Geronto, a bold new LGBTQ+ UK short film addressing the validity of age-gap relationships, will receive its European premiere at this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival, which runs from 13th to 19th August.
Shot in London, the film stars BAFTA Winner Jason Watkins (SAS Rogue Heroes, Line of Duty, Being Human) and Noah Valentine (Waterloo Road, The Good Boy). Written with autobiographical content by actor Christopher Sherwood, who is also executive producer, it’s produced by Chimera Lab’s Tom Taplin, directed by Mark Pluck, with a score by Brit-Award-nominated Sister Bliss of Faithless.
Based on true events, the film follows a young man with a secret attraction to older men, leading to an unexpected bond that is tested by a painful misunderstanding. Delicate yet daring, it offers a rare portrait of queer intimacy across generations. Following its World Premiere at the Rhode Island Film Festival, Geronto is screening at the Edinburgh International Film Festival on 14th and 16th August. With these being BAFTA-qualifying festivals, it means that the film is now eligible for this year’s Best British Short Film Award.
Christopher Sherwood, who also serves as an executive producer alongside Lee Dean (Judy), said, “Edinburgh feels like the artistic centre of the world in August; it’s a city I love, and to be premiering at such a prestigious festival is a great honour.”
Offering some insight into the film, he continued, “Navigating a sexuality for which I had no frame of reference whilst growing up was not entirely easy. The story behind this film was just one of my experiences that exemplifies this. It’s an uncomfortably personal story to share, but my hope is that it brings comfort to other underrepresented people like me and enlightenment to those who may leap to wrong conclusions when they see such age-difference intimacy”
“We always knew this story had the potential to be uncomfortable and controversial”, adds producer Tom Taplin. “We worry about uncomfortable power dynamics, because undoubtedly there are relationships like that, so some people are going to find it difficult to watch, but what’s so special about this film is that the characters in it are completely ordinary. When you take away the celebrity and the glamour of it all, you can start to see how authentic and intimate these couples can be. We couldn’t think of a better platform for these conversations than Edinburgh’s thoughtful and engaged audiences, so we’re delighted to be selected in a programme packed full of bold ideas”
Director Mark Pluck said, “At its heart, Geronto is a story of self-discovery between two men from entirely different generations. Rather than sensationalise the atypical dynamic of their relationship, the film focuses on the universal, deeply human qualities that shape their bond – the desire for connection, intimacy, and belonging. This has been my guiding light throughout the development of the project: honouring the simple truth that gender, sexual orientation, and age all fall away when a genuine bond is formed between two people. My hope is that audiences leave the film with a more nuanced perspective on relationships and the many forms they can take.”
Noah Valentine, who plays Younger, added, “I’m so grateful to be a part of this beautiful story. I felt compelled to breathe as much life into it as I could in order to represent a feeling we can all relate to – a feeling of longing. Longing to be seen, heard and held by another person. I truly believe the human experience is meant to be shared and we all have our own preference regarding who we’d like to share it with. This is a story about sharing. Sharing experience. Sharing love.”
Geronto screens at the 79th Edinburgh International Film Festival in the Out of Competition shorts programme on 14th August at Cameo Cinema and on 16th August at Cineworld.
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