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Two films, two wildly different stories about the horrors of gay conversion therapy

By Cameron Scheetz July 12, 2024 at 7:00pm
Image Credits: ‘The Exorcism Of Saint Patrick,’ Cranked Up Films (left) | ‘Lilies Not For Me,’ Memento International (right)

Though conversion therapy has been formally banned and discredited in 22 U.S. states, recent studies show that some version of the unethical practice still exists in all 50 and beyond, highlighting what a threat it still poses to our community, especially LGBTQ+ youth.

We recently took a look at films that examine the horrors of conversion therapy—some of which take the “horror” angle quite literally, like Peacock’s 2022 slasher They/Them.

While that film *spoiler* flipped the script and allowed the queer kids at a conversion camp to be the heroes of their story, it wasn’t especially warmly received, proving how difficult it can be to sufficiently tackle such harrowing subject matter in media.

But that hasn’t stopped others from trying! In fact, just this week, we learned about two more upcoming movies about conversion therapy—both of which seem to take very different approaches to showing what makes the practice so dangerous and damaging.

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The Supernatural Horror: The Exorcism Of Saint Patrick

First up is another attempt at making literal the horrors of conversion: Indie filmmaker Quinn Armstrong’s The Exorcism Of Saint Patrick.

In the film, young pastor Pat (Steve Binder) takes gay teen Trick (Michael J. Cline) to a remote cabin for an intensive one-on-one therapy treatment. But when Pat’s harsh methods bully Trick into taking his own life, the “man of faith” is surprised to find the spirit of the teen has stuck around—as well as the ghosts of many other conversion victims, hungry for vengeance.

Clearly, The Exorcism Of Saint Patrick‘s blunt and bloody take won’t be for everyone, but Armstrong’s film is intent on pointing the finger at the hundreds of pastors and church officials who conduct conversion therapy and other homophobic acts under the guise of their religious beliefs. Its central teen Trick may suffer a dark fate, though Pastor Pat is going to have to repent for his sins—and it’s going to get ugly.

Interestingly, Exorcism is the first of three films that make up the writer-director’s upcoming Fresh Hell trilogy, each taking a clever approach to modern-day horrors, like the neo-Nazi monster movie Wolves Against The World and Dead Teenagers, which provides a new spin on the “cabin in the woods” trope.

Can The Exorcism Of Saint Patrick balance thrilling scares with a thoughtful critique of conversion therapy? We’ll find out when it hits select theaters and digital/VOD platforms on August 27.

The Romantic Drama: Lilies Not For Me

Meanwhile, period piece Lilies Not For Me promises to be “haunting” in a completely different way.

Set in 1920s England, the film tells the story of a gay novelist Owen James (Handsome Devil‘s Fionn O’Shea) who strikes up a friendship with his psychiatric nurse. Over the course of their doctor-prescribed conversations, Owen tells her of his relationship with another man (The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power‘s Robert Aramayo), and how the two attempted a risky procedure to “cure” then of their feelings for one another.

Image Credit: ‘Lilies Not For Me,’ Memento International

The recently announced project—also starring queer Ted Lasso star Jodi Balfour, Willow‘s breakout lesbian star Erin Kellyman, and Dark‘s Louis Hofmann—comes from gay filmmaker Will Seefried, who tells Variety the film 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,” Seefied says, referring to the prevalence of conversion therapy today. He adds he hopes the film “will move people to reclaim the narratives that haunt them and remember that self-love is a revolutionary act.”

Described as a “haunting mix of romanticism and unflinching horror” Lilies Not For Me is set to make its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival next month. The film is supported by indie sales company Memento International, so you can safely anticipate more festival dates to come and—hopefully—a proper release date in the near future.

So, yes, for those counting, that’s two new movies about conversion therapy announced in the same week; trend alert!

And while the jury’s out on whether or not either film will prove successful, as we’ve discussed before: Many people aren’t aware these practices are still carried out across the country, so merely making others aware of that reality—that there are people still being affected by conversion therapy today—has the power to save lives.

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