Ten queer films will feature as part of this year’s Kendal Pride festival as the weekend festivities kick off.

The now annual event – billed as ‘pride done differently’ – will offer films spanning everything from voguing and culture in Brazil and Venezuela, to overcoming adversity in the world of bodysurfing.

Plus, a special screening of a brand-new film created by an Ulverston-born creative and featuring a Kendal-based drag queen.

Jamie Hooper, chair of the organising group, said: “The variety of queer lives here and across the globe is endless, and we firmly believe the films we’ve brought together this year reflect that in some part.

“Kendal Pride is all about doing pride differently, and that means we want to allow people to immerse themselves in queer culture in all its uniqueness.

“We hope that anyone coming along to the festival will enjoy what we’ve put together, and maybe go away with a different perception of what it means to be queer.”

Starting the weekend on Friday, June 14, four films curated by Kendal Mountain Festival will screen at the Brewery Arts Centre at 5.45pm.

A Mid-winter Bob sees Elsey Davis attempt to set a new women’s record for the midwinter Bob Graham Round, and Gender Outlaw dips into the world of bodysurfing, overcoming adversity and redefining inclusivity.

Plus, two more short films from the world of adventurers will also be shown.

Steve Scott, Festival Director at Kendal Mountain Festival, added: “We’re thrilled to be teaming up with Kendal Pride again for 2024 and bringing these four thought-provoking outdoor films to audiences.”

On Saturday, June 15, film lovers can head to Digital Lounge at Brewery Arts between 11am and 4.30pm to see a series of short films commissioned by Queer Side Projects in Birmingham.

These include We are the same, a documentary about the dance phenomenon of Voguing and queer life in Caracas; Samba Brazil, focused on overcoming obstacles through dance; Four elements, featuring four artists from Birmingham; Dsgraced Collection, fusing dance, video and film; and Waack in Brum, following the first generation of Waacking dancers in the city.

Elsewhere, Gareth, where’s your handbag, will show at Fell Bar on Lowther Street on Saturday from 1pm.

Produced by Ulverston-born film-maker Joe Stebbens, the film illuminates the ever-evolving landscape of queer culture in Cumbria and features interviews with drag queen Nova Gina and young people from DropZone Youth in Barrow.

Following the screening, there will be a Q&A session with Joe and Nova.

Chris Ashton, film programming manager at Brewery Arts, added: “There’s a real variety of films to choose from across the Kendal Pride weekend, and we’re delighted to be hosting many of them here at the Brewery.”

Tickets for the Kendal Mountain Festival screening are on sale now priced at £7.50 with concessions available, and all other screenings are free of charge.

Away from the independent films, on the big screen, Brewery Arts will also show Australian blockbuster The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert on Saturday evening, and the true story of solidarity between communities during the miners strike, Pride, on Sunday evening.

Kendal Pride has been funded for 2024 by Arts Council England, National Lottery Awards for All, Kendal BID, Kendal Town Council, Cumbria Fire, Police and Crime Commissioner, and is sponsored by Herdy, the Westmorland Family, Douglass Grange and Anord Mardix.

Kendal Pride’s Big Pride Party tickets are also on sale now priced at £20 per person, with more details about the remaining free elements of the programme to be released soon.

Kendal Pride takes place from Friday June 14 to Sunday 16. For more information, to see the programme, or to book tickets, visit www.kendalpride.co.uk