This year for our 40th anniversary we have crafted a special programme and it is a task to just a small selection but here are some personal highlights:
Impure Nuns
For our 40th Anniversary we have a robust offering of archival treasures and one of its highlights is this Japanese hidden gem from the 1950s, previously unseen outside its native country. Telling the love story between two nuns in a boarding school and the jealousy and rivalries their passion sparks, it is a film that has unexpectedly queer sensibilities, while managing to be both tender and deliriously camp. A unique opportunity to see an extremely rare film, presented of course on a Sunday morning!
Barbara Forever
Fresh out of its premieres in Sundance and Berlin comes this incredibly textured and intimate documentary about lesbian trailblazing icon Barbara Hammer. Narrated in the first person, it makes full use of a wealth of archival footage and feels very much in the spirit of the filmmaker’s own work. Detailing her life in chronological order it reminds us she will live on forever through her work. It’s a fitting tribute to the life and work of an artist whose exploration of the personal sphere made for incredible political strength.
Death and Life Madalena
We are delighted to welcome Brazilian filmmaker Guto Parente back to the festival with his newest, a dry comedy about a pregnant woman who must take control of a chaotic b-movie shoot following the death of her legendary producer father. With a predominantly queer cast and a trans woman in the lead role, flipping problematic trends of the past, this is a delightful and empowering ride through the madness of shooting a film.
Bearcave
From Greece and directors Stergio Dinopolous and Krysianna B. Papadakis comes this breathtakingly shot, kaleidoscopic ride. Set in a rural town, the film explores the relationship between childhood friends Argyro and Anneta. Playing with structure, the it slowly unpeels the layers of their bond to reveal something much deeper and more intimate than originally presented. One for those who want to be in awe of both stunning scenery and the overarching power of love!
Keep Coming Back
Coming from Uruguay is an incredibly accomplished feature by first time director Sergio De León that tells the story of an 18-year-old, recently orphaned and now responsible for his mother’s pigeon coup, as he navigates responsibilities, financial struggle and raging hormones, that see him picturing erotic fantasies with the men in his life. Mixing gripping realism with inspired surreal imagery this is an engrossing and creatively rich journey.
Madfabulous
We are delighted to be hosting the world premiere of this hugely enjoyable and very British biopic of the rather outrageous Henry Cyril Paget, 5th Marquess of Anglesey, also known as Toppy. Born into wealth, he set out to shake the tight Victorian norms of the 19th century, spending lavishly, having a fabulous time and becoming a beloved figure. With glorious performances by Callum Scott-Howell and Rupert Everett and Emily Watson, this is an unmissable and delicious subversion of the classic period drama.
Love Letters
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French director Alice Douard’s real-life experiences informed the making of this beautiful story of a lesbian couple expecting a child conceived via IVF, that explores the legal hurdles they must overcome to achieve equal legitimacy as parents and the lessons in motherhood they learn in the process. Having premiered at Cannes last May and with joyful moments of comedy, this is a humanising look at the day-to-day of an expecting couple that highlights both universal struggles and those specific to lesbian mothers to be.
Russell T Davies Screen Talk
And because our festival is more than just films, we are happy and proud to host a diverse array of events, including a Screen Talk with Russell T Davies. From his time as head writer of the Doctor Who revival, where he brought LGBTQIA+ characters and storylines to the fore of mainstream television, to his iconic creation Queer as Folk or his brilliant adaptation of A Very British Scandal, his writing has given LGBTQIA+ stories nuance and visibility, and we couldn’t be prouder that he will be joining us to discuss his career and upcoming Channel 4 show Tip Toe, which looks at how the fight for our rights is constant against creeping bigoted forces.
BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival takes place from 18th-29th March at BFI Southbank. Tickets go on sale from 24th February for BFI members and on general sale from 26th February. //whatson.bfi.org.uk/flare
