Belfast filmmaker 'proud' as he releases one of the first Irish language LGBTQ+ films
"The language is so alive, and it’s such a powerful way to express identity"
A Belfast filmmaker and presenter is excited to premiere his new Irish Language LGBTQ+ short film. Following on from the success of his previous films, Joseph Jones from West Belfast is set to share his newest project with eager audiences Fastnet Film Festival Cork on May 22 as part of Lá na Gaeilge (Irish Language Day).
Set in Ulster, GLACAIM follows a man getting ready for his wedding day – but all is not what it seems. Written and directed by Joseph, it was produced by Edel Ní Churraoin and shot by Tomás Mac Donncha.
With Irish-language cinema gaining momentum around the globe, Joseph wanted to use his filmmaking experience to explore an LGBTQ+ story—one that is rarely told on screen using the language.
READ MORE: Belfast director on the rise of Irish language in industry as short film takes offREAD MORE: Belfast actor announced as presenter of first ever Irish language kids channelSpeaking to Belfast Live, the TG4 presenter said that he is proud to have produced something that both celebrates the language while also representing a community of people across the island.
Describing the film in more detail, Joseph said: "GLACAIM is an LGBTQ+ themed short that explores shame, secrecy, and the pressure to conform.
"The idea came from a mix of things - I was really inspired by the landscape around the Poisoned Glen in Dún Lúiche, Donegal - it felt so powerful and atmospheric that it almost became a character in the film itself, the Irish language of course and just thinking about how much of ourselves we hide when we feel we don’t have space to be fully seen.
"I wanted to write something that would speak to that experience, especially through an Irish lens.
"We shot it across Belfast, Kells, and Donegal over a few long (and rainy!) days in 2024. The crew was amazing - such a mix of people from mostly Belfast and Conamara, working bilingually, and all bringing so much heart to it."
Joseph said it was "massively important" to him to tell an LGBTQ+ story in Irish for his third film as queer stories are often left out of storytelling.
"I grew up going to Irish language schools, and I’ve worked a lot in Irish-language media over the last couple of years as a TV presenter for TG4/Cúla4 - but I’ve rarely seen queer stories told through the language, especially ones that feel cinematic and true to life," he explained.
"There’s still this old-fashioned idea sometimes that Irish is only for history or folklore - but the language is so alive, and it’s such a powerful way to express identity.
"Queer people have always existed in Irish culture - we just weren’t always written in. So this is my way of saying: we’re here, and we belong in this language too.
"But at the same time the LGBTQ+ theme is subtle - it’s there, but the story is really about human nature. It’s about the choices we make, the pressure to live a certain way, and asking ourselves: are we really doing the right thing? Something that we can all relate to."
He added that it means the work to him to be able to debut the film on Irish Language Day and he has plans to bring screenings of the short to Belfast in the near future. "It’ll be a beautiful celebration of film and the language, and I’m proud to be part of that with a story that hopefully pushes the boundaries a bit.
"I hope people watch it and feel something - whether that’s recognition, discomfort, understanding, or hope. I want it to stay with them after the credits roll."
To find out more about the film and keep updated on when it is coming to NI, see here
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