SCENE: Manchester’s LGBTQ+ Film & TV Festival to return - bolder, brighter, and bursting with Pride!

Manchester is set to sparkle once again this summer as SCENE: Manchester’s LGBTQ+ Film & TV Festival returns for its second edition, promising a vibrant week of screenings, panels, and performances from 15 - 21 August 2025.

Following its dazzling debut in 2024, which saw sold-out screenings and tributes to queer trailblazers, SCENE has quickly become a cornerstone of Manchester’s cultural calendar. This year’s programme is packed with premieres, parties, and powerful storytelling, showcasing the best in LGBTQ+ film and television across venues city-wide.

Highlights include Channel 4’s Altogether Different Comedy Night at Aviva Studios, a riotous evening spotlighting fearless new voices in comedy. Fans of drama can look forward to a special screening and panel for BBC’s What It Feels Like for a Girl, based on Paris Lees’s acclaimed memoir, featuring cast members Hannah Jones, Laquarn Lewis and Adam Ali.

Also on the bill is Departures, the debut feature from Manchester-based filmmakers Neil Ely and Lloyd Eyre-Morgan, produced by Punk Spirit Films - a collective of working-class LGBTQ+ creatives. The film will be previewed ahead of its national release, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers.

Adding a touch of nostalgia and camp, The Victoria Wood-A-Thon hosted by Make A Scene will celebrate the legendary comedian with drag performances, musical tributes, and a marathon of her beloved TV episodes.

Manchester Pride’s Senior Engagement Manager, Isobel Stainsbury, said “SCENE has become a brilliant addition to our celebrations, spotlighting the diversity of our communities while supporting our mission to promote equality and visibility for LGBTQ+ people.”