Flesh and Flamingos (working title)

Bradford 2025 is supporting the first feature film by Dominic Leclerc, the Bradford-born and Bradford-based director of Sex Education, Skins, The Teacher and other acclaimed TV dramas. Flesh and Flamingos reveals the hidden history of northern queer culture through the photographers who bravely caught it on camera – particularly the pioneering work of Yorkshire photographer Stuart Linden Rhodes, who celebrated northern queer life in all its glory.

Persecuted, demonised, criminalised – the ’80s and ’90s was a turbulent era for the UK’s gay community. Homophobia was not only prevalent across society: it was also legitimised by Section 28, government legislation to outlaw the so-called ‘promotion of homosexuality’ by local councils. The queer community faced constant discrimination – but they also faced it down with defiance, solidarity and pride.

Flesh and Flamingos sees director Dominic Leclerc explore this world, which shaped him as a young queer man: the prejudice he faced, the community he found, and the photographers whose work documented and celebrated the thrilling northern queer culture that thrived against the odds.

Produced by the BAFTA-nominated, BIFA-winning Ameenah Ayub Allen (Rocks, Ali & Ava, The Arbor), Flesh and Flamingos is scheduled to go into production during 2025 – and we’ll bring you updates as the work progresses.