This year is a significant year for the Pride movement and the LGBTQIA+ community as we commemorate 50 Years since the first Pride took place in the United Kingdom. A new report has found that LGBTQIA+ representation is at a high with nearly 12% of regular characters identifying as LGBT (according to media advocacy group GLAAD). However, we must not end there but ensure that representation increases on-screen as well as off-screen to make sure people are allowed the freedom to share their stories, their experiences and their hopes and dreams.

To spread the love at Primetime, we will be showcasing trailblazing LGBTQIA+ filmmakers who are pushing for more authentic representation both on and off screen within film. They will be discussing their hopes for the future in the industry, their favourite bits of content and sharing all their upcoming projects!

^{Kayden Phoneix, Writer/Director}

What is your hope for the future in the industry surrounding the representation and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people on and off screen? Is there one bit of LGBTQIA+ content that you looked up to and really admire?

My hope is to be seen as a person. As an equal. It's sad to even have to say that but I have 3 on my diversity card (lesbian, female, Chicana) so I see it in every aspect of my life. Regarding queer representation on screen, we're very slowly getting "normalized" and are not tragic content where we get killed, are the killer, or don't get the lover at the end because we fall to society (Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Ammonite, Carol, etc ). You can see the progress in the new teen content like Hulu's Crush and Netflix's Heartstoppers where the leads just exist (like straights are allowed to do). I absolutely love the authenticity and rawness of Desert Hearts.


Any information about upcoming/previous work - what inspired you to make this story?

I write all the time so will speak about my last queer film. I wrote and directed 'Penance', a queer horror short that hit Cinequest, Outfest, every major queer and horror film festival, and sold to GunPowder & Sky. I wrote it to show the horrors of conversion therapy in a very twisted and digestible way. I got excerpts from pastors/ministers/priests of their hatred for queers as they preached to their congregation and I used it in the film. This is the hate we hear for existing and the indoctrination that is forced so heavily upon us and I wanted to have the Latinnials (Latine millennials) get their justice. Anyway, it's on Alter!

Follow Kayden on Instagram: @kaydenphoenix

Follow Kayden on Twitter: @kayden_phoenix

^{Deborah Espect, Editor}

What is your hope for the future in the industry surrounding the representation and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people on and off screen? Is there one bit of LGBTQIA+ content that you looked up to and really admire?

I think on-screen representation is getting much better; we see more of our characters having other storylines than just coming out. Being queer isn't used so much as a plot device anymore. And we see more diversity on screen within our community, too.  As a teenager in the 90s, I had no queer characters that I could look up to, or identify with; and no one to talk to about it in real life, either. Now I see kids and young adults being able to express themselves and live their true lives, and it's fabulous. But I live in Brighton, which isn't a massively accurate representation of the UK, or the world! Although, coming from France, I've always found the UK to be more progressive when it comes to LGBTQIA+ rights. Even now. So my hope is that things will continue to progress in the right direction, which is not a given, considering everything that's going on at the moment. Having said that, there is sometimes still a massive misunderstanding around what kind of representation we need. Look at Killing Eve - did we really need to watch our beloved antihero get killed? In such a gruesome way, and just after finally getting together with Eve? It was such a cliché ending, I actually gasped in disbelief when I watched it. But on the plus side, it put my short film The World Can Wait back into the spotlight, as it dealt with exactly that: the dead lesbian trope in popular culture. So I would say to anyone introducing LGBTQIA+ content into their work: if you're not part of our community, talk to people who are. Ask us what we want, and just as importantly, what we don't want. And include us in any decision-making relating to our characters. 

'But I'm a Cheerleader' remains my all-time favourite queer movie, and it's over 20 years old. It's funny, the aesthetics are brilliant and it's still so current. Plus, it has a very happy, fabulously cheesy lesbian ending.


Any information about upcoming/previous work - what inspired you to make this story?

I have been developing a feature called Jodie with an all-female production company, MakeLight. It's a queer coming-of-middle-age story about identity, grunge and early menopause, and we are currently looking for investors. I'm also editing a feature documentary which I made about a Brighton band called Siren, made up of 4 lesbian activists in their 60s and 70s. They were very politically active in the 80s in Brighton and are truly inspiring! And I've just shot a lesbian period drama parody which I'm also currently editing. It's extremely silly, but hopefully in a good way. 

I also run FilmPride, which is Brighton & Hove Pride's official LGBTQIA+ film festival. This year, we're going to have a tent at Fabuloso, in Preston Park, which is the heart of the Brighton Pride festivities. My mission with FilmPride is to elevate independent queer filmmakers, and to provide high-quality queer content to our communities. We're going to show short films, documentaries, animations, music and experimental videos, on all things queer. Submissions are still open and I'd like to give Primetime members a 50% discount on the fee, with the waiver FP502022  via our FilmFreeway page, filmfreeway.com/filmpride.

Follow Deborah on Instagram: @debespect

Follow Deborah on Twitter: @DebEspect

^{Adiescar Chase, Composer}

What is your hope for the future in the industry surrounding the representation and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people on and off screen? Is there one bit of LGBTQIA+ content that you looked up to and really admire?

More people are becoming aware of the different types of sexuality and identities, not just gay and straight, male and female. It's important that we represent the amazing spectrum of individualities out there, whether it be represented by a character in a story or by the actor who plays them on screen. It's amazing to hear people's joy when they identify with someone in a film or on tv etc. I hope in the future everyone will be able to share that feeling in equal measure!  I think the content that I most admire is when you see characters who are part of the LGBTQA+ community presented in a way that is totally natural, totally normal! For instance I'm a massive fan of anime/cartoons and typically I've found these topics have been screened/hidden from this medium. One of my favourite moments was the relationship between Korra and Asami in 'The Legend of Korra'. The show didn't have to explain/push their sexuality to the audience. They date the same boy for a while, creating some initial tension, but then we see their friendship blossom. It's so sweet and real and normal! This is a similar feeling to what I had when I discovered 'Heartstopper'! On the other end of the spectrum I really enjoy Ru Paul's Drag race which is just the epitome of freedom of expression!


Any information about upcoming/previous work - what inspired you to make this story?

I was fortunate enough to compose the soundtrack for the Netflix show 'Heartstopper'. Not only does the show help provide a positive platform for the LGBTQIA+ community, I would say it's relatable for everyone. It helps give the youth of today, and everyone else for that matter, confidence in themselves, showing them that no matter who they are, or who they like, they can be happy!

Follow Adiescar on Instagram: @adiescar

Follow Adiescar on Twitter: @Adiescar

^{Lynne Davison, Writer/Director}

What is your hope for the future in the industry surrounding the representation and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people on and off screen? Is there one bit of LGBTQIA+ content that you looked up to and really admire?

My hope for the future is that when we show a gay couple, like Phastos and his husband in Marvel's Eternals, it will not be newsworthy. Instead, it will simply be a standard representation of humanity and love. Only when LGBTQIA+ Writers, Directors and Producers helm the stories we present to the world will we find ourselves in a space of genuine representation, equality and normality. 

In 2018 I went to the cinema with my brother and niece. We hadn't preselected our film and decided from the poster that 'Love, Simon' looked light and funny, perfect Saturday afternoon viewing. Little did we know that what we were about to watch would leave us in joyous tears because we had stumbled upon an expertly packaged romantic coming of age story that just happened to be gay. 'Love, Simon' was beautifully mainstream, allowing a wide audience to enjoy, learn and grow.


Any information about upcoming/previous work - what inspired you to make this story?

Genre filmmaking has always attracted me because of the issues we can explore under the guise of a fantastical element. My first feature, "Mandrake", may appear to be a simple folk horror, but I assure you it is much more. I found myself drawn to Mandrake by the two central characters. Two flawed powerful women are both complicated with an unexplainable connection, which concludes with a haunting possibility. Throughout my film, I explore an overarching theme of Motherhood which presents itself to the audience in many unexpected forms, keenly challenging the stereotypes in which women are so often pigeonholed. Representation and questioning what is expected are intrinsic parts of my journey as a filmmaker and person. I exercise what I like to call 'Conscious Creativity' in every project I am attached to, hoping that I can share a fairer, truer snippet of our world and how we all coexist within it.

Follow Lynne on Instagram:@lynnedavison

Follow Lynne on Twitter: @lynnedavison

^{Cassandra Roberts, Editor}

What is your hope for the future in the industry surrounding the representation and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people on and off screen? Is there one bit of LGBTQIA+ content that you looked up to and really admire?

In the future, I would like to think that representation would become the norm rather than something we are constantly striving towards. I’d like to see a diverse range of people hired across productions both on-screen and off-screen and actual visibility for underrepresented groups. For this to happen though, opportunities must be offered including training programmes. Productions have a long way to go to be more inclusive for all but I am optimistic that change is happening. Recently I have been enjoying HBO’s Euphoria. Despite it’s often confronting subject matter, I think it highlights a new inclusive world that normalises queerness in all it’s forms. It’s great to see this happening more and more in mainstream programming on major networks.


Any information about upcoming/previous work - what inspired you to make this story?

I am currently editing two episodes of "Planet Sex" with Cara Delevingne for Hulu/BBC3. It’s a Naked TV/Fremantle production. This has been an incredible series to work on as the subject matter is fascinating, with a range of episodes that include gender, sexuality and relationships. It’s also one of the few times where I have seen true representation at all levels of the team and even across post-production. It’s an exciting series that will hopefully make an impact in terms of on-screen and off-screen representation. TX date TBC.

Follow Cassandra on Instagram: @darlingprojections

Follow Cassandra on Twitter: @uptomischief @darlnprojection

^{Cristal Jefferson, Cinematographer}

What is your hope for the future in the industry surrounding the representation and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people on and off screen? Is there one bit of LGBTQIA+ content that you looked up to and really admire?

Between 2021-2022 11.9% of characters shown on American primetime TV were LGBTQIA+ characters, up 2.8% from the previous year. While strides are being made in the film industry, there is still more to be done, especially during a time where LGBTQIA+ people are being persecuted on a daily basis by state and government legislation. My hope for the future of inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people on and off-screen is simple: more, and sooner rather than later. When you have sets where you are seen and see yourself in your crew or your talent, it changes the energy on set which then translates into the execution of pieces, then translates to LGBTQIA+ audiences feeling that love, and hopefully, they pick up a camera, a pen, a mic, a light, etc. to create what they see and the cycle continues. With more of that then we can strive for bigger goals; let's say 80% by 2023?

'Neptune Frost' is an Afrofuturist musical that really struck me recently. Anisia Uzeyman, a female cinematographer, did incredible work with shot placement, lighting, and being able to truly capture the emotions of a character on screen. The intersex character in the movie was not used as a token; their identity wasn't the main focus but they were placed in the story as any other character who has immense value past their sexuality or gender. Their power was in who they are as a person and what they were able to bring to the ensemble from their unique perspective and skills. 


Any information about upcoming/previous work (including poster/stills from the project) - what inspired you to make this story?

Luckily my work allows me to collaborate with many producers across VICE Media in assisting them to help their pieces come to life on Vice, Noisey, or Munchies YouTube channels or socials. One-piece I'm super proud of is my shoot with Benny's Club. Benny's Club is a Queer/POC surf collective in the Rockaways and they allowed Alyza Enriquez and I to hang out with them for the day. It was one of the first shoots I have been on where I felt as though I had 100% creative freedom and I had fun experimenting with different lenses and techniques. With this piece, I believe I was able to capture the softness, kindness, and openness that the members of this collective exude and I'm really happy to have been welcomed in for the day.

Follow Cristal on Instagram: @cristal_cash

^{Olivia Morrison, Camera Trainee}

What is your hope for the future in the industry surrounding the representation and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people on and off screen? Is there one bit of LGBTQIA+ content that you looked up to and really admire?

My hope for the future is that we see not only a rise in inclusivity but also clear support and care for crew/cast members. We can currently see wonderful Initiatives being made such as the Trans+ on Screen Directory, pushes from production companies to hire more inclusively via platforms such as Equal Access Network. There’s also been a strong effort from LGBTQIA+ filmmakers helping push the entry barriers for industry beginners, a wonderful example being from the Trans Creative Collective who have recently been running camera trainee workshops! These fantastic opportunities are what helps to make our industry more inclusive and the push from the community and support for others is a real strength. A piece of LGBTQIA+ content I look up to and really admire is the "Otherness Archive", a visual archive documenting queer filmmakers. While we can get so focused on our future and careers, it’s important to reflect on our collective history as a community and to learn the history of others, a necessity to ensure we create a more inclusive future for ourselves.


Any information about upcoming/previous work - what inspired you to make this story?

I’ve currently been working on a series of short documentaries focused around LGBTQIA+ stories, the most recent of which being “Hug Me Properly” (2021). I was inspired to make this film during the last lockdown, when many of my peers had lost their safe spaces and their contact with IRL communities, highlighting the importance of these networks especially during a pandemic.

Follow Olivia on Instagram: @oliviagmorrison

Follow Olivia on Twitter: @Oliviagmorrison

^{Siri Rodnes, Director}

What is your hope for the future in the industry surrounding the representation and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people on and off screen? Is there one bit of LGBTQIA+ content that you looked up to and really admire?

The short answer is that I hope the future of representation and inclusion in the industry achieves an accurate reflection of society’s current and future array of identities. The long answer is that I think LGBTQIA+ representation is tricky to quantify. There are a kajillion different LGBTQIA+ experiences and identities, so what represents one person or group of people doesn’t come close to representing others. Lesbians and gay men are a very basic example of that. Their subcultures intersect of course but are not always reflective of each other. Adding the B, the T and all the pluses may make it a "community", but one full of very different experiences, lifestyles, wants, desires and film choices. Which I think is maybe my point. As we are discovering (as demonstrated fiercely by Gen Z) identity is a hot fluid beautiful mess, where “exclusively straight” may soon be the minority. So, I think the only way to get close to accurate representation is to have as many different queer stories being told by as many different queer filmmakers across all genres and at all levels. Making queer culture more appealing to the mainstream may help to keep us safer on the streets and online, but it is not without its cost elsewhere. The evolution of LGBTQIA+ culture is distinct and alternative, and its unique characteristics are very important to me and my queer friends. Not to forget, it is also under constant attack (be it corporate £ signs or good old-fashioned bigotry…), so I think it's only natural to feel protective over it. However, I don’t believe being queer is nor ever should be exclusive, so as protective as I am of my communities multi-faceted culture and right to exist in all its forms, I believe it should be open and welcoming to anyone genuinely curious. As initiatives such as the British Council’s FiveFilms4Freedom prove; cinema is sometimes the only access to queerness many people have, be it publicly or privately. Queer stories save queer lives, and they teach society about our equal and shared humanity. A little empathy goes a long way which is why film is such a powerful storytelling medium. I think Bound by the Wachowski’s was a pretty significant movie for me as a young queer. I was like 14 or 15 when I saw it on VHS and it felt both shocking and affirming to see a clever female queer-centric genre film hold its own amidst the excess of heteronormative action movies I was watching in the 90s.


Any information about upcoming/previous work - what inspired you to make this story?

Earlier this year I was approached by Autoheart to devise and direct a music video for them. They had seen my short films at BFI Flare and thought my cinematic style was a good fit for their track Time Machine. The tune has a dreamy quality and the lyrics reminisce of an early formative relationship, perhaps of a lover, or perhaps just an older queer role model. I chose to depict the moment these two characters meet for the first time. And because it is a music video, I also chose to make them dance it out... It’s fun and silly and super queer! The video will be release with Autoheart’s forthcoming EP in July 2022.

I am also currently putting together my debut feature film with support from Screen Scotland. It is an adaptation of the Nebula Award nominated novella Nine Lives, written in 1969 by world renowned author and all-round legend Ursula K. Le Guin. Although set in distant space, it is a poignant and topical examination of how we live now; how we treat “others”; the environmental cost of human progress; the dizzying effects of new technology and bio-engineering on society and the individual; as well as a timeless story of humanity’s endless ability to adapt to strange, inhospitable new environments. Mankind of the past coming into contact with its own future is as relevant a proposition to explore right now as it was in 1969. Our adaptation digs deep into these themes with contemporary updates. The clones for example provide the perfect opportunity to play with gender-fluid representations without it being the focus of the narrative. It is exciting to work from such strong and enduring material. I think too often genre’s such as science fiction are dismissed simply as “entertainment”, but if we follow in the footsteps of pioneers such as Le Guin it can be so, so much more!

Follow Siri on Instagram: @sirirodnes

Follow Siri on Twitter: @SiriRodnes