UK's first LGBTQ+ retirement home to feature in new short documentary
“The Garden We Made” is one of five projects to have been given the backing of the Netflix Documentary Talent Fund for 2026
Last updated 4 hours ago
A ground-breaking short film telling the story of the UK’s first LGBTQ+ retirement home has been selected for Netflix’s Documentary Talent Fund.
'The Garden We Made', from filmmaker Albie Swingler, is one of just five projects picked to receive funding this year, with the theme focusing on change.
Each team, picked by the esteemed team of judges, are now tasked with producing the 12-minute film - and have a budget of £30,000 to play with.
Albie’s documentary about Tonic - made alongside Dorottya Székely - delves into the challenges of unlearning a lifetime of secrecy, and marks sixty years since the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality, and will premiere at Sheffield DocFest in 2027.
'It's paramount we listen to the older LGBTQ+ community'
Catching up with Hits Radio Pride, he described how he can't wait to get started.
Albie said: "We pitched last Friday, and found out this week - so I can tell you, it's all been a very quick process!
"But this all came about because of my fascination with queer history, and my own experiences.
"When I first saw it in the headlines, I couldn't believe the UK's first LGBTQ+ retirement home had only just opened, five years ago.
"I did more research, and found how the situation is so different elsewhere.
"Many countries already have established places for people from our community to go, and it got me thinking about my future, as currently a queer single person, and thinking about the future of care for LGBTQ+ people right here.
"The documentary will coincide with the 60th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK, and having been following Tonic for ages, I thought this year's Netflix fund, with the theme of 'change', was just perfect to showcase their story.
"There's also been a big push recently on all sorts of content with an LGBTQ+ focus, but that rarely covers the older queer community.
"And I think it's paramount that we listen to them, we hear their stories, and we get to record their anecdotes, whilst seeing how they live right now."
The producer-director might have skin in the game, but that doesn't mean it's going to be a challenge, as Albie explained: "I made a short recently, and that came to being about 25 minutes long, and that's a bit more of a sizeable chunk.
"This is 12 minutes - and in a way, that's kind of harder!
"You want to make it cinematic, but you're also catering to an online audience, as it'll be shown at Sheffield's DocFest next year, but then it'll sit on Netflix's YouTube channel.
"I really want to understand how to strike that balance, and get the tone right, and with my film, there are joyous elements, but there's a really serious story to it, featuring secrecy, grief, and trauma.
"But my favourite docs always have texture and levity.
"Over the last six months, I've been visiting Tonic quite regularly, forging bonds with different individuals there, and most notably, the first-ever resident, who'll be our lead contributor in the documentary - and he's really great.
"I'm at DocFest this year, and Sheffield's programming is always top-notch, and I'm really chuffed that our film will be featured in 2027."
A 'powerful initiative'
The Netflix Documentary Talent Fund is now in its fourth year, and champions filmmakers from across the UK and Ireland, offering a platform for unique storytelling and underrepresented voices.
Kate Townsend from Netflix said: "We are incredibly proud of the films and creative talent we have seen over the years through the Netflix Documentary Talent Fund.
"This year’s cohort is no different. The inspiring and entertaining stories we heard on pitch day are testament to the level of talent across the UK and Ireland, and made our jobs of whittling down to five films an incredibly tough one!
"We look forward to collaborating with these filmmakers over the next year; watching their finished films in Sheffield next summer, and seeing their careers progress in the future.”
Raul Niño Zambrano, Creative Director of Sheffield DocFest said, "The Netflix Documentary Talent Fund is a powerful initiative that recognises both the urgency and the responsibility of supporting creative documentary storytelling.
"At a moment when access to funding remains one of the greatest challenges for filmmakers, this commitment helps to open doors for new voices and underrepresented perspectives.
"At Sheffield DocFest, we celebrate partnerships like this that not only invest in films, but in the future of the documentary community as a whole."
The successful recipients and their projects are:
- Albie Swingler and Dorottya Székely - 'The Garden We Made': Sixty years after the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK, a queer elder moves into the UK's first ever LGBTQ+ retirement home and begins to unlearn a lifetime of secrecy
- Christine Saab and Rose Palmer - 'Luke Finds Fossils': On the Isle of Wight, the UK's most prolific fossil hunter is transforming his garage into a DIY dinosaur museum. For Luke, a 35-year-old autistic father, it's more than a passion project, it's an attempt to turn a lifelong obsession into a bridge to his young daughter
- Amy Sargeant and Gabriela Cavanagh - 'Shiptonthorpe’s Summer': After anonymous poison pen letters turn a quiet Yorkshire village into global headlines, a community theatre production offers the chance to rewrite the story
- Helen Sanfey and Catherine Donohoe - 'Lisdoonvarna: Changing The Algorithm': As the world swipes right, a 21-year-old returns to the old ways, learning the art of love from Ireland's last traditional matchmaker, his 83-year-old grandfather.
- Bhulla Beghal and Sima Gonsai - 'Factory Dad': From the backyard of a family home, one of the last textile factories in the Black Country keeps running against the tide of a changing world. Inside, an Indian-born father spends his days crafting British wax and tweed coats alongside his faithful cat, Lola. His filmmaker son embarks on a journey to understand the man behind the work, and the life woven into every stitch