Welcome to GAZE, Ireland’s International LGBTQIA Film Festival.

GAZE 2025 will take place from Thursday 31st July to Monday 4th August.

Every year since 1992 we have screened an eclectic programme of new international cinema that explores the experience of being an LGBTQIA person.

We celebrate new queer storytelling and our exciting programme of screenings, talks and events engages audiences and artists in a vibrant social experience here in our home town of Dublin, Ireland.

We have been around since before homosexuality was decriminalised in Ireland, and we are still going strong with our vibrant community.

We are excited and honoured to receive your work.

From the films selected for our festival, we award prizes for:

Best Irish Short

Best International Short

GAZE Jury Award for Best Feature

Audience Award for Best Feature

1. GAZE International LGBTQIA Film Festival is presented in association with our sponsors Accenture Ireland and the Arts Council of Ireland.

2. The aim of GAZE is to showcase the latest and greatest of international LGBTQIA cinema, and to help foster and promote the Irish LGBTQIA filmmaking community.

​3. GAZE is an annual event taking place in the Light House Cinema and Irish Film Institute, Dublin, as well as an optional online component for Ireland only.

​4. Feature films, documentaries and short films of any genre or subject matter are open for unsolicited submission to the festival via FilmFreeway.

​5. Feature films, documentaries and short films of any genre or subject matter are also selected by invitation by the festival.

​6. Entries to GAZE Film Festival must have been produced within the last two years. We welcome Irish premieres but this is not prerequisite to selection for the festival. Films which are available online, or have received a theatrical, streaming or DVD release in Ireland, will not ordinarily be considered for the festival.

​7. Viewing material is accepted via online viewing link only. Please include a non-embedded Vimeo link or similar for Jurors to view.

​8. GAZE bestows a number of awards at the end of the festival, selected by a jury. Please note that these awards are symbolic and have no monetary value.

​9. All foreign language films that are submitted to the festival must be subtitled in English. Films in the English language should be provided with Closed Captioning for Deaf and hard-of-hearing audience members.

​10. GAZE Film Festival will not alter selected films in any way for their festival screening.

​11. Excerpts from films will only be shown for promotional purposes if permission is obtained from the producer.

​12. GAZE Film Festival is a public event, with a number of accredited filmmakers, jury members, distributors, film programmers and press in attendance.

​13. Submission of a film represents agreement with the regulations set forth here.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Nathan Neumann

    I couldn’t make the festival but the Gaze team and James were amazing. They kept me informed and even took some videos from the screening so I could see the audience reaction to Transition To Death. Was great to see a cinema full of people half way across the world howling with laughter at my little horror comedy! They also arranged a follow up screening outside of the festival. Thanks so much James :)

    September 2024
  • Thank you to the team from GAZE for screening 'Neuromance', We got word from our lead that attended the festival, it was a fantastic experience. Thank you to the whole team.

    September 2024
  • Such a great queer festival whose programme hits so good! We were lucky to have two clients screen this year:

    Curtain Call
    Nothing Special

    August 2024
  • Thank you for the opportunity to show The Return to Irish audience!

    August 2024
  • Gisela Chicolino

    A festival on this topic is a necessary one. Please keep working on generating this exquisite programming for the audiences. @films.to.festivals

    August 2024