LGBTQ+ History Month 2026 at Showroom Cinema

By Oli McGrath, Digital Marketing and Events Intern  

We are celebrating LGBTQ+ History Month 2026 at Showroom with a magical season of LGBTQ+ storytelling, balancing the reality of queer experience with fantastical escapism.

‘Fly your freak flag’ with Gut Level’s Freak Film Club as they kick things off on 1 Feb with an introduction to The Handmaiden. Park Chan-wook's (No Other Choice, Old Boy) 2016 drama is filled with seduction, double-crossing, and passionate lesbian romance.

From 2 lesbians to 3000… Discover the origin of an innovative queer arts festival in the documentary 3000 Lesbians Go to York, on 3 Feb. Author and historian Jane Traies joins for a Q&A, hosted by Juno Books in partnership with Iris Prize on the Move.

We sneak in a trio of newer releases. 100 Nights of Hero (7 Feb) adds a queer feminist twist to medieval fairytales (who doesn’t love an innocent bride falling for her maid?) Meanwhile, the melancholic comedy Twinless is shockingly emotional and authentic. Come to The Chronology of Water (27 Feb) for Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut, but stay for the uncompromising depiction of love, trauma and self-expression.

We can’t have LGBTQ+ history without stunningly queer vampire erotic horror. David Bowie in The Hunger (6 Feb) fits the bill perfectly, part of our ‘Star-Man’ season honouring his on-screen career.

Animated rom-com Lesbian Space Princess brings more sci-fi, fantasy-fun. The galactic quest of Lesbian Space Princess versus ‘Straight White Maliens’ arrives just in time for Valentine’s (14 Feb).

We come back to Earth for a Showroom Community pick on 24th Feb. Baby is a vibrant and passionate Brazilian drama about ex-juvenile Wellington and a charismatic older man. If you’re after a journey of self-discovery, documentary NIÑXS follows trans teen Karla through every transition that comes with adolescence.

In collaboration with Japan Foundation, Blue Boy Trial from transgender director Iizuka Kasho brings to light the history of 1960s Tokyo’s ‘Blue Boy Incident’, which challenged the legality of gender-affirming surgery. In a time of similar legal strikes on transgender identities, this is history we must remember.

We close with our annual and much beloved screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. In collaboration with UoS Horror Society, this immersive screening is a lot of fun and a boisterous end to LGBTQ+ History Month, in support of the LGBTQ+ youth charity SAYiT. Make sure to come in fancy dress!

Come and explore queer history, past and present, and celebrate the queer community with us at Showroom.

View the full programme.