Paul Mortlock

Departures

A must-see northern comedy-drama that dissects a toxic relationship with humor and raw emotion. Inspired by real heartbreak, this Manchester-made feature follows Benji, who meets the elusive and dominant Jake at an airport check-out gate. What begins as thrilling monthly getaways to Amsterdam soon unravels into a doomed power dynamic. Struggling to move on after being dumped, Benji spirals into addiction and fleeting hook-ups, haunted by the love he lost. Created by a collective of working-class LGBT+ filmmakers, Departures is a darkly comic, emotionally charged journey—think Shirley Valentine meets LGBTQ Trainspotting.