It’s the most wonderful time of the year! For fans of queer cinema, that is. The 17^th Annual Dublin Lesbian and Gay Film Festival takes place this bank holiday weekend, promising to be the biggest and best yet. This year it makes its home in the Lighthouse cinema in Smithfield, featured here, in the festival’s fabulous TV ad!

This year the programme is divided up into four strands – Gaze Vision, Queer Heroes, Queer Curios and Gaze Specials. With such an abundance of choice, what might the discerning girl kinophile go see?! Chairperson Yvonne O’Reilly tells us it’s the best year to date for lesbian films, and gives Gaelick her picks of the Festival. So naturally, dear readers, we are passing them on to you!

It all kicks off in style on Thursday 31^st with an opening night reception at 7 pm, followed at 8.30 by the European premiere of Grey Gardens, based on the 1975 documentary of the same name. Nominated for 17 Emmys, starring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange, it’s a before and after look at the lives of Big and Little Edie Bouvier Beale, giving an insight to their eccentricities and the characters that made the documentary a cult classic.

Friday’s highlight will be at 6.30, as Grey Gardens, the original classic documentary by David and Albert Maysles is screened, and followed by a Q&A with special guest Patricia Rozema (I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing, When Night is Falling, Mansfield Park and for the Gate Theatre’s Beckett on Film, Happy Days). Patricia co-wrote the opening night film and will be interviewed by Gráinne Humphreys (Director of the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival) prior to the documentary.

Don’t make any plans for Saturday either! The superb Irish documentary Identities screens at 1.30pm, revealing diverse stories of the Irish trans community, and introduced by director Vittoria Colonna, it is not to be missed. Described as a “witty, erotic gothic horror”, Bandaged is the new film from veteran queer filmmaker, Maria Beatty, showing at 4.30 on Saturday. Alternatively, for the faint of heart (me), Campanillo Yes, I Do! is also on at 4.30, which is a heart-warming documentary about a small town with an openly gay mayor and a friendly and accepting population who welcome same sex couples from all over the world who arrive to get married in their town. If I wasn’t already intrigued by the Saturday night feature, Drool (with Mullholland Drive’s Laura Harring) Yvonne goes on to describe it as “Thelma and Louise the way it might have been!” Sold!

Sunday night’s must-see is the European premiere of Hannah Free, featuring Sharon Gless (Cagney and Lacey, Queer As Folk). Adapted from the award-winning play, it’s the decades-long love story of two women, one of whom is sent to live in a nursing home. Might be a tear-jerker, I’d pack the Kleenex just in case.

And there’s still one more day! Showing on Monday at 2.30, Edie and Thea: A Very Long Engagement is a moving documentary about a passionate life-long romance, from the makers of The Brandon Teena Story. Don’t forget to scoot along to the Girls Shorts at 4.30, for what I’m told is “a very fine selection of the sassiest shorts, a real treat.” Anyone that saw the amazing XXY has to make sure to get along to The Fish Child (by the same director, Lucia Puenzo) at 6.30. Based on the director’s bestselling novel El Nino Pez, this “beautifully shot fable-with-an-edge” is another definite for your list.

Impressive, no? Looks like I’ll be living in the Lighthouse for the weekend, so that’s where you’ll find me!

Full details of all films and screening times can be found on the Gaze website – www.gaze.ie. Tickets can be booked online or on the Ticket line – 01 8797601 – from 2pm-8pm daily.

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