The celebration of LGBTQIA cinema from across the world is commemorating its 10th birthday this year
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY FIVE FILMS FOR FREEDOM
This year marks a landmark celebration of a decade of the world’s most extensive LGBTQIA digital showcase – Five Films For Freedom. This global initiative invites audiences worldwide to indulge in the beauty of five impactful short films from the Philippines, India, Spain, the USA, and the UK, streaming for free from March 13 to 24 2024.
Since its inception in 2015, Five Films For Freedom has reached an astounding 23 million viewers across over 200 countries. The collaboration between the British Council and BFI Flare continues to break boundaries, offering a platform for LGBTQIA stories that resonate globally.
This year’s selection explores diverse themes, from the historical defiance of Compton’s 22 in San Francisco to the heartfelt journey of love on a Mumbai beach in Halfway. Other films include Little One, Cursive, and The First Kiss, delving into topics like family, identity, romance, and the universal quest for acceptance.
Reflecting on a decade of impact, Briony Hanson, Director of Film at the British Council, expressed enthusiasm for the program’s growth: “When we launched our very first Five Films For Freedom programme back in 2015, the idea was simply to share some of the brilliant films curated by BFI Flare with as many people in as many places as we could.”
“10 years and 50 films later, we’ve found that people all over the globe are hungry to see queer lives on their screens; we’ve found audiences in extraordinary situations to be braver than we ever imagined they’d be; and we’ve realised that LGBTQIA filmmakers have the ability to change lives with their stories. Bring on the next 10 years!”
The five films showcased this year offer a rich tapestry of LGBTQIA experiences, including a pregnant mother reflecting on her family’s history, a couple meeting halfway on Mumbai’s Juhu Beach, and the imagined events at Compton’s Cafeteria in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district.
Join the global community in supporting LGBTQIA voices, celebrating a decade of Five Films For Freedom. For more information and to watch the films, visit Five Films For Freedom.
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