Will Seefried‘s romance drama “Lilies Not for Me,” led by Fionn O’Shea (“Normal People”) and Robert Aramayo (“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”), has been boarded by Memento International in the run up to its world premiere at the Edinburgh Film Festival.
The cast of rising actors also includes Erin Kellyman (“Willow”), Jodi Balfour (“Ted Lasso,” “The Crown”) and Louis Hofmann (“Dark”).
Set in 1920s England, “Lilies Not for Me” revolves around a gay novelist and his psychiatric nurse who form an unlikely friendship over a series of doctor-prescribed dates. “Through their conversations, he tells her the story of his relationship with an old friend which spiraled out of control when they turned to a risky procedure to cure themselves of their forbidden feelings for one another,” the synopsis reads.
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The film hails from “Call Me by Your Name” producers Emilie Georges and Naima Abed at Paradise City, as well as Hannes Otto, Roelof Storm and Seefried at their newly launched banner Wolflight. Aramayo serves as executive producer, alongside Julia Zak for Cinetic Media, Cindy Gabriel for Giant Films, Vincent Mai, Alessandro Iovino and Anthony de Rauville. UTA Independent Film Group is representing domestic rights in North America.
Seefried is an up-and-coming filmmaker who previously directed the short film “Homesick,” which premiered at SXSW in 2022 and went on to win several prizes. The screenplay for “Lilies Not for Me” was a semifinalist for the Academy Nicholl Fellowship in 2021.
The director said “Lilies Not for Me” is “about choosing love over fear.”
“The story is inspired by a part of queer history that not many people know about, but it’s shocking how relevant it still is today,” he said, adding that he hopes “the film will move people to reclaim the narratives that haunt them and remember that self-love is a revolutionary act.” Seefried is repped by UTA Independent Film Group.
“‘Lilies Not for Me’ is a poignant tale of love and resilience,” Memento International said in a statement, adding that the “outstanding ensemble cast delivers strong and touching performances, bringing authenticity, depth and light to this important story” which is a “powerful statement on the suffocating constraints of society dictating human behavior and the courage it takes to defy them.”
Aside from “Lilies Not for Me,” Memento International’s slate comprises Directors’ Fortnight award winner “The Other Way Around” by Jonás Trueba and Ryan J.Sloan’s U.S. psychological thriller “Gazer.” The current lineup also includes Haifaa Al-Mansour’s new film “Unidentified,” which is currently in production, as well as several films in post, including Emilie Blichfieldt’s “The Ugly Stepsister,” biopic “The Divine Sarah Bernhardt” by Guillaume Nicloux and corporate thriller “Arenas” by Camille Perton.
