This August, the City of Manchester will welcome SCENE, a new and glittering LGBTQ+ Film and TV festival.
The weeklong event will kick off with an exclusive opening night featuring a celebration panel and after-party to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the influential drama Queer as Folk. The series, which spotlighted Manchester’s Canal Street, will be celebrated with appearances from writer Russell T Davies, executive producer Nicola Shindler and actress Denise Black, with more names to be announced.
Showcasing the magic of LGBTQ+ Film and TV, SCENE will light up the city from Friday 16th August to Thursday 22nd August, extending the vibrant spirit of Manchester Pride Festival. A diverse array of events will be hosted in iconic venues across the city, including HOME, The People’s History Museum, New Century Hall, and the Gay Village.
SCENE Film and TV festival is a Manchester Pride Festival official partner event produced by Manchester Accommodation BID and will feature screenings of beloved classics, recent queer content, and exclusive premieres of new series, features, and shorts. The festival lineup includes Q&As, interviews, special guests, and parties.
The week will see a whole host of sparkling, star-studded events, including a special screening of BBC hit drama, Lost Boys & Fairies, made by Leeds-based production company Duck Soup Films, a heartbreaking tale of couple Gabriel and Andy’s journey of self-discovery and fixing fractured family relationships before they can truly begin their parenting journey. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with writer Daf James and star of the series Sion Daniel Young.
Festival partner HOME will honour the legendary John Waters with screenings of Pink Flamingos and Female Trouble, with a glamourous sick bag provided for the faint of heart. On Saturday evening “The Filthiest Carnival Alive” will take over HOME with raucous drag queens, circus performers, DJs, and side stalls inspired by the films of “The Pope of Trash”.
Pop along to The People’s History Museum to catch Striking With Pride: United at the Coalface, a brand-new powerful feature documentary from Sky exploring the unlikely alliance forged between the gay men and lesbians of London, and the striking miners of South Wales, between the 1984 and 1985 London Prides.
Other highlights include Emmy Award nominee and longtime activist David Weissman in residence at SCENE for special screenings, Q&As and events discussing his seminal documentaries about San Fransisco in the 70s and 80s, We Were Here and The Cockettes. The Pink Screening Room at YES will showcase the best features and shorts of the year alongside Q&As and panels from the top LGBTQ+ creatives behind them. Additionally, Manchester’s “last lesbian bar” Vanilla will screen The Lesbian Bar Project: FLINTA, followed by an unmissable Q&A with filmmaker Erica Rose, and a party featuring Mancunian sapphic DJ talent.
Further screenings and events will be announced in the coming weeks.
All events at SCENE are £15 or under with many being £5 or free including a free outdoor screen on First Street.
SCENE will be donating ticket profits to Manchester Pride Charity and ticket partner Skiddle will also donate the booking fee for any events booked through their site meaning attendees are directly supporting work in the LGBTQ+ community in the city.
Head of Events at CityCo (producers of SCENE Festival), Gary Williams, said: “We are excited to bring this celebration of LGBTQ+ Film & TV to Manchester as part of Manchester Pride’s festivities. SCENE promises a week of solidarity, diversity, and enjoyment. LGBTQIA+ representation on screen allows us to share our stories, break down barriers, and grow our community. We can’t wait to champion queer content and celebrate together this summer.”
Mark Fletcher, CEO of Manchester Pride, added: “As the programme for Manchester Pride Festival expands, we’re pleased to welcome this fresh, new event. There are many different ways that LGBTQ+ people like to celebrate Pride. And, having consulted with our communities we recognise the potential for this exciting showcase and celebration of LGBTQ+ Film & TV and the incredible talent involved in the creation of these important stories.”
