Peccadillo Pictures is delighted to announce that Departures, from Manchester based directing duo Lloyd Eyre-Morgan and Neil Ely, will be released in UK & Irish cinemas from 17th April.
Having premiered at BFI Flare, the film’s raw honesty has proven to connect with critics, with CineramaFilm awarding the film 4 stars saying “Departures isn’t just one of the best gay movies of the year so far; it’s one of the most insightful, as perfectly timed comedy, powerful drama, and lived experience combine to create a one-of-a-kind movie”.
Benji encounters Jake at an airport gate, there is instant chemistry. Their relationship unfolds through monthly secret trips to Amsterdam. A must-see British comedy-drama that dissects a toxic relationship with humour and raw emotion. Inspired by real heartbreak. What begins as thrilling monthly getaways to Amsterdam soon unravels into a doomed relationship of convenience. Struggling to move on after being dumped, Benji spirals into addiction and fleeting hook-ups, haunted by the love he lost.
Departures stars Lloyd Eyre-Morgan (Outings, 3 in a Bed), David Tag (Hollyoaks, Waterloo Road), Tyler Conti (Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen, Hollyoaks) and Liam Boyle (Emmerdale Farm, Coronation Street). Created by a collective of British, working-class LGBTQI+ filmmakers, Departures is a darkly comic, emotionally charged journey. Think Shirley Valentine meets LGBTQ Trainspotting.
Speaking on the release of their collaborative feature debut, Directors Lloyd Eyre-Morgan and Neil Ely, who previously directed the short film S.A.M. together, commented “Departures is self-financed by Manchester creatives who believe in the story enough to carry it forward without waiting for permission or institutional support. Every step of the film is built through persistence, and a shared belief in what we are trying to say. We work with working-class Manchester creatives to tell a unique LGBTQ story based on the filmmakers’ lived experiences.
For Departures to receive a national cinema release is something we are incredibly proud of. It is a rare and meaningful moment for us, and proof that films made outside traditional systems can still reach audiences on the biggest screens. This release represents more than just a film—it represents access, visibility, and the value of voices that are too often overlooked in national cinema.
We hope Departures stands as encouragement to other emerging filmmakers: that it is possible to take risks on yourselves, to tell the stories you know, and to be seen.”
To celebrate the release there will be a special hometown Q&A screening in Manchester on 17th April. The Q&A will be hosted by Russell T Davis (Dr Who, It’s A Sin) who praised the film as “Honest, raw, tough, wildly funny and powerfully heartfelt…”.
