In today’s episode, we’re delighted to partner with the GAZE International LGBTQIA Film Festival and the National Talent Academy for Film & TV Drama to celebrate this year’s starGAZE programme participants

We’re joined by producer Billy Buckley, writer-director Eleanor Rogers, and producer-director Lewis Doherty to discuss their creative journeys, the projects they’re working on, and the impact starGAZE has had on their careers so far.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts.

https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-in-conversation-with-stargaze-participants-billy-buckley-eleanor-rogers-lewis-doherty

starGAZE, the professional development initiative supporting six emerging LGBTQIA filmmakers, returns for its third year in 2026. Applications are now open and will close at 5pm on Monday 20 April. For more information on how to apply, visit www.nationaltalentacademies.ie/film-tv

Billy Buckley

Billy is an emerging queer producer from Galway focused on contemporary Irish and queer storytelling. With a background in live-action drama, his work explores identity and morality.He was casting director and production manager for Soulmate Wanted with Heritage (premiered at Rhode Island International Film Festival 2023) and production manager on Medicinal (Galway Film Fleadh 2024, “Best of Kerry” winner). His short Where Will We Go? explored the defective concrete crisis and screened at Disappear Here Film Festival before broadcast on Virgin Media. In 2024, he joined the National Talent Academies’ First Credit scheme, mentored by Maggie Ryan.

His latest short Over the Moon, about a young trans man revisiting his past in the Burren, premiered at Dublin International Film Festival 2025. Billy also produces music videos for queer artists and works with Tiny Ark across commercial and documentary projects.

Eleanor Rogers

Eleanor is a queer writer, director, and photographer from Co. Louth. A First-Class Honours graduate of IADT, she wrote and directed Breastfriends (2018), which premiered at GAZE and won Best Irish Short before screening internationally. She was nominated for Best Under 25 Director at Underwire and has since directed music videos for artists including Elkae and PureGrand. In 2022, she was selected for Screen Ireland’s Spotlight TV Comedy scheme. In 2024, she was filmmaker-in-residence at An Táin, where she developed her debut feature Going Somewhere.

Lewis Doherty

Lewis Doherty is a queer Irish producer/director working across film, TV, and documentary. Starting in the camera department, they progressed to director of photography on indie and major productions including Dungeons and Dragons. Their directing work includes Pastor Ed, and documentaries such as It Takes a Village, When It Rains (Docs Ireland award winner), Viet-Glish, and Outlasting (BBC NI), selected for Docs Ireland and GAZE 2025. They have also worked on unscripted shows including Britain’s Got Talent, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. Lewis has participated in development programmes including Sheffield DocFest and Cork International Film Festival IGNITE Docs. They were runner-up at the 2024 Docs Ireland Feature Pitch and are a 2025 Celtic Media Festival finalist.

National Talent Academy for Film & Television Drama

Established in 2021, the NTA (an initiative of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, managed by Ardán) supports emerging talent across Ireland.

It provides training, mentorship, and career pathways for writers, directors, producers, and creatives, with a strong focus on regional and diverse voices. The Academy aims to remove barriers to entry and build a connected, inclusive screen industry.

GAZE International LGBTQIA Film Festival

Founded in 1992, GAZE is a cornerstone of Ireland’s LGBTQIA cultural landscape. The festival champions bold queer storytelling across genres, celebrating the full spectrum of LGBTQIA experiences while fostering a strong community of filmmakers and audiences.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

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