SCENE Festival

SCENE Festival returns this August with a city-wide celebration of LGBTQIA+ film, television and culture, bringing together acclaimed filmmakers, artists and audiences for a packed programme of screenings, talks and special events.

First Street and HOME sit at the heart of the festival, hosting everything from exclusive preview screenings and filmmaker Q&As to anniversary celebrations and outdoor cinema. The festival opens at HOME with Pedro Almodóvar’s latest film Bitter Christmas, alongside the UK preview of Jane Schoenbrun’s acclaimed queer horror Teenage Sex & Death at Camp Miasma.

Across the week, HOME presents a programme of premieres, documentaries and special events, including a 25th anniversary celebration of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, a panel exploring Disney+’s Rivals, screenings followed by filmmaker and cast discussions, and the closing night presentation of Manchester-made feature Chatlines.

Meanwhile, First Street’s outdoor screen hosts a free programme of much-loved classics, many as part of the festival’s School’s Out strand exploring queer readings of the high school film. Highlights include Clueless, Hairspray, Bend It Like Beckham, Rebel Without a Cause and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, alongside a special outdoor screening of Devdas featuring live dance performances.

Beyond First Street and HOME, SCENE continues across Manchester city centre with events at Aviva Studios, CULTPLEX, KAMPUS and New Century Hall, celebrating both international queer storytelling and Manchester’s own rich LGBTQIA+ cultural heritage.