Closing night and special presentation films announced for BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival

The 40th edition of BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival (18 to 29 March) today announces Sandulela Asanda’s exuberant romance Black Burns Fast as its Closing Night film on 28 March and Paloma Schneideman’s tender, unflinching portrait of queer adolescence Big Girls Don’t Cry as a Special Presentation on 26 March. The UK premieres of the coming-of-age films will take place at BFI Southbank with filmmakers expected to be in attendance.

Adorkable and studious Luthando is on track for a normal academic year at the prestigious South African boarding school she attends on scholarship in Black Burns Fast. The arrival of a new girl in her class ignites Luthando’s suppressed desires which threaten her relationships and everything she thought she knew about herself. The BFI Flare Closing Night screening follows the world premiere of Black Burns Fast at Durban International Film Festival in July 2025 and the International Premiere at Berlin International Film Festival in February 2026.

Sandulela Asanda, writer-director of Black Burns Fast, said: “I’m so excited to close BFI Flare with Black Burns Fast! In making this film, I wanted to reclaim my youth as a girl, and create a Black experience that was queer, joyful and dynamic. It’s ended up being more than that and I can’t wait to share this adorkable group of girls and their world with you all!”

Black Burns Fast is produced by Cait Pansegrouw, Elias Ribeiro and executive produced by Helen Kuun.

With newcomer Ani Palmer starring alongside Almost Famous’ Noah Taylor and The Summer I Turned Pretty’s Rain Spencer, Big Girls Don’t Cry follows one transformative summer for 14-year-old Sid Bookman in rural New Zealand. Caught between childhood and adolescence and navigating a burgeoning sexual curiosity and a desperate desire for acceptance, Sid gets drawn into a group of wealthy out-of-towners who are visiting for the summer. But the harder she tries to be like them, the more chaos she creates. The BFI Flare Special Presentation screening follows the world premiere of Big Girls Don’t Cry at Sundance Film Festival in January 2026.

Paloma Schneideman, writer-director of Big Girls Don’t Cry, said: “We’re so excited and privileged to have our UK premiere at BFI Flare, which feels like a perfect home for our gentle but at times challenging film. Big Girls Don’t Cry is a story built from small details and liminal moments, and British cinema has long shaped my love for that kind of nuanced and character driven storytelling. We can’t wait to share.”

The first feature to emerge from Dame Jane Campion’s A Wave in the Ocean programme, Big Girls Don’t Cry is produced by Vicky Pope and Thomas Coppell, and executive produced by Jane Campion, Phillippa Campbell, David Ross, Lisa Gutberlet, Jame Hunstman, Rain Spencer and Noah Taylor.

The BFI Flare 2026 programming team are Grace Barber-Plentie, Diana Cipriano, Zorian Clayton, Jaye Hudson, Darren Jones and Wema Mumma.

BFI Flare programmers said: “BFI Flare is honoured to bring two explorative coming of age debut titles as Closing Night film and Special Presentation to our audiences. We are excited to have Paloma Schneideman’s extraordinary Big Girls Don’t Cry as our Special Presentation. And to close the 40th edition of the festival, we are delighted to bring Sandulela Asanda’s joyous Black Burns Fast.”

BFI Flare is the UK’s largest queer film event, screening the best in contemporary LGBTQIA+ cinema from across the globe, in addition to a rich selection of events and archive titles. One of the longest running LGBTQIA+ film festivals in the world, BFI Flare is delighted to celebrate its 40th anniversary this year. Previous festival Closing Night titles include Marcio Reolon and Filipe Matzembacher’s Night Stage, Luke Willis’ Lady Like, Jamie Babbit’s But I’m a Cheerleader, Gregg Araki’s Mysterious Skin and Jessica Swale’s Summerland. Past Special Presentations, previously known as Centrepieces, include Shatara Michelle Ford’s Dreams in Nightmares, Dominic Savage’s Close to You, Hettie Macdonald’s Beautiful Thing, Nisha Ganatra’s Chutney Popcorn and Adaorka Nwandu’s Rag Tag.

The full programme for BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival will be revealed on Tuesday 17 February at 11am.