Lead Pic: Onda Nora
The 39th BFI Flare queer film festival opens March 19 on London’s Southbank. There is a whopping total of 34 world premieres and films will represent 41 countries in the 12 days of screenings.
Unfortunately you have to be present in London as only a handful of short films will be available online. Flare films often appear later in the year on streaming platforms – so look out for them.
Anyway here are my hot tips if you are able to get to London.
A Body To Live In is a no-holds barred look at the agonies and ecstasies of Fakir Musafar, the infamous icon of BDSM performance art. Cherub is a poignant dialogue-free study of a lonely overweight man whose internalised belief is that he is both invisible and unlovable.
A Few Feet Away centres on the pull of hook up apps and their double edged sword for a young man in Buenos Aires looking for connections.
In Memorabilia we find a lifetime of sexual encounters celebrated in this art of porn Odyssey, inspired by the late Charles Lum’s cruising diaries.
Onda Nora is an exploration of colour and eroticism. This comedy looks at the women’s football team opposing the prejudice of a dictatorship-led Brazil.
Ponyboi details an intersex sex worker’s life which spins out of control over one night in this queer crime thriller.
Some Nights I Feel Like Walking is the story of queer belonging and found families that follows a group of young street hustlers trying to fulfil the dying wish of a close friend.
In Trans Memoria artist Victoria Verseau mines her memories of travelling to Thailand for gender affirming surgery.
In Where You Find Me a gynaecologist’s drug fuelled escape and a trans club manager’s legal battles merge into an unlikely alliance.
There is also a short film programme which includes: Brief Encounters – fleeting moments of intimacy between men. For The Girls sees trans femmes front and centre in this collection of films including everything from dating to sex work and becoming a supreme witch.
Queer and Now explores gay life including tales of homelessness, obsession and the journey of coming out, domestic violence, illicit affairs, and love amongst thieves.
Sporty Spice! is 90 minutes of athletic action from lesbian horse whisperers to fantasy footballers and trans inclusive teams.
The marvellous queer film distribution company Peccadillo Pictures tell me they have acquired a couple of films from Flare, with more to follow so check out their website for more information.
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