Founded in 1992, it has become Ireland's largest LGBTQ film event, and the country's biggest LGBT gathering aside from Dublin Pride.

[2] GAZE's organisers seek out educational and entertaining LGBT cinema[3] which members of the Dublin gay community may not have had the opportunity to view elsewhere.

[6] The 2008 event, the 16th, lasted from 31 July until 4 August and included screenings at Dublin's Project Arts Centre and the Winding Stair, alongside its usual venue the Irish Film Institute.

[2] An HBO remake of the classic documentary Grey Gardens, starring Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange, received its European premiere when it opened the festival on 30 July.

The festival kicked off with the world premiere screening of documentary The 34th: The Story of Marriage Equality in Ireland, telling of the quarter-century fight for – and achievement of – a transformation in Irish society's relationship to its LGBT members, in which the LGBT community, including GAZE, participated – one that culminated in the 2015 Irish Marriage Referendum.