Queer Shoreham Film Trails to turn the town into an outdoor cinema this March
Shoreham‑by‑Sea is set to become an open‑air cinema this March as a series of Queer Shoreham Film Trails bring LGBTQ+ short films to the town’s streets and public spaces.
Across three Tuesday evenings - 3, 10 and 17 March - audiences will be guided on curated walking routes through Shoreham town centre, stopping to watch films projected onto buildings and walls. The free events promise a night‑time moving‑image experience that blends animation, documentary, experimental film and poetic fiction.
The programme, created by videoclub in collaboration with young people from Esteem Youth Charity, was selected from hundreds of international submissions. Organisers say the films explore themes including identity, grief, memory, desire and belonging, with the aim of transforming the town into a shared space for queer storytelling and collective reflection.
Andy Nall‑Cain, Head of Programmes & Communications at Esteem, said the project had been hugely empowering for the young people involved.
“At Esteem, young people can belong and make a difference regardless of the challenges they face. Seeing young people lead the curation of these trails has been inspiring. It produced a fantastic programme and directly supported their growth in confidence, skills and wellbeing.”
Projected outdoors after dark, each trail presents a different route and a unique selection of works, encouraging audiences to see Shoreham in a new light. Jamie Wyld, Director of videoclub, said the team was delighted to bring the project to the town.
“We’re thrilled to be presenting these film trails in Shoreham – a town with such a rich cinematic history. Outdoor screenings are a great way to engage audiences and we know these joyous evenings will help people come together and see the town in new ways.”
The films chosen span continents, styles and generations. Among them is work by London‑based Greek artist Alexandra Olympia Peristeraki, whose films delve into the hidden worlds of digital technologies and the labour behind them. Buenos Aires–born filmmaker Julieta Tetelbaum contributes Black Chalk, an intimate portrayal of a neurodivergent woman navigating daily life and social exclusion.
Portuguese animator Mariana Leal examines how LGBTQ+ communities have reshaped rituals of grief and care in the aftermath of the AIDS crisis, while Huddersfield artist Oran O’Sullivan revisits a little‑remembered moment in northern queer history: the 1981 Huddersfield Pride march.
Other films tackle themes of drag, disability, migration, sport, memory and transformation - ranging from quiet meditations on goodbye and belonging to joyful celebrations of queer community and resilience.
The organisers say the events are designed to be accessible, inclusive and welcoming to all, offering a communal cultural experience in the heart of Shoreham.
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