Pradeep Mahadeshwar

Pradeep Mahadeshwar (he/they) is a multifaceted visual artist and LGBTQIA+ activist based in Ireland. His work explores identity, migration, race, and sexuality through storytelling, illustration, filmmaking, and writing.

Pradeep is the founder of Queer Asian Pride Ireland and the Queer Spectrum Film Festival. He has created spaces for celebrating and amplifying queer narratives, especially those of Queer People of Colour (QPOC). His work focuses on themes of displacement, migration, and the impact of racism on mental and sexual health, making his voice particularly relevant to Ireland's multicultural LGBTQIA+ community.

His short film ‘The Concept of Self’ (2022) was recognised at prestigious film festivals, including the 30th GAZE International LGBTQ+ Film Festival and the 10th IndieCork Film Festival. In ‘Tír na mBeo – The Land of the Living’, a documentary screened at Culture Night 2022, Pradeep delves into the experiences of queer individuals in Ireland during the lockdown, highlighting the country's unique social and cultural landscape.

During an artist residency at IMMA (Irish Museum of Modern Art) with the Museum of Everyone, Pradeep created ‘Skin To Skin Talks – Gay Men of Colour and The Racial Politics of Exclusion’ (2023), a film exploring themes of otherness, racial exclusion, and queer identity. This abstract and emotional piece was selected for several prominent international queer film festivals, including Queer Lisboa 27 and the 13th Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest in London.

This year Pradeep was selected for starGAZE, filmmaker's professional development initiative supported by the National Talent Academy Film & TV Drama, an initiative of Screen  Ireland. StarGAZE is a unique professional development initiative to support six emerging LGBTQIA filmmakers.