of coming out and coming-of-age set in Argentina – Friday 3rd August, 8.30pm
Gone, a documentary based around the harrowing tale of a mother’s search for her missing son – Saturday 4th August, 4.30pm
My Last Round, described by The New York Times as a mix of The Wrestler and Brokeback Mountain – Sunday 5th August, 6.30pm
The closing night gala will kick off in advance of the 8.00pm screening of All The Way Through Evening, a moving documentary of friends and music and the all-too-soon passing away of good things from life – Monday 6th August, 8.00pm
Other highlights include panel discussions and workshops covering topics including ‘What is a gay film’, which are taking place to mark the 20th anniversary of the event. This year, GAZE is also delighted to host the Inaugural GAZE Film Awards which will be announced online after the festival. Categories include Best Documentary, Audience Award for Best Film and Audience Award for Best Short Film. There will also be a special award for the Spirit of GAZE which will go to the film that best embodies the spirit of this year’s festival.
Of course, the festivities do not end as the screen fades to black and the 2012 festival is full of celebrations to mark GAZE’s 20th birthday. The official GAZE birthday party will be held on Friday 3rd August 2012, at the GAZE Festival Club. The party atmosphere will be in full flow and to celebrate in style, there will be cake, candles and of course, a selection of guest DJ’s.
Speaking about the festival, chairperson Denis Dermody said: ‘While mainstream movies are attempting to homogenise the LGBT experience, GAZE salutes our audience, past and present saying: we’re still here, we’re still queer, and these are our stories. So to honour all GAZERS we’ve created our most ambitious festival ever. We’ve got great films: documentaries, features and shorts of artistic and political integrity. But GAZE doesn’t end at a film’s closing credits: our birthday year is one of celebration!’.
For more information visit http://www.gaze.ie