Supported by the Lord Mayor’s Community Award
Portsmouth Film Society (PFS) is proud to announce the return of its Pride LGBTQ+ Film Festival 2026, celebrating diversity, visibility, and LGBTQ+ storytelling through cinema. This year’s festival is especially meaningful, as it is proudly supported by the Lord Mayor’s Community Award, marking the first time the Lord Mayor has supported the festival.
The festival will officially open on Wednesday 4th February at 7:00 PM, and Portsmouth Film Society is delighted to confirm that the Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Kadir, and the Deputy Lady Mayoress will attend the opening night, showing their support for the festival and the local LGBTQ+ community.
Running throughout February at Southsea Cinema & Arts Centre, the festival continues PFS’s long-standing commitment to championing inclusive culture, independent cinema, and underrepresented voices.
2026 Festival Programme Highlights
- Blue Jean (2022) Set in England in 1988, during the introduction of Section 28 under Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government, Blue Jean tells the powerful story of Jean, a gym teacher forced to live a double life as legislation threatens the safety and visibility of LGBTQ+ people. When a new pupil arrives at her school, Jean is pushed into a personal crisis that challenges her identity, courage, and sense of integrity. The film is a moving portrayal of quiet resistance, love, and the cost of hiding who you are.
- Secret Queer Cinema A deeply moving and beautifully told love story celebrating authenticity, emotional connection, and the courage to live openly.
- Elton John Tribute Night A joyful celebration of music, identity, and self-expression, exploring Elton John’s rise to fame and his journey toward self-acceptance.
The festival forms part of Portsmouth Film Society’s ongoing work to provide accessible, inclusive, and culturally enriching events for the LGBTQ+ community and the wider public.
Aysegul Epengin, Director of Portsmouth Film Society, said:
“We are incredibly grateful to the Lord Mayor for his generous support of our Pride LGBTQ+ Film Festival. As a fully volunteer-run organisation, this support means a great deal to us.
We have been running Southsea Cinema & Arts Centre for over three and a half years without regular arts funding, yet we have delivered a wide range of film screenings, exhibitions, live music events, and theatre performances for our community.
We are very proud of what we have achieved and of the space we continue to create for LGBTQ+ voices. Our programme continues to grow, with music tribute nights, live performances, and poetry events now forming an important part of our cultural offering.”
Portsmouth Film Society remains committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive cultural space and looks forward to welcoming audiences to this year’s Pride Festival.
Festival Dates: February 2026 Venue: Southsea Cinema & Arts Centre Tickets & Information: www.southseacinema.co.uk
