2015 BFI Flare: London LGBT Film Festival programme unveiled

The full programme of the 2015 edition of the BFI Flare: London LGBT Film Festival was released at a public programme launch last night, on Wednesday 18 February, at the BFI Southbank.

 

As previously announced, Justin Kelly's film I Am Michael will be opening this year's riveting programme of LGBT themed films. Out to Win by Malcolm Ingram will be the closing film. This is a documentary charting the experience of LGBT people working in the highest echelons of professional sports. It includes such respected pioneers as Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova and Jason Collins.

 

The prominence of LGBT themed documentaries is also well represented at Flare. One of these will be this year's edition's Accenture Gala, the European Premiere of Do I Sound Gay?, which centres around the idea of whether there is such a thing as a gay voice. Another highlight of this year's BFI Flare include Stories of Our Lives, directed by Jim Chu Chu. This is a drama adapted from real testimonies of LGBT Kenians, where the film is banned for promoting homosexuality. This film was also recently awarded the Teddy Jury Prize at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival.

The festival is split into three specific strands. The Hearts section is described as "films about love, romance and friendship". Bodies is "stories of sex, identity and transformation". Minds is "reflections on art, politics and community". There will also be some great special events, such as a BFI IMAX screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show to mark its 40th anniversary (followed by an after party where dressing up is definitely encouraged) and a lecture series using Xena the Princess Warrior, celebrating its 20th anniversary, as a starting point for discussion of glorious female role models and warrior women.

 

The festival will take place from the 19th to the 29th of March at BFI Southbank, London, United Kingdom. For more info, click here to visit their website.