Lynsey Cullen on BIOLOGY, Queer Representation, and Her First Writing Credit | NFF2025

In this episode of The Official Selection Podcast x Norwich Film Festival 2025, we catch up with Lynsey Cullen, writer of the short film BIOLOGY, around its screening at Norwich Film Festival.

BIOLOGY centres on a queer couple whose relationship is tested during a holiday with family, after a seemingly practical decision about sperm donation exposes deeper tensions around class, boundaries, and belonging. What begins as a conversation about how to have a baby quickly becomes a reckoning with unspoken assumptions about family and power.

Lynsey talks about writing from lived experience, telling queer stories that move beyond simple coming-out narratives, and using humour and discomfort to explore complex family dynamics. She also reflects on navigating the film festival submission process with her first produced credit, sharing deeply personal work with audiences, and making the most of attending festivals as an emerging writer.

This is a candid conversation recorded during NFF 2025, offering a grounded look at what the festival experience actually feels like when you are presenting your first film.

0:00 Intro
0:40 About the film - "Biology"
2:16 What was the goal when writing the film?
4:50 Was there any strategy when selecting film festivals?
6:36 Getting the most out of attending film festivals
8:27 Tips for submitting to film festivals
9:40 What would you change about your festival journey?
10:40 Wrapping up

About the series:
The Official Selection Podcast x NFF 2025 brings together selected filmmakers during the festival for informal conversations about their films, the festival experience, and the realities of independent filmmaking.

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