Just ahead of Pride Month, Asylum Welcome is inviting the Oxford community to a special fundraising screening of Dreamers on Saturday 23rd May at 4 pm at The Ultimate Picture Palace.
Written and directed by Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor and inspired by her own lived experience, Dreamers is a powerful and deeply humane story of queer love, friendship and solidarity inside the UK immigration detention system. Praised by The Independent as ‘the most striking British debut of 2025′, the film shines a light on the realities of detention while celebrating resilience, connection and hope.
The screening is being held in support of LOCS (LGBTQIA+ Oxfordshire Community Support), Asylum Welcome’s support group for LGBTQ+ asylum seekers, refugees and vulnerable migrants.
LOCS offers a welcoming and affirming space for people who may face discrimination both because of their sexual orientation or gender identity and because of their immigration status. As the community has grown, so too has the need for resources to fund safe social spaces, community activities, advocacy and practical support.
One LOCS member said:
“Asylum Welcome has always felt like a family to me. Before LOCS started, I struggled for months to find a supportive space for queer immigrants in Oxfordshire. Without spaces like this, it is hard to connect without fear, feel confident, and integrate into the community. I wish this project had existed when I first arrived. Now my goal is to help make everyone who joins us feel included.”
Another added:
“Coming here is like going to the hospital. When I arrived, I felt sick, but now I have visited I feel better and my heart feels light.”
Many LGBTQ+ asylum seekers have fled countries where they experienced persecution, violence and rejection from families, communities or governments. Even after reaching safety in the UK, many continue to face isolation and uncertainty while navigating the asylum system.
Beth Nichol, Women’s Rights & Inclusion Coordinator at Asylum Welcome, said:
“Over the past six months, the size of the LOCS community has expanded from 13 to 40 participants and is continuing to grow fast. Our support for LGBTQ+ refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants has expanded far beyond a support group.
To make this service sustainable, we need more funds. Operating at the intersection of anti-queer and anti-migrant prejudices can make traditional fundraising a challenge. There are very few grants that we are eligible for, and those are massively oversubscribed. This is why we are looking to expand into grassroots fundraising and awareness-raising.”
Alongside the screening, attendees will hear a short introduction to Asylum Welcome’s work with LGBTQ+ people seeking sanctuary and the ways local people can stand in solidarity with those rebuilding their lives in Oxfordshire.
Book tickets
Tickets can be booked via The Ultimate Picture Palace booking page.
A spokesperson for The Ultimate Picture Palace said:
“We are thrilled to be hosting this screening of Dreamers in partnership with Asylum Welcome, whose vital work we are proud to support. Cultural venues like ours have a responsibility to stand alongside the local charities and organisations working hard to make a difference in our community. Cinema, at its best, is exactly the kind of space where those connections happen and new audiences find each other.
The Ultimate Picture Palace has always been a home for audiences of all ages and backgrounds to share in the experience of film together, and collaborations like this one are central to that mission. We hope the community will join us for what promises to be a meaningful evening. And for those who want to help ensure we can keep hosting events like this for years to come, we’d invite them to visit www.savetheupp.com and support our campaign to remain in our historic building.”
