The third edition of Scene: Manchester, an LGBTQIA+ film and television festival, has unveiled its full programme, headlined by acclaimed screenwriter Russell T. Davies and Heartstopper creator Alice Oseman. Running in Manchester from 20 to 27 August 2026, the event will combine screenings, panels, comedy, parties and premieres, positioning itself as a major celebration of queer screen culture that draws audiences from across the UK and internationally.

Davies will appear with regular collaborator Nicola Shindler to discuss the Channel 4 miniseries Tip Toe and mark the fifth anniversary of It's a Sin, ahead of a stage adaptation at Manchester's Aviva Studios, while Oseman features in an "intimate" conversation about her work. Other highlights include behind-the-scenes looks at Disney+'s Rivals and the BBC's I Kissed a Boy and I Kissed a Girl, plus preview screenings of Pedro Almodóvar's Bitter Christmas, Jane Schoenbrun's Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, Gregg Araki's I Want Your Sex, and closing film Chatlines. Organisers at CityCo, which produces the festival, said the programme is its "biggest and most ambitious yet" after the audience doubled last year.