BFI Flare celebrates its 39th edition with a diverse programme showcasing global films, including 34 world premieres and the continuation of its Five Films For Freedom initiative.
The BFI Flare, a prominent celebration of LGBTQIA cinema, is set to return from 19 to 30 March at the BFI Southbank in London. The festival, which will mark its 39th edition this year, has recently unveiled its programme, highlighting an exciting array of films from around the globe.
Opening the festival will be the highly anticipated comedy The Wedding Banquet, directed by Andrew Ahn, featuring actors Lily Gladstone and Kelly Marie Tran. This year’s festival programme boasts an impressive selection of 34 World Premieres alongside 56 feature films, 81 short films, and one series, sourced from 41 different countries. The closing night will showcase the thriller Night Stage, helmed by Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon.
A notable feature of this year’s festival is the continuation of the Five Films For Freedom initiative, a collaboration between BFI Flare and the British Council aimed at advocating for global solidarity with LGBTQIA communities facing restrictions on their rights. Audiences can view the selected films for free online throughout the festival. Last year’s programme received over three million views, showcasing its far-reaching impact.
The film selections are organised into three thematic categories: Hearts, Bodies, and Minds. Noteworthy entries include The Silence of My Hands, directed by Manuel Acuña, a poignant narrative about love between two deaf women; MANOK, by Yu-jin Lee, which provides a comedic perspective on a South Korean lesbian bar owner returning to her hometown; and TRANS MEMORIA, a personal documentary from Victoria Verseau that reflects on her transition journey while honouring a friend.
Other highlights include products like Drip Like Coffee, Anaiis Cisco’s debut that explores a romantic relationship between two New York baristas; Lucky, Apartment, which showcases the life of a lesbian couple disrupted by a mysterious odour from a neighbouring flat; and Really Happy Someday, from J Stevens, depicting a young trans musical star dealing with a significant transition in his singing voice.
Additionally, the festival will screen four standout LGBTQIA films from the past year, including Luca Guadagnino’s Queer, the cult classic I Saw The TV Glow by Jane Schoenbrun, Lillah Halla’s Power Alley, and the touching documentary Will & Harper.
The festival intends to enrich the cinema experience with a variety of events, notably panels and debates with significant figures in the industry, such as Cheryl Dunye, Wanuri Kahiu, and Dee Rees, who will discuss the impactful history of Black queer women’s cinema.
Tickets for BFI Flare will be available for BFI Members starting on 25 February, with general sales commencing on 27 February. Further details, including ticket purchases, can be found on the BFI Flare website.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Image: Assembly. BFI Flare
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative is about the upcoming BFI Flare 2025 festival, indicating it is current and not recycled news.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
There are no direct quotes in the narrative to verify.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative originates from DIVA Magazine, which is a known publication but not as widely recognized for general news as major outlets like the BBC or Reuters.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about the festival programme and events are plausible and consistent with typical festival announcements. However, specific details such as attendance figures or exact event schedules could not be verified.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative appears to be fresh and relevant to current events, with no quotes to verify. While the source is not a major news outlet, it is still a known publication. The claims are generally plausible, supporting a high confidence in the overall assessment.