‘BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival’ 2026 full programme: Russell T Davies, Heartstopper and more
The festival will take place at BFI Southbank and will mark the world premiere of multiple queer films, including Madfabulous and more
By Aaron Sugg
BFI Flare: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival 2026 has announced its full programme, beginning on 8 March with Hunky Jesus and concluding with Black Burns Fast on 28 March 2026.
This year’s programme is divided into four strands: HEARTS, BODIES, MINDS, and the new TREASURES, and includes 65 features, 62 shorts, and 31 world premieres from 47 countries.
The festival will take place at BFI Southbank, featuring screenings, panels, DJ nights, special events, and talks from the likes of Russell T Davies.
Russell T Davies will join a BFI Flare Screen Talk about upcoming project Tip Toe
Doctor Who screenwriter Davies will join a BFI Flare Screen Talk, discussing his career and upcoming Channel 4 show Tip Toe, starring Alan Cumming, exploring LGBTQIA+ representation in Manchester.
Other talks include the highly anticipated Heartstopper Forever film, The Makers with Cheryl Dunye, and the 40 Years of BFI Flare exhibition at Queer Britain.
BFI Flare programmers said in a statement: “As we celebrate our 40th anniversary, we are delighted to present a programme full of cinematic gems and compelling events.”
“BFI Flare has championed bold storytelling and created a vital space for connection and visibility” – Programmers celebrating 40 years of the London LGBTQ+ Film Festival
Beginning as Gays’ Own Pictures in 1986, the team is now celebrating 40 years of LGBTQ+ cinema, with organisers saying: “For four decades, BFI Flare has championed bold storytelling and created a vital space for connection and visibility.”
“At a time when visibility and authentic representation remain as vital as ever, we are proud to continue providing a platform where our communities can see themselves reflected on screen unapologetically, truthfully, and with pride,” they added.
BFI Flare 2026 will mark the world premiere of multiple queer films, including Madfabulous, Beyond the Fire, Can’t Go Over It, Castration Movie Chapter III. Junior Ghosts, I Am Going to Miss You, Ìfé: (The Sequel), Lady Champagne, Lunar Sway, Out Laws, To Dance Is to Resist and Washed Up.
This year marks the festival’s 40th anniversary, with tickets going on sale on 24 February for BFI Members and general sale from 26 February, via their official website.
BFI Flare: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival 2026 full programme
HEARTS: includes films about love, romance and friendship
A LETTER FOR TOMORROW – In a multi-generational matriarchal household, a woman embraces her authentic lesbian identity after her divorce.
DOUG + ME – Cecile Fountain-Jardim explores the life of the uncle that she never got to meet.
FISH & CHIPS – On Fab and Cassie’s anniversary night, an innocent dinner choice sparks a heated debate over whose Black card should be revoked.
GRAND DANDY (FOR EZRA) – A stop-motion animation in which a grandparent tries to explain their gender identity to their newborn grandchild.
HILLS DON’T DANCE ALONE – Sachin finds a surprising ally when he is bullied for wanting to wear female clothing during a dance performance.
I HATE HELEN – Priya loves to hate her schoolmate, Helen. Or does she…?
KANEKALON – Teyo, a young trans girl in Quibdó, Colombia, wanders around her hometown on her last day before school.
NEVER NEVER NEVER – A heartwarming love story, set in a Welsh fishing village, about a Shirley Bassey impersonator and a fisherman.
NEWBIES – This lyrical short finds two teenage New Yorkers navigating their fears and desires as they move through the city in a dreamlike haze.
NO ADAMS ALLOWED – A couple find themselves in hot water when they kidnap a client who owes them money.
NOTICE ME – After getting fired from her radio show, Em moves to East London and instantly develops a crush on AJ, her hot neighbour.
PAKKA – A group of gay Indian friends living in Holland spend a final night together before one of them returns home.
QUEER & CONFUSED – A night out with bestie Dolly leaves Charlie on the verge of a revelation about their gender identity.
RECONNECTION – Over the course of an evening, a splintered Deaf couple gradually edge towards reconciliation.
SEEK NO FAVOUR – Anxious millennial by day, local vigilante by night, Monroe Malone’s nemesis is Big Baby and his weave-snatching cartel.
THE FLING – In this stop-motion romantic horror, two bisexual aliens are on the hunt for love. Will their unsuspecting dates sate their appetite?
THEO – Theo, a seven-year-old often excluded from games and the rules of childhood, moves through a world that refuses to see them as they are. Between silence and rebellion, they begin to carve their own path.
THREE TIMES MINA – There’s Mina the performer, Mina the lover but also Mina the Italian singer from the 70s, whom she evokes on stage every night.
UNCANNY WATERS – A record of a radical art project by Deptford’s Heads Bodies Legs Collective.
YOU AND ME MAKES THREE – Married couple Amara and Alannah try for a baby – a chaotic journey involving cautionary tales, sperm deliveries and ejaculating toys.
YOU CAN CALL ME LOU – Travel back to the 1980s and 1990s club scene through this portrait of trans dancer Louise.
BODIES: includes stories of sex, identity and transformation
A SWEETNESS FROM NOWHERE – Ester Bergsmark ruminates on trans violence and healing, in this evocative and personal film.
BEARCAVE – In this gorgeously shot drama, a friendship between two girls soon reveals hidden depths.
BODY OF OUR OWN – Filmed over the course of six years, this documentary shows the resilience and sisterhood of three Hijra women.
CHERRI – This poignant, melancholic character study promotes respect for diverse body types.
DON’T COME OUT – In Victoria Linares Villegas’ gory and gloriously fun film, a queer medical student grapples with her sexuality as deadly forces pursue her.
KEEP COMING BACK – Emilio, who has inherited his pigeon trainer mother’s coop, is preoccupied with erotic fantasies. He embarks on a journey that will hopefully help him find a sense of purpose and honour his family’s pigeon training tradition.
MASPALOMAS – This portrait of elder queer desire highlights the importance of reconciling all parts of ourselves.
PERRO PERRO – Argentinian filmmaker Marco Berger presents a boldly absurdist fairy tale.
QUEEN OF COAL – In this defiant portrait of self-determination, a woman yearns to work in a male-dominated world.
THE SERPENT’S SKIN – Lesbian goths and vampiric trade abound in this punk, trans-led queer horror.
WARLA – In Kevin Alambra’s provocative drama, a group of vigilante Filipino trans women kidnap foreign businessmen to fund gender-affirming surgeries.
10S ACROSS THE BORDERS – Documentary exploring Southeast Asian ballroom culture.
THE BROKEN R – Documentary reflecting on genetic conditions and sexual identity.
JARIPEO – Dreamlike documentary on Mexican rodeos.
LOW RIDER – Campbell X’s second feature, a fun road-trip across South Africa.
MICKEY & RICHARD – Portrait of 1980s porn star Richard Bernstein.
TREAT ME LIKE YOUR MOTHER – Journey through the lives of five Lebanese women.
WE ARE PAT – Examination of an androgynous SNL character with trans comedians.
0004NGEL – An intimate character study of Angel, a Mexican immigrant living in Montreal who works as a webcam model and dancer.
AMERICA – Undocumented Brazilian Tom navigates love and connection while facing Trump-era immigration challenges.
ATTAGIRL! – Pose star Leyna Bloom goes on a vengeful, high-heeled rampage through Brooklyn, featuring Amanda Lepore and Violet Chachki.
BREAKING THROUGH THE FEAR – After a hate crime, a gay man struggles to reclaim life with support from his partner.
COCKROACH – A Black trans man dipping his toe into sex work is scuppered by a wise-talking roach.
DOLLS – A trans girl investigates a cult of dolls in this genre short produced by Lilly Wachowski.
DON’T ASK DON’T TELL – A solitary man’s life changes when a stranded young couple knocks on his farm door.
EVERY TIME I SEE A YELLOW CAR – Olly confides in his brother after being raped, setting off a tragic chain of events.
FISHY – A trans drag queen contends with being a fish and growing scales, featuring Nicole Paige Brooks.
FLASH SALE – Tony hatches a sassy plan to make money during a New York summer.
KILORAN BAY – After decades away, a gay man returns to Scotland for a wedding cèilidh, confronting past memories.
MAGID / ZAFAR – Inside a British Pakistani takeaway, two men confront tensions about relationships, identity, and future.
MỒ HÔI (SWEAT) – Explores queerness, displacement, and relationships in Vietnam’s countryside.
ON QUEER AGING AND ENDINGS – Explores themes of queer aging and life transitions.
ONE DAY THIS KID – Hamed, a gay Afghan/Iraqi in Canada, navigates his queer and Muslim identities under his father’s shadow.
ORIGINAL SIN – Intergenerational trauma challenges a Muslim drag queen and her mother.
RAG DOLLS – Two Mexican women with disabilities live together and support each other in Puebla.
RAINBOW GIRLS – Three Black trans women turn robbers targeting San Francisco luxury brands.
ROOM 206 – Clair awaits gender-affirming surgery, celebrating life and identity.
SALTY – Lily drags her friend KeKe to a club after a break-up, exploring romance readiness.
THE DYSPHORIA – A trans woman attempts a satanic ritual for a vagina and invites a demonic presence.
THE MOTORCYCLE – Luca, a shy young man, becomes obsessed with an older motorcycle enthusiast.
THEY, WITH AN AXE – An outsider in a Spanish bar challenges gossip and enforces order.
THIS LOVE ISN’T TAUGHT – Jordan, a bisexual dad, reunites with a past gay love at a lively London party.
UBIQUITOUS – A young Black man battles internalised homophobia and unrequited love through poetic visuals.
YELLOW BUCKET – Gay teen Connor worries his parents might use a scientific ‘gay trigger’ on his younger brother.
MINDS includes reflections on art, politics and community
DEATH AND LIFE MADALENA – Guto Parente’s dryly witty film sees a heavily pregnant woman take the reins of a kitsch B-movie juggernaut, with startling results.
JULIAN – Executive produced by Lukas Dhont, Cato Kusters’ feature debut is a stirring depiction of a Belgian couple’s fight for marriage equality.
KRIZALIT – Set in the heart of a rapidly changing Turkey, Deniz navigates love, loss and finding her identity.
THE LAST GUEST OF THE HOLLOW MOTEL – In this impressive feature debut, a former British football star reflects on his past and the family he abandoned to hide his true identity.
UCHRONIA: PARALLEL HISTORIES OF QUEER REVOLT – This bold, daring cinematic essay explores revolutionary politics, queer history and art.
WHAT WILL I BECOME? – A vital memorial spotlighting the all-too-silent vulnerabilities of trans masculine youth.
WHISPERINGS OF THE MOON – Lai Yuqing’s debut feature is a vivid portrait of an actor returning to Cambodia following a bereavement and reconnecting with her ex-lover.
TO DANCE IS TO RESIST – Feature film exploring artistic freedom through dance.
BEYOND THE FIRE: THE LIFE OF JAPAN’S FIRST PRIDE PARADE PIONEER – Documentary on Teishiro Minami, the pioneer of Japan’s first Pride march.
CASTRATION MOVIE CHAPTER III. JUNIOR GHOSTS – PREMORPHIC DRIFT; A FRAGMENTARY PASSAGE – Continuation of Louise Weard’s trans epic.
OUT LAWS – Feature film about a gay Namibian man fighting for same-sex couple rights.
BARBARA FOREVER – A portrait of experimental filmmaker Barbara Hammer.
ABSTRUCTION BELONGS TO US – Queer Palestinians in London and Paris navigate the intersections between their national identity and sexuality.
ARAMIZDA KALAN HER SEY (EVERYTHING BETWEEN US) – A bullied girl finds solace in an unlikely place and a new ally.
BOTTLECAP – Musician John Grant narrates a humorous number on a Berlin dance floor, tackling the age-old quandary of how to break the ice.
COYOTES – A doctor’s commute home to Ramallah takes a turn when a ‘good Samaritan’ offers to help her change a tire.
DARIA’S NIGHT FLOWERS – Maryam Tafakory uses archival film and poetry to weave a story of forbidden love between two Iranian women.
DIVERSE HOUSE – A profile of a unique refuge in Paraguay for LGBTQIA+ people, centring on trans residents, trailblazing activists and the fight for justice.
GIGI – From the tormented little mermaid to the fulfilled woman she is today, Gigi tells us about her gender transition with humour and sensitivity.
KISSES AND BULLETS – Two Iranian women in two different countries find a connection when attending worldwide Women, Life, Freedom protests.
LAST DANCE AT THE SUNDANCE STOMPEDE – This nostalgic, mid-length documentary sees time called on a queer San Francisco country-and-western club after 27 years.
LONLIER THAN LOVE – A Liverpudlian night owl starts to spin out of control on the hedonistic merry-go-round of endless clubbing.
NEST – On the night before a religious procession, an introverted 15-year-old has an illuminating, life-changing encounter with another girl.
NICE JEWISH GIRL – Tali thought she liked boys, but when unexpected feelings start bubbling up at religious camp, she begins to question everything.
SAINTS – Altar girl Bianca, who is due to play a Saint in a festivity, has an existential crisis after sharing a kiss with a girl – her desire a stark contrast to her devotion.
SPIDERS ON MY LASHLINE – After being attacked, genderqueer pole dancer Ash seeks refuge in a church. Flooded by core memories of childhood, they will regain their strength.
SUNDAY LUNCH – When Grace brings her girlfriend for lunch with her Catholic family, she finds herself hilariously tiptoeing around a minefield of family dynamics.
TUMTUM – Alex, non-binary and Jewish, struggles with desire and living out their identity.
TREASURES: includes queer classics from across the decades
FORBIDDEN FRUIT
GREETINGS FROM AFRICA
I AM MY OWN WOMAN – German trans icon Charlotte Von Mahlsdorf tells her own, semi-fictional story in this 1993 doc-drama classic.
IMPURE NUNS – This transgressive 1950s treasure, previously unseen outside of Japan, chronicles an affair between two nuns at a boarding school.
MYSTERIOUS SKIN – Gregg Araki’s riveting 2004 drama has lost none of its raw energy, power or ability to shock.
PARTING GLANCES – A 35mm restoration of Bill Sherwood’s bittersweet comedy-drama, set against the backdrop of the HIV/AIDS crisis in 1980s New York.
WESTLER – Originally screened as part of the first Gays’ Own Pictures in 1986, Westler is a striking depiction of a gay relationship during the Cold War.
WOUBI CHÉRI – Africa’s first transgender film made a splash in the 1990s, collecting Best Documentary awards at festivals around the world.
BFI Flare: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival 2026 talks and events
* Sister Roma and members from the UK chapters – DIVINE DISSIDENCE: A STORY OF THE SISTERS
* Zorian Clayton, BFI Flare Programmer – BACK TO ‘86
* Jaye Hudson, BFI Flare Programmer – DRAG VIDEO ACTIVISM!
* LEATHER BOYS!
* Filmmakers and cultural commentators – CAMP CLASSICS PRESENTS QUEERLY BELOVED?
HEARTSTOPPER FOREVER!
* Cheryl Dunye – THE MAKERS: CHERYL DUNYE
* Todd Wiener, Motion Picture Curator, UCLA Film & Television Archive – REEL QUEER HISTORY: PRESERVING LGBTQIA+ CINEMA
* Community groups, LGBTQIA+ businesses, charities and non-profit organisations – COMMUNITY STALLS
* Layla McCay and screenwriters/authors – LGBTQIA+ STORIES: FROM THE PAGE TO THE SCREEN
* Marc David Jacobs – COWBOYS, DARLINGS AND LIARS: THE LIFE AND WORK OF JOHN SCHLESINGER
* Older Queer Voices podcast – LET’S TALK: AN INTERGENERATIONAL QUEER CONVERSATION
* Robyn Newark and Morgana Steele – IDENTITY IN FOCUS: A TRANS NARRATIVE
* Our Kindred Threads PlayShop, Cambridge University’s Craftivism Society – QUEER HOPE AND JOY!
* Charlotte Chaney – QUEER & NEURODIVERGENT: INTERSECTIONAL IDENTITY MAPPING
* Various DJs (Sadie Lee, Joe Pop, Linzi, Darren, DJ Ritu, Mike Menace, Joe Egg, Seena Shamsavari, Alexander Bitchcakes, Neil Prince, QBoy) – DJ NIGHTS / BADGE CAFÉ / Closing night party
* 40 YEARS OF BFI FLARE – QUEER BRITAIN
* BFI FLARE THROUGH THE YEARS
* Joss Morfitt – THE STORY OF BFI FLARE: LONDON LGBTQIA+ FILM FESTIVAL
* Past and current BFI Flare programmers – BFI FLARE: FOUR DECADES OF QUEER CINEMA MAGIC!
For more information, you can visit the official BFI Flare website.
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