The festival also saw 3.5 million views for #FiveFilmsForFreedom
BY ANFAL SHEYX, IMAGE BY MILLIE TURNER AND BFI FLARE
BFI Flare is the UK’s leading and longest-running queer film festival, celebrating international LGBTQIA+ cinema. Held annually at Southbank, BFI Flare 2026 (18 to 29 March) hosted 31 World Premieres, nine International Premieres, 11 European Premieres and 33 in celebration of queer cinema.
This year’s festival saw a 32% increase in audience attendance overall, with a 6% increase in attendance for screenings, events and BFI Player, highlighting a continued engagement with queer stories on screen.
In 2026, BFI Flare Festival celebrated 40 years with exhibitions charting the festival’s history available to view for free at Queer Britain in Kings Cross until 3 May. BFI Flare also marked the anniversary with the documentary BFI Flare At 40 available to view on BFI Player.
Opening with the world premiere of Hunky Jesus on 18 March, BFI Flare 2026 was attended by director Jennifer Kroot, producer Brian Benson, and cast including Sister Roma, Sister Zsa Zsa, Glamour and Shalita Corndog.
BFI Flare 2026 also marked the 12th anniversary of their #FiveFilmsForFreedom in collaboration with the British Council. This initiative showcases five films from the BFI Flare programme for free to audiences from around the world. This year’s films were from Vietnam (SWEAT / MỒ HÔI), France (ROOM 206), the USA/Mexico (RAG DOLLS), Brazil (THEO) and the UK (I HATE HELEN), and early figures suggest the campaign has generated over 3.5 million views, showing continued solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community from around the world.
The festival also featured interviews with industry icons such as The Watermelon Woman’s Cheryl Dunye and Low Rider’s Campbell X, as well as a joint talk with filmmaker Louise Weard and emerging filmmaker Alice Maio Mackay.
BFI Flare 2026 included industry talks such as Behind The Camera: Ensuring Inclusivity on Set and The Business of Queer Cinema: Navigating Festival Circuits, Distribution And Streaming, during which industry professionals shed light on the filmmaking profession, equipping young professionals with essential advice, ensuring they grow and thrive in the industry.
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