12 Films To See At BFI Flare 2018
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The BFI Flare 2018 programme is a veritable smörgåsbord of exciting LGBTQ+ films, and we’ve picked out 12 highlights – from gala screenings to niche gems!
Catching some exciting new films needn’t break the bank, as tickets are available from just £6!
BFI Flare 2018 runs 21 March – 1 April | Click Here to Check Out the Full BFI Flare Programme
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120 BPM (120 Battements Par Minute) (Dir: Robin Campillo | France | 144 mins)
They Say: Pulsating with life and pounding with urgency, this rousing, heartbreaking celebration of political activism is a modern queer classic.
Almost a year after premiering at Cannes 2017, and after a successful tour of international festivals, Robin Campillo’s account of AIDS activist group ACT UP-Paris in the 1990s arrives at BFI Flare before a long-awaited UK release in April.
UK Release: 6th April 2018
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Coby (Dir: Christian Sonderegger | France | 78 mins)
They Say: Frank and forthright, this documentary grapples with how parents and partners adapt to a transition in the family.
An account of trans life in small-town America which focuses not only on Coby, but also Coby’s girlfriend and parents – offering a valuable perspective into how far the challenges of sex, hormones, surgery and identity politics reach.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Freak Show (Dir: Trudie Styler | USA | 95 mins)
They Say: Alex Lawther is outstanding as a teenage rebel in this tale of an unrepentant high school outsider.
The James St James novel hits the big screen, with Alex Lawther as glamorous teenager Billy Bloom, who suddenly finds himself living in a conservative community. Of course, the only way to win acceptance is by entering the Homecoming Queen contest.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Good Manners (As Boas maneiras) (Dir: Juliana Rojas, Marco Dutra | Brazil-France | 135 mins)
They Say: If you like surprises, then look no further. This mind-bendingly subversive, grown-up fairy tale is about as unclassifiable as it gets.
A care worker living on the outskirts of São Paulo takes up the position of live-in nanny to the as-yet unborn child of a wealthy single woman – but there’s a dark secret just waiting to burst out![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Hard Paint (Tinta Bruta) (Dir: Filipe Matzembacher, Marcio Reolon | Brazil | 119 mins)
They Say: College drop-out Pedro finds his erotic webcam show doesn’t deliver everything he needs.
Webcam performer NeonBoy attracts a devoted following with erotic displays of his naked body smeared with neon paint. But the discovery of a copycat performer prompts radical moral, social, sexual and personal change…[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Love, Simon (Dir: Greg Berlanti | USA | 110 mins)
They Say: A closeted high-schooler fears his best-kept secret might be revealed in this warm and witty charmer.
The high school coming out movie goes mainstream with this sure-to-be-a-crowdpleaser starring Jurassic World’s Nick Robinson as the closeted (for now) teen. Should be a big hit.
UK Release: 6th April 2018
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Marilyn (Dir: Martín Rodríguez Redondo | Argentina-Chile | 80 mins)
They Say: A powerful and unflinching story of a young man’s fight against everyday homophobia and oppression in rural Argentina.
The story of a gentle, shy boy whom, following his father’s death, takes a risk and expresses himself openly – discovering his own sexual desires, and inspiring him to fight back against his family’s attempts to control him.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
My Days of Mercy (Dir: Tali Shalom-Ezer | UK-USA | 103 mins)
They Say: Starring Ellen Page and Kate Mara, this sophomore feature from Tali Shalom-Ezer is a beautiful and poignant love story between two women from vastly different backgrounds and opposing political views.
A protester fighting for the abolition of the death penalty falls in love with a death penalty supporter in this love story which crosses political boundaries – very much an examination of the theory that “opposites attract”![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Postcards From London (Dir: Steve McLean | UK | 88 mins)
They Say: A stylish, sexy film about a young man’s journey into an unusual form of escort work.
Soho is reimagined in this stylish, neon-infused morality tale in the spirit of Derek Jarman, starring Harris Dickinson as Essex boy Jim, who arrives from provincial boredom to seek his fortune. But all is not as straightforward as he expected…[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Pulse (Dir: Stevie Cruz-Martin | Australia | 85 mins)
They Say: After a series of humiliations, a young disabled man looking for love decides to transition – but not in the manner you’d expect.
Pulse challenges our understanding of disability, sexuality and gender, exploring an alternate reality in which medical procedures are drastically different, and the question of what it means to change gender is complicated by the question of what it means to find love when you have a disabled body in an ableist world.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Rift (Rökkur) (Dir: Erlingur Thoroddsen | Iceland | 111 mins)
They Say: Shades of Don’t Look Now permeate this subtle Nordic chiller about two men haunted by an unseen presence.
A remote part of Iceland is the atmospheric setting, as two men attempt to lay put a broken relationship behind them – except there is the increasing feeling that they’re not alone in the wilderness…[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
The Happy Prince (Dir: Rupert Everett | Germany-Belgium-Italy | 105 mins)
They Say: This passion project from writer-director-star Rupert Everett depicts the final years in the life of renowned writer Oscar Wilde.
The aftermath to Oscar Wilde’s trial and imprisonment for indecency is explored in depth in Rupert Everett’s passion project, offering new insight into the tragic final few years of Wilde’s life after his release from prison.
UK Release: 15th June 2018
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I am Joint Editor at To Do List. I like: nice pubs, film marathons, not doing real marathons, bad comedy, plays/musicals with shorter second halves, and the Oxford comma.
