BFI‘s springtime celebration of queer cinema is back! Whether you choose to join FLARE in person or online (or both), you are about to discover the best in contemporary LGBTQIA+ cinema from around the world.
Films screen at BFI Southbank, with a selection screening virtually on BFI Player available across the UK 16 to 27 March. You can find the Full Programme and Info about tickets on the Official Website HERE
Let’s have a look at the Asian titles and also at the films with some Asia in them:
“Hearts” STRAND
A Distant Place
A young Korean sheepherder raising his niece is visited by two people from his past in this intimate and sumptuously shot family drama.
By PARK Kun-young / South Korea 2020 / 119min
Fragrance of the First Flower
A chance meeting between former high-school friends stirs up forgotten feelings in this beautifully charming Taiwanese digital series screening in its entirety.
By Angel I-Han Teng / Taiwan 2021 / 103min (6 episodes)
Jimmy in Saigon
A man embarks on a journey to uncover the truth behind his brother’s mysterious death, in this fascinating and deeply affecting documentary.
By Peter McDowell / USA 2021. 89min
“Bodies” STRAND
Moneyboys
Chinese rent boys, far from home and hungry for success, struggle with the competing demands of their families and the needs of customers, lovers and friends, in this assured drama.
By C. B. Yi / Austria-France-Belgium-Taiwan 2021 / 120min
This is Not Me
Two young men learn to navigate the Iranian courts in order to begin their transition.
By Saeed Gholipour / Iran 2021 / 71min
“Minds” STRAND
Sirens
Get ready to rock with Sirens – a lively and loud documentary fresh from Sundance Film Festival, about an all-female Middle Eastern thrash rock band.
By Rita Baghdadi / USA-Lebanon 2022 / 78min\
SHORTS
Queer Parivaar
A mysterious woman arrives on the eve of Madhav & Sufi’s wedding, revealing a secret family history.
By Shiva Raichandani / UK 2022 / 27min
Coming Out With The Help Of A Time Machine
Sid tries to find the perfect way to come out to his parents… again… and again… and again…
By Naman Gupta / USA 2021 / 20min
And Then
Although their time together is finite, that doesn’t stop two women connecting and falling in love.
By Ravenna Tran / USA-Japan 2021 / 17min
Virgin My Ass
How far would you go to educate your sexually inexperienced best friend and what does it mean for that friendship?
By Adar Sigler / Israel 2020 / 16min
Ants
When Naveh experiences a bad trip on a night out, he calls upon his ex-boyfriend Amir for support.
By Hadar Bunes / Israel 2021 / 11min
ReFeel
After taking a new drug which allows you to relive past memories, boyfriends Dekel and Neri realise they see things quite differently.
By Omer Harel / Israel 2021 / 19min
SUNDAY
Every Sunday, Kamble goes to the barber shop. But it’s not his hair he’s thinking of, it’s the guy who cuts it.
By Arun Fulara / India 2020 / 10min
Makassar is a City for Football Fans
Akbar has to play it straight to fit in with his macho friends. But how much longer can he keep living a lie?
By Khozy Rizal / Indonesia 2021 / 20min
Borekas
When their car breaks down on the way to the airport, a father and son are forced to do something they haven’t done for a while – talk.
By Saleh Saadi / Palestine 2020 / 15min
Warsha
A Syrian crane operator working in Beirut finds a moment of personal liberation in the most unlikely of places.
By Dania Bdeir / Lebanon-France 2021 / 16min
Muhafiz. The Protector
Against a backdrop of sectarian violence, can a gay Hindu man find the courage to help a Muslim?
By Pradipta Ray / India-UK 2021 / 17min
Trinity
The struggle between responsibility and duty plays out in this lyrical exploration of martial arts.
By Hetain Patel / UK 2021 / 23min
Frozen Out
A Chinese artist, in self-imposed exile in Iowa, is drawn to deserted places.
By Hao Zhou / China-USA 2021 / 5min
Beirut Dreams in Color
Middle Eastern queer activists, including the band Mashrou’ Leila, fight repression with resistance.
By Michael Collins / Lebanon-USA-UK 2021 / 28min
