Telling a story that is ‘very much untold’
LGBTQ+ film launched to ignite conversation
An LGBTQ+ film made by an independent Ascot filmmaker premiered at Reading Biscuit Factory yesterday (Thursday) – with a later showing set for Windsor.
Director, writer and doctor Keshav Shree made the darkly comic independent film
‘Happy Retirement Mr Pickering’ to ignite conversation about loneliness among older LGBTQ+ people.
Centred around the taboos of mental health, the film follows a 65-year-old man who has just retired – contrasting how he imagines his life will be to bleak reality, as he struggles with his sexuality and how to talk to his wife about it.
Keshav hopes that his experience talking to communities, working in psychiatric wards
and listening to his casts’ own stories can give audiences a realistic insight into a story that is ‘very much untold.’
“We seem to have forgotten the people who paved the way for today’s LGBTQ+ community,” he said.
“There’s a lot of people in that generation who have been left behind by the [growing LGBTQ+] movement.
“They struggled most with the stigma of being homosexual in the 60s and 70s and then in the AIDS epidemic.
“Even today this community continues to be most disadvantaged with the worst mental health statistics, as well as discriminatory social and healthcare support.”
A recent study by MetLife showed that more than 32 per cent of older LGBTQ+ people fear ‘being lonely and growing old alone’ compared to 19 per cent of heterosexuals in the same age group.
The all-50+ year-old cast of the film urge the elderly to get out and start important conversations about mental health and LGBTQ+ rights even if it is deemed a ‘snowflake’ generational topic.
In the leading role is Kevin West, an actor of more than 25 years.
“Homosexuality was made legal when I was 13-14 and the hangover from it being illegal for the decades before certainly affected me,” he said.
“I tried for a long time to pursue heterosexual relationships but in the end found happiness elsewhere.
“This film tells a salient story about coming-out as an older person and I’m very excited to bring it to life.”
Playing his curtaintwitching, iron-willed wife is Linda Jean-Barry, a New York Film Festival best actress winner.
“We need to make this film so we can change the perception of homosexuality and how dire the mental health is in these older LGBTQ+ communities,” she said.
Happy Retirement Mr Pickering hits the screen at the following venues and dates:
The Boileroom Guildford, November 24 at 7pm
The Old Court Windsor, December 8 at 8pm