BFI Flare 2023 at BFI Southbank © © BFI/Millie TurnerToday we announce the dates for the 2024 edition of the UK’s largest queer film event, BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival. The festival, which screens the best in contemporary LGBTQIA+ cinema from around the globe, in addition to a rich selection of events and archive titles, will run from 13 to 24 March 2024 at BFI Southbank.
This year’s festival sees the 10th year of #FiveFilmsForFreedom in partnership with the British Council. This landmark initiative presents five films for free to audiences globally and invites everyone everywhere to show solidarity with LGBTQIA+ communities in countries where freedom and equal rights are limited. The 2023 LGBTQIA+ digital campaign attracted over three and a half million views from around the world with a quarter of views coming from parts of the world where freedom and equal rights are limited. The project allows audiences worldwide to show solidarity with LGBTQIA+ communities and the 2023 selection spanned from Guyana, Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Nigeria, South Korea, with each story celebrating love as a human right.
Since its launch in 2015, Five Films for Freedom films have been viewed by 23 million people, in over 200 countries and principalities. The Five Films for Freedom shorts will be available to watch for free UK-wide on BFI Player.
BFI Flare will be programmed by Grace Barber-Plentie, Jay Bernard, Zorian Clayton, Rhianna Ilube, Wema Mumma and Brian Robinson.
Submissions are open for the 2024 edition:
- Final deadline dates for receipt of online submission forms and film screeners
- UK and international short films (25 minutes or less) – Friday 15 December 2023, 17:00 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
- UK and international short films (26 to 50 minutes) – Friday 15 December 2023, 17:00 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
- UK and international feature-length films (more than 51 minutes) – Friday 15 December 2023, 17:00 Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
Further details will be revealed in the coming months, with the full programme being announced on Tuesday 13 February 2024. Press accreditation will open on 13 February – details of how to apply will be available soon.