To Represent, Encourage, Educate, Entertain & Include

Our Mission & Story

OUR MISSION

‘TO REPRESENT, ENCOURAGE, EDUCATE, ENTERTAIN & INCLUDE’

  • To organise a diverse Lesbian, Bisexual & Queer Women’s Film and Arts Festival in the Capital City of Wales to represent and increase awareness of Lesbian, Bisexual & Queer Women and to portray the lives and experiences of Lesbians, Bisexual & Queer Women in the UK and the wider world.
  • To encourage and support Lesbian, Bisexual & Queer Women in the creative arts, especially Film.
  • To educate through programming choices, discussions and workshops about issues that affect Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer Women across the world.
  • To show high quality Lesbian, Bisexual & Queer Women’s creative work with Lesbian themes which will entertain as well as challenge the audience.
  • To be inclusive and ensure equality of participation and engagement from Lesbians (including Trans Lesbians, Bisexual Women and Queer Women) in all sections of society.

THE STORY SO FAR

In 2021, Rachel Dax (Festival Founder & Lead Programmer) gathered together a group of lesbian/queer women to discuss whether they were interested in putting on a Film & Arts Festival in Cardiff, dedicated to showcasing Lesbian, Bisexual & Queer Women’s stories, because :

  1. Even at LGBTQ+ film festivals, there never seem to be enough lesbian films shown to feel satisfied by the end.
  2. Mainstream lesbian film releases tend to be period dramas directed by men with straight women playing the main roles, and say almost nothing about what it means to be a real lesbian in the 21st century, and often lack accuracy regarding representation.
  3. Although there are significantly more lesbian characters in TV than in Film, they generally seem to get killed off shortly after they form a solid lesbian relationship – and although there is room for the occasional character death in a good story, it would be great to see more stories with lesbians thriving rather than dying.
  4. There are more women now identifying as lesbians, bisexual or queer, yet fewer opportunities than ever for them to come together en masse.
  5. The only other lesbian festivals in the UK seem to involve camping and caravanning which works for some, but not others. So having a Lesbian Film and Arts Festival in a building would mean that women who haven’t previously been able to attend/access lesbian festivals could do so.
  6. A shared desire to discover and better understand lesbian lives, experiences and issues from all areas of UK society and the wider world.
  7. Because wouldn’t it be epic?!

See below for some fun skits that exemplify points 2 & 3!

Therefore, in July 2022, we set up the first ‘LezDiff’ – Cardiff International Lesbian Film & Arts Festival, and it was a massive success. We showed loads of films, put on theatre and had lots of music and entertainment, all with the help and support of Chapter Arts Centre, The Queer Emporium & The Kings. We were funded in the main by Ffilm Cymru Wales and gained sponsorship from University of South Wales, Cardiff University LGBTQ+ Staff Network, Cardiff & Vale College and several local businesses.

We then put on two smaller events – a Film & Discussion for World AIDS Day 2022, and History Talks, Performances & Film for LGBTQ+ History Month 2023.

In 2024, we put on a 3 day festival of film, theatre, music and history at Atrium University of South Wales and the Queer Emporium.

In 2025 we did a 1 day event focussing on Lesbian History – including a cello recital and talk about LGBTQIA+ women and non-binary composers – at Atrium, University Of South Wales

Since 2024, LezDiff has been funded in the main by the University Of South Wales’ Equality, Diversity & Inclusion department, as well as Spectrum the University’s LGBTQIA Staff Network, and the Film & Media Department. Additional sponsorship has come from Bad Wolf TV Studio, Cardiff

LezDiff is curated by Rachel Dax and run through her company DaxiTales Ltd as a ‘not for profit project’ supported by an enthusiastic team of volunteers.

Our 2026 programme is a mix of film, history, art, movement, music and fun. It’s going to be a blast! 

 

 

 

 

Lesbian Period Dramas Not Representing Lesbians (Saturday Night Live – Lesbian Period Drama)

Dead TV Lesbians (The World Can Wait (2018) by Deborah Espect)