Desert Hearts

Set against the sun-bleached expanses of 1950s Nevada, Desert Hearts is a quietly radical love story that still feels like a breath of fresh air.

When buttoned-up academic Vivian arrives in Reno to finalise her divorce, she isn’t expecting to meet Cay, free-spirited, magnetic, and entirely uninterested in playing by anyone else’s rules. What follows is a slow-burning romance that unfolds with tenderness, heat, and just the right amount of emotional risk.

Donna Deitch’s landmark film was one of the first to centre queer female desire without tragedy looming in the wings, and it still feels refreshingly defiant because of it. With its dreamy desert backdrop and undeniable chemistry between its leads, Desert Hearts is less about finding yourself and more about letting go.

This screening is part of an M4C research project led by Gina Matuska, exploring queerness, community and cinema in Birmingham. Alongside the film, a display of ephemera and interview extracts invites audiences to dig into local queer film histories and perhaps add a few stories of their own.

For more information or to discuss any access needs, feel free to email us at info@flatpackfestival.org.uk or call us on 0121 771 1509.

See the whole festival programme here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/flatpack

What are Solidarity tickets?

We recognise that not everyone has equal access to live events and that the cost of entry is a barrier to some people. Solidarity tickets are free tickets available for anyone who needs it. If you're not sure whether that's you, refer to our guide below (thank you to Matchbox Cineclub for sharing this guide).

Solidarity tickets are for you if you agree with any of the following statements:

• I frequently stress about meeting basic needs (including food, clothing, housing and transportation) and don’t always achieve them.
• I have debt and it sometimes prohibits me from meeting my basic needs.
• I rent lower-end properties or have unstable housing.
• I sometimes can’t afford public or private transport. If I own a car/have access to a car, I am not always able to afford petrol.
• I am unemployed or underemployed.
• I qualify for government and/or voluntary assistance including: food banks and benefits.
• I have no access to savings.
• I have no or very limited expendable income (expendable income might mean you are able to buy tea or coffee at a shop, go to the cinema or a concert, buy new clothes, books and similar items each month etc.)
• I rarely buy new items because I am unable to afford them.
• I cannot afford a holiday or have the ability to take time off without financial burden.