Meat Raffle film brings queer family dynamics to Channel 4 this Christmas
“I wanted to make the antithesis of a film about a teenager coming out in a big city," says creator Stuart Armstrong
By Aaron Sugg
Meat Raffle has landed on Channel 4 this Christmas, following a closeted father who is terrified he has “turned” his son gay, while exploring themes of taboo sexuality in the 1990s.
Starring Michael Hodgson and Will Latimer making his acting debut, viewers follow dad Rich and his son Jackson as they enter a Christmas turkey draw in a UK Cumbrian pub.
Written and directed by Stuart Armstrong, the film draws on his own experiences growing up queer in Cumbria. He aimed to tell a story outside London, representing rural queer life outside of an urban city.
“You’ve got to love my short film” – Stuart Armstrong encouraging viewers to watch Meat Raffle
In a social media post, Armstrong urged viewers: “If you like gay stuff and Christmas, you’ve got to love my short film,”encouraging people to stream the 15-minute short on Channel 4.
Describing the plot, he said: “It’s about a closeted dad who attempts to rig his local pub’s Christmas meat raffle and win this prized turkey to prove to his son that he’s a real man,” while exploring themes of toxic masculinity.
In a news release, the director stressed: “I wanted to make the antithesis of a film about a teenager coming out in a big city, and instead capture the queer world I grew up in, which I’ve never really seen reflected on screen.”
“I tried to draw comedy from the absurdity and contradictions of that world” – Armstrong on the creative process behind directing Meat Raffle
He added on the importance of satire: “With Meat Raffle, I tried to draw comedy from the absurdity and contradictions of that world, and build the story around a character clinging to what he thinks masculinity and fatherhood should be.”
Shot in Carlisle with a local crew to support regional film talent, the film was nominated for Best British Short at the 2025 Iris Prize, the UK’s leading LGBTQ+ film festival.
Meat Raffle has also been praised by Sir Ian McKellen, who highlighted the film’s surprises, performances and cinematography. He commented: “Meat Raffle is full of surprises, and the excellent cast are beautifully photographed by Stuart Armstrong.”
The film premiered on Film4 in October and is now available to stream on the official Channel 4 website… just in time to get you into the Christmas spirit!
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