OUR VISION

Lesflicks launched in March 2019 because we were tired of seeing so many great films with lesbian and bisexual storylines struggling to obtain funding, get distribution, or even with distribution just weren’t reaching their audience. The film industry claims that there isn’t an audience for LBQ content making it tough for filmmakers to be heard and for content to be created. At the same time, we would see womxn everywhere yearning for more content and representation, asking for recommendations of where to find films and what to watch. The disconnect was clear; this community does have a voice and we do want to be heard and seen, so we at Lesflicks vowed to help both the fans and the creators achieve this together.

THE HISTORY BEHIND LESFLICKS

The founder of Lesflicks, Naomi Bennett, previously ran a lesbian lifestyle website, Planet Nation (originally known as Planet London), and thus was a frequent attendee at LGBT film festivals and spoke with many independent female filmmakers.

She was increasingly frustrated and surprised at how many films were being made but not getting distribution, and ultimately not reaching their audience (who were at the same time begging for more films to watch!). It was also clear that there was a disconnect between filmmakers so that mistakes were being made with regards to marketing and distribution decisions that could have been prevented had there been better sharing of knowledge and experiences within the creative community.

After a number of great conversations with filmmakers and industry professionals over the years, Naomi decided to forge ahead to bridge this gap in the industry between filmmakers and their audience. In February 2019 she started working on Lesflicks as a brand and a website. In March 2019 it was launched and by September 2019 the Lesflicks Video on Demand (VOD) platform was up and running!

WHAT DO WE DO?

Data collection: through our We Are An Audience survey and our Lesflicks Film Club feedback forms we are building a picture of how LBQ women find out about and access lesbian and bisexual themed films. We aim to produce data and highlight trends that dispel the myth that there is no audience for lesbian films, and to instead highlight the gaps and possible changes to the current distribution model to increase viewers of these films both in cinemas and also through digital channels.

WHO ARE WE?

We’re a community organisation that is volunteer-driven. Our team consists of kind-hearted lesbian, bisexual and queer womxn who dedicate time in their lives to help this community come together so that we may elevate each other’s voices and encourage positive LBQ representation. Also, the more subscribers we have, the more money is reinvested back into making yet more lesbian and bisexual content which we all want and love! #WeAreAnAudience

CAN YOU HELP US?

Our vision is bold and there is much to do; if you share our passion for getting more LBQ content the recognition it deserves, helping fans understand the importance of supporting filmmakers and not illegally viewing films, as well as bringing our community together with our Film Clubs and other events, get in touch with us! We are always looking for more like-minded people to volunteer.

Or if you are able to donate towards our running costs of Lesflicks we promise to put your generosity to good use! Help us support you and achieve great things for our community by donating whatever you can. Every little bit helps. Thanks!

Who are our clients?

Unlike many independent LGBTQ+ streaming platforms, our clients are very diverse and include several sales agents and distributors as well as independent producers and directors. Our clients are those that provide the content which we deliver to our audience.

We deliver regular royalty payments, which means we have a 100% client satisfaction rate and have never lost a client. Not only do we pay them regularly based on views from audiences, but we share industry insight, data and regularly review opportunities in the industry that help to move the needle and improve the landscape for all.

2023 marks a very significant year for us at Lesflicks. The industry is moving very fast, and we’ve been ahead of the curve to date. But the pressure is on to grow fast. Many filmmakers want their films with us but we’re not big enough yet for their distributors to get on board. We’re at that tough stage of growth or stagnate. We reviewed our progress through 2022 and celebrated our achievements as we prepare to enter our most significant year to date.