LesFlicks website promotes films that show women loving women on screen; have a central lesbian or bisexual storyline; or which have a strong lesbian or bisexual presence which shows these women in a positive light.
LesFlicks launched on March 1, 2019 because they were tired of seeing so many great films with lesbian and bisexual storylines that either weren’t getting distribution, or even with distribution just weren’t reaching their audience, yet the clear message from the industry is that there isn’t an audience and filmmakers can’t get funding to make these films.
To prove there is an audience for lesbian films LesFlicks visited LFEST Lesbian Festival in North Wales to collect key audience data last month.
Over 65% of women surveyed had not heard of the film they saw before seeing it at LFEST, despite all being fans of lesbian films and many subscribing to video on demand channels and regularly attending cinemas.
Over 100 women were surveyed as they left the twenty film screenings across the weekend. The analysis showed some exciting trends, that indicate that whilst queer women do enjoy lesbian films, they are not finding out about screenings and there is a clear disconnect between film distribution and film consumption for this demographic. Simply put the women want to see these films, but they don’t always know of their existence.
Naomi Bennett, CEO and Founder of LesFLicks said: “This initial data confirms what I had suspected all along. The women are desperate for representation on screen and to see lesbian films – both at home and in the cinema. Cinemas are reluctant to screen these films at key times due to low attendance, but the research shows if the women knew the film was on then they would attend. We can use this data to work with distributors and cinemas to help connect these films with their intended audience. It is very exciting and shows we really can have a positive impact on this industry.”
Cindy Edwards, director of LFEST added: “The cinema returned to LFEST this year after popular demand from the women who attend, and I’m delighted it was full all weekend. We’re already in talks with LesFlicks to have them return next year in a larger space so they can meet the demand. LFEST prides itself on providing a range of arts and culture and social activities across the festival weekend and the cinema is a key part of this festival. The data collected by LesFlicks is a really interesting snapshot of the festival attendees.”
Some of the key statistics collected include:
♦ Sexual orientation: Lesbian/gay 81.13%; Bisexual 10.38%; Polysexual 4.72%; Heterosexual 0.94%
♦ How do you like to watch lesbian films: computer or tablet 65.09%; Mainstream public cinema 45.28%; Women only cinema 36.79%; DVD at home alone 37.74%; DVD at home with friends 42.45%; Mobile device 13.21%
♦ Do you think that mainstream platforms provide you with the lesbian films you want to see? Not at all 19.81%; Not really 46.23%; Sometimes 33.02%; Yes 0%
♦ What kind of films do you like to watch: Features 86.79%; Documentaries 69.81%; Web Series 42.45%; Shorts 48.11%
♦ Are you interested in donating to future lesbian films? Yes 20.37%; No 30.56%; Maybe 49.07%
♦ Had you heard of this film before seeing it at LFEST? Yes 15.50%; No 68.22%; Not Sure 4.65%
LesFlicks has published the survey on their website and will continue to collect this key data on an ongoing basis.
The results will be published on a quarterly basis, and will be available to filmmakers to use when pitching for funding or to show potential supporters that there is an audience for their content.
To fill out the survey, click here:
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