A Friend of Dorothy: Watch the Oscar-nominated short film with Miriam Margolyes in full on Attitude now (EXCLUSIVE)
"This little film has changed my life," Miriam tells us of the 22-minute short, also starring Alistair Nwachukwu and Stephen Fry; director Lee Knight recently made the 2026 Attitude 101, empowered by Bentley list
A Friend of Dorothy, the Academy Award-nominated short film starring Miriam Margolyes, is now available to watch for free on Attitude’s YouTube channel (and below in this article) ahead of the Oscars on 15 March 2026.
Also starring Alistair Nwachukwu and Stephen Fry, A Friend of Dorothy is directed by Lee Knight, who recently made the 2026 Attitude 101, empowered by Bentley list, our yearly celebration of 101 LGBTQ community trailblazers.
Knight is joined on the ‘Film, TV and Music’ section of 101 by the likes of Oh Mary! star Mason Alexander Park and current Attitude cover star Fra Fee.
The 22-minute film tells the story of an intergenerational friendship between an elderly woman and a teenage boy and is nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards next month.
“My life has become irradiated by this film” – Miriam Margolyes
Speaking to Attitude about A Friend of Dorothy in a recent interview, film veteran Margolyes said: “This little film has changed my life, towards the end of my life. It has become irradiated by this film, this man and this relationship, which is gorgeous. So, I’m having a kind of rebirth!”
Knight meanwhile added: “For my work to be recognised on a global stage is truly extraordinary. More than anything, I hope this moment reaches every queer storyteller and artist – anyone who has ever struggled to feel seen or accepted – who carries a story but questions whether their voice matters.
“It does. It matters more than they realise. And I hope this reminds them to keep going.”
A Friend of Dorothy produced through Knight’s Filthy Gorgeous Productions. The producers are James Dean, Scottie Fotré and Max Marlow.
A Friend of Dorothy plot
Dorothy (BAFTA winner Miriam Margolyes) is a lonely widow whose body is failing, but her mind remains as bright as ever. When 17-year-old JJ (Alistair Nwachukwu) accidentally kicks his football into her garden, he upends Dorothy’s daily routine of pills, prunes and crosswords, and an unlikely friendship blossoms. Despite being worlds apart in every way, the two come to find they have more in common than they could ever imagine. The cast includes Stephen Fry (Wilde, Gosford Park) and Oscar Lloyd (Stranger Things: The First Shadow).
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