Lilies Not for Me

Lilies Not For Me is a 2024 period drama film, written and directed by Will Seefried. It premiered at the 2024 Edinburgh International Film Festival and was released digitally by Gravitas Ventures in April 2025.^[1][2]

Lilies Not for Me
Directed by	Will Seefried
Written by	Will Seefried
Produced by	Émilie Georges Naima Abed Hannes Otto Roelof Storm Will Seefried
Starring	Fionn O'Shea Robert Aramayo Erin Kellyman Jodi Balfour Louis Hofmann
Cinematography	Cory Fraiman-Lott
Edited by	Julia Bloch
Music by	Theodosia Roussos
Production companies	Wolflight Films Paradise City
Distributed by	Gravitas Ventures
Release dates	16 August 2024 (2024-08-16) (Edinburgh International Film Festival) 12 March 2025 (2025-03-12) (France)
Running time	99 minutes
Countries	United Kingdom France South Africa United States
Language	English

Plot

Set in 1920s England, the film follows Owen James (Fionn O'Shea), an aspiring novelist who was admitted to a medical facility that claims to "cure" homosexual tendencies through then-experimental procedures. As part of Owen's treatment, he is placed under the care of Nurse Dorothy (Erin Kellyman), with whom he shares prescribed daily teatime sessions meant to prepare him for a so-called "normal" heterosexual life.^[3]

Through a series of flashbacks, Owen's backstory gradually unfolds, revealing a clandestine affair and the traumatic consequences of a risky, unproven practice that promised to suppress same-sex desire. In the present, the narrative focuses on Owen's growing bond with Dorothy, whose open-mindedness contrasts sharply with the hospital’s repressive ethos. Meanwhile, characters played by Robert Aramayo and Louis Hofmann factor into Owen's past—and potentially his future—as the facility's staff and patients wrestle with moral, psychological, and social pressures.^[2]

Cast

• Fionn O'Shea as Owen James, an aspiring novelist who is confined to a 1920s medical facility in an effort to "cure" his homosexual tendencies.
• Erin Kellyman as Nurse Dorothy, Owen's assigned caretaker and daily "teatime date", tasked with preparing him for a supposedly "normal" heterosexual life.
• Robert Aramayo as Philip, featured in flashbacks and present-day sequences that intertwine with Owen's story and the experimental treatment.
• Louis Hofmann as Charles, another figure from Owen's past or present, tied to the larger mystery of the experimental "cure" and its chilling consequences.
• Jodi Balfour in a supporting role, part of the ensemble surrounding Owen's experiences and the facility's repressive environment.

Production

Lilies Not For Me marks Will Seefried's feature directorial debut, produced by Émilie Georges and Naima Abed (whose past credits include producing Luca Guadagnino's Call Me By Your Name). Seefried, who also wrote the screenplay, drew inspiration from archival research into early 20th-century practices that had purported to "cure" homosexuality.^[3] Principal photography took place on location in England, with set design and costumes chosen to authentically portray the 1920s setting and underscore the film's themes of repression and forbidden desire. In interviews, Seefried cited classic queer works like James Baldwin's Giovanni's Room, Todd Haynes's Carol, and Merchant-Ivory's Maurice as key influences for the film's tone and style.^[4]

Release

Lilies Not For Me had its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, where it garnered attention for its blend of romantic period drama and horror elements.^[5]

Following its festival debut, the film was acquired by Gravitas Ventures for North American distribution. It was released on digital and VOD in April 2025.^[4]