Skip to main content

Home Culture Culture Film & TV

Firebird: Gay love story to get world premiere at BFI FLARE: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival

Get your first look at the 'sweeping love story' set in the Soviet Air Force here with our exclusive clip!

By Jamie Tabberer

Words: Jamie Tabberer; picture: Firebird (UK/Estonia, dir. Peeter Rebane)

Romance movie Firebird will have its world premiere at BFI FLARE: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival, it has been announced.

The film Rebel Dykes will also premiere at the 35th edition of the festival, it was revealed this morning.

FLARE will be available digitally to a UK-wide audience from 17-28 March 2021 via BFI Player. The full programme will be announced to the public on 23 February at 6pm on the BFI YouTube page.

Check out our exclusive first look clip of Firebird below!

“A sweeping love story”

BFI reps describe the UK-produced Firebird – which is directed by Peeter Rebane and streaming as part of the ‘Hearts’ strand – as ‘a sweeping love story about freedom and love against all odds set in the Soviet Air Force at the height of the Cold War, based on a true story.

‘A troubled soldier (Tom Prior) forms a forbidden love triangle with a daring fighter pilot (Oleg Zagorodnii) and his female comrade (Diana Pozharskaya) amid the dangerous surroundings of a Soviet Air Force Base.’

‘What begins as a friendship across the ranks soon transforms into something more risky.’

They furthermore describe Rebel Dykes as ‘a brilliant and refreshing documentary history of UK post-punk dyke culture in 1980s London with first person testimonials from the people who were there.’ It is directed by Harri Shanahan and Sian A. William.

Tickets for the digital world premiere of Firebird at BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival will be available to BFI Members from Friday 26 February and to the general public from Tuesday 2 March.

Read the Attitude March issue, out now to download and to order globally.

Subscribe in print and get your first three issues for just £1 each, or digitally for just over £1.50 per issue.