Queerama is a film created from the treasure trove of the British Film Institute archive. The story traverses a century of gay experiences, encompassing persecution and prosecution, injustice, love and desire, identity, secrets, forbidden encounters, sexual liberation and pride. The soundtrack weaves the lyrics and music of John Grant and Hercules & Love Affair with the images and guides us intimately into the relationships, desires, fears and expressions of gay men and women in the 20th century – a century of incredible change. 

Starting with the first gay relationship on film released in 1919, Different From the Others, Queerama offers a wealth of unknown newsreels and amateur films from the 20s and 30s, the subtextual references in 40s cinema, the arrests and prosecutions of gay men for ‘gross indecency’ in the 50s, the early gay rights marches and decriminalisation of the 60s and 70s, the campaigns for an equal age of consent and against section 28, the Pride movement and AIDS crisis in the 80s and 90s, the sexual liberation of the 00s queer and transgender scene and the chemsex, gay parenting and marriage campaign of recent years.

Daisy Asquith has made more than 20 documentaries for British television and Queerama is her third feature. She also teaches the MA in Screen Documentary at Goldsmiths University. 

“I am delighted to be a part of Side by Side this year. It's very important to me that Queerama gets out into the world. It is meant as a celebration of how far we have come with gay rights, but also a warning cry – no one should tell us who or how to love."