18th Mar2015

BFI Flare: London LGBT Film Festival – Film

by timbaros

I_AM_MICHAEL_still_James_Franco_on_stairs-2The BFI Flare: London LGBT Film Festival kicks off on Thursday at BFI Southbank and will show 50 features, more than one hundred shorts and a wide range of special events, guest appearances, discussions, workshops, and dance parties. It will be the place where everyone who is anyone wants to be at and wants to be seen there. Here are some of the highlights:

I Am Michael will open the festival on Thursday night. James Franco plays a man who was a gay journalist who then turns into an anti-gay pastor. Zachary Quinto also stars in this film directed by Justin Kelly.

The closing night film is Out To Win, telling the life experiences of LGBT sports men and women who discuss their lives and the sports they compete in. Featuring Billie Jean King, Martina Navratilova, John Amaechi and Jason Collins.

The festival’s films are grouped into themed sections:
Hearts:
Match – Patrick Stewart plays a dancer turned teacher who discovers a lot about himself when he takes part in an interview about his career.
54: The Directors Cut – This is the gay version of the original 1998 film about the infamous 1970’s New York City club and stars a young Ryan Phillippe.
The Falling – It director Carol Morley’s tale of school girls and their obsessions.
Frangipani – This is the world’s first Sri Lankan LGBT film. It’s about two men who fall in love but have to make a very hard decision about their relationship.
Bodies:
Dressed As A Girl – A film about drag queens in the UK and starring lots of London’s downtown glitteratti: Jonny Woo, Scottee, John Sizzle and more.
Drunktown’s Finest – This is about the lives of three young Native Americans, where coming out of the closet is not the easiest thing in the community.
Something Must Break – A love story between a young straight man and a shy trans teen.
Minds:
Tab Hunter Confidential – A documentary about the heartthrob movie star who never actually told the world that he is gay. Hunter will be presenting this film in person at the festival.
The Last One: Unfolding the AIDS Memorial Quilt – A documentary about the quilt and it’s last public unveiling.
Dior and I – One of the must see films at the festival, it’s a warts and all documentary about Raf Simons arrival at the house of Dior and him putting together his first collection. Nail biting stuff.

Special Events:
The Rocky Horror Picture Show will be shown to celebrate it 40th anniversary, with an afterparty.
Another anniversary to be celebrated is Xena Princess Warrior where there will be suitably themed Warrior Women afterparty. Pride, the 2014 hit film that recently won a BAFTA, will be screened at the festival and will be introduced by some of the people on whom the film’s characters were based on.

Buy tickets quick for the festival as they are selling out fast. Go to:
http://www.bfi.org.uk/flareBFI

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