Welcome to GAZE: Ireland’s International LGBTQ+ Film Festival.

Every year since 1992 we have screened an eclectic programme of new international cinema that explores the experience of being an LGBTQ+ 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 also curate select online film screenings that are available to the whole of 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.

Please note that upon submission to GAZE our film may be considered for a cinema screening, an online screening geo-blocked to Ireland only, or a gallery show.

We will not place any film without the express permission of its maker but if you decline inclusion in one portion of the festival we may not be able to place your work elsewhere.

Awards & Prizes

From the films selected for our festival, the GAZE Jury will award prizes for:

Best Irish Short

Best International Short

Best Documentary

Rules & Terms

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

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

​3. GAZE is an annual event taking place in the Light House Cinema and Irish Film Institute, Dublin, as well as an 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 or video release in Ireland, will not ordinarily be considered for the festival.

​7. Viewing material is accepted via online link (password protected) or downloadable file. If you do not have an online link or downloadable format for the film, please contact us directly.

​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. The submissions deadline for GAZE Film Festival is midnight on Friday 2nd of June 2023. Films should be submitted online through FilmFreeway. Selection notifications for the festival will be made by Friday 28th of July 2022.

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

11 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
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Networking
  • Kai Fiáin

    wonderful festival. Great programming and excellent venue. Plus lots of networking opportunities.

    November 2022
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  • Patricia Kelly

    GAZE is such a lovely festival and we were delighted to be part of it. Having a screening in such a large cinema was terrific. We hope to be part of the festival again in the future.

    November 2022
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  • Áindréas Fallon Verbruggen

    Brilliant experience that set the bar high for my first festival. Wonderful events and screenings from Cork to Dublin and an excellent selection of films. I felt truly honoured to be a part of such a longstanding Irish Queer celebration of Film. I would highly recommend it to those submitting next year.

    October 2022
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  • Alex Hai

    In a gaze : outstanding on all levels - welcoming smart intelligent programmers amazing staff from end to top, beautiful crowd of viewers :really lgbt+ Of all ages backgrounds and sizes , I didn’t win any prize but felt treated like a star - thank you + first real contacts .Personal Advise to filmmakers: skip the online festivals and concentrate on authentic film festivals with decades of experience to move up .

    October 2022
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  • Simeon Costello

    We were so sad we couldn't make it over but so happy to have our film Shuttlecock screen at GAZE. Communication was excellent, it was very nice to receive a personal email informing us about the selection. The festival looks absolutely excellent, and I hope we can visit in the future. Would love to submit again with future projects!

    October 2021
    Helpful
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    Response from festival:

    Thank you Simeon for such kind words xx