SCENE: Manchester’s LGBTQ+ Film & TV Festival, is produced by CityCo on behalf of Manchester Accommodation BID.
The festival presents a diverse and acclaimed programme of film screenings, industry panels and showcases.
SCENE has already built a strong reputation for championing emerging voices in cinema and celebrating Manchester’s on-screen talent. It attracts audiences from across the city, the region, and the UK.
The festival plays an important role in supporting Manchester’s accommodation sector, cultural economy, and creative industries.
Throughout the festival, venues including HOME, Aviva Studios and New Century Hall host a vibrant mix of screenings, live events and interactive sessions.
Manchester’s accommodation providers offer exclusive packages, featuring discounts, gifts, cocktails, lobby DJs and special events.
Taking place in August ahead of Manchester Pride, SCENE is promoted through an integrated campaign spanning branding, digital, social media, influencer partnerships, print, outdoor and transport advertising, and PR.
The festival and its promotional campaign are delivered in partnership with a wide network, including Marketing Manchester, Manchester City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester.
Along with media and industry partners such as Attitude, DIVA, Channel 4, Skiddle, The Iris Prize, GAZE Irish LGBTQ+ Film Festival, Queer Film Network and Sheffield DocFest.
2026 SCENE Festival
- Thursday 20th August – Thursday 27th August
- To take part, email events@cityco.com
2025 Programme Highlights
- Channel 4 Presents: An Altogether Different Comedy Night with fresh-from Edinburgh Festival comedians
- 10 Years of Cucumber panel event with Russell T Davies & cast
- In Conversation with World of Wonder (RuPaul’s Drag Race) and Party Monster film screening
- In Conversation with Jonathan Harvey and Beautiful Thing film screening
- Waterloo Road: Everyone Welcome panel event
- What It Feels Like For A Girl panel and screening
- A Victoria Wood-A-Thon
- Best of Sheffield DocFest including Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror
- Lesbian’s Guide to Surviving the Plot screening and TV Quiz
- Queerchester: Exploring the evolution of Manchester’s queer nightlife
- Outdoor Cinema with favourites including Wizard of Oz, Wicked, The Devil Wears Prada, Mean Girls, Some Like it Hot
- Showgirls 4K screening with drag event
- Manchester Camerata Queer Composers + Monk In Pieces documentary (22-piece orchestra classical Pride show).
2025 Success Stats
- Doubling of attendance v inaugural 2024 event
- 80 pieces of press coverage = 1.87 million reach including pieces in Pink News, Big Issue, Metro
- SCENE paid digital campaign: drove 826,114 Meta impressions
- 7000 festival programmes circulated
- 99% of attendees rated the festival ‘Excellent’.
Festival Flyer
Wrap Video
instagram.com
VC: Chloe Waterhouse
