Project Detail

Lonelier Than Love

Two people sat in the street at night time. They are dressed in club-wear. Shadows partially cover their faces and lights blur in the background.
A person sitting next to a window, looking out of it. The room is bathed in warm, morning light.

Synopsis

A poetic and visceral drama set against the colour-drenched backdrop of Liverpool’s queer nightlife, that dives headfirst into the chaos where drugs, romance, and self-destruction intertwine.
Told through fragmented timelines, spoken word poetry, and an immersive soundtrack, the film offers a subjective journey into the mind of Wolfy, who is caught in cycles of addiction and toxic love. Nights blur into days and back into nights again, each one a distorted reflection of the last.
Wolfy’s familiar rhythm of euphoria, comedowns and self-loathing is mellowed by Snooze, a charismatic, carefree lover, desperate to bring Wolfy out of his shell. Their connection burns bright but is dangerously fuelled by escapism and the promise of a freedom that always dissolves with the sunrise. As drugs and desire merge, the line between comfort and destruction becomes harder to see, until Wolfy must confront the reality that he’s been drowning out in the noise.
Exploring the tension between escapism and awareness - the struggle of knowing the damage being done, but feeling powerless to stop it.
Official Selection BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival 2026 - World premiere

Details

Year
2026
Type of project
Shorts
Running time
10 min 36 sec
Format
Digital
Director
Em J Gilbertson
Producer
Lily Corke Butters
Executive Producer
Michelle Brøndum, Benjamin Taylor, Alice Cabañas
Editor
Lesley Posso
Screenwriter
Felix Mufti
Director of Photography
Matthew Bates
Production Designer
Jocelyn Meall
Sound
Luke Hodgkinson
Composer
Matt MacNamara
Principal cast
Felix Mufti, Matthew Devlin, Shaun Fagan
Costume Designer
Sara Carpentieri
Sound Designer
Em Edwards
Colourist
Paul Handley

Categories

Production Status

Production Company

Supported by BFI NETWORK

Oxygen Films

Gage Oxley
2 Stourton Haigh
Pontefract Road
Hunslet
Leeds
LS10 1AX

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