WAC celebrates LGBTQ+ 20th Anniversary with queer film stories

To coincide with February's 20th anniversary of LGBTQ+ History Month, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry, is showcasing queer stories from recent film history. With 1980s-1990s films from Yugoslavia and East Germany alongside contemporary and modern British stories, the season spans East to West, across Europe.

Accompanying each screening are short films exploring LGBTQUIA+ stories from both local and Eastern European filmmakers too. The East To West LGBTQUIA+ Cinema Season starts on Valentine's Day with the 1990s classic, Beautiful Thing (cert 15; Fri 14 Feb 2025) - Hettie MacDonald’s romantic London-based story of two teenagers falling in love to the soundtrack of Mama Cass.

Coming Out (cert 15; Fri 21 Feb 2025) follows an East German teacher who begins to question his sexuality after a reunion with a childhood friend, while the landmark Marble Ass (cert 18; Fri 28 Feb 2025) tells the story of a trans sex worker in mid-90s Belgrade - both films have won Teddy Awards at the Berlin International Film Festival.

The final film is Layla (cert 15; Mon 3 Mar 2025), with writer/director Amrou Al-Kadhi in discussion with Warwick Arts Centre Associate Artist Adam Carver (aka Fatt Butcher). A festival favourite, Amrou's striking debut feature follows the story of a struggling Arab drag queen whose confident façade hides their desperate desire for love.

For more information on Warwick Arts Centre's East To West LGBTQUIA+ Cinema Season, and to book tickets, visit: warwickartscentre.co.uk