Lilies Not for Me (UK, 2024)

A devastatingly heart-wrenching yet poetically breathtaking period drama, Lilies Not for Me delves into one of the darkest chapters in scientific history—when unethical medical experiments were weaponized as conversion and aversion therapy for homosexuals.
Set in 1920s Britain, the film opens inside a psychiatric institution where Nurse Dorothy (Erin Kellyman) is tasked with “dating” her patient, a gay novelist named Owen (Fionn O’Shea), under the guise of a supposed cure. Through their sessions, Owen recounts the story behind his novel, transporting us to his cottage in the idyllic English countryside—a setting evoking the elegance of Merchant Ivory classics.

In a series of flashbacks, we meet Philip (Robert Aramayo), Owen’s schoolboy crush, who comes to stay at the cottage. Philip, now a medical student, is convinced that the study he is involved in offers a cure for their so-called “sickness” and implores Owen to assist him with the procedure. Consumed by internalized homophobia, Philip is torn between his desire for Owen and his shame over their sexuality. Owen, by contrast, refuses to see his attraction as an affliction and is horrified by the experiment.
Their fragile bond is disrupted when a stranger, Charles (Louis Hofmann), arrives at the cottage seeking shelter from a storm. Married with a child, Charles nonetheless gravitates toward Owen, sparking an intense sexual and romantic connection. From a daring encounter upon an ancient oak tree to his unabashed comfort with nudity, Charles radiates a confidence in his sexuality that Owen finds both liberating and affirming. In a pivotal and defiant moment, Owen tells Philip: “It’s time for you to return to the life you’ve chosen. Leave me to mine.”
In a dazzling feature debut, writer-director Will Seefried crafts a visually striking and emotionally searing film. Carried by a remarkable cast, Lilies Not for Me both dazzles and devastates, shedding light on a neglected story from a shameful era in queer history.