Flare Festival Top Picks
Soho’s LGBTQIA+ cinema secrets, straight from the underground…
BFI Flare isn’t just a festival - it’s a full-throttle, technicolour, unapologetic celebration of queer storytelling. It’s where love, rebellion, and creativity collide on the big screen, with Soho as its spiritual home. Whether you’re here for the cinematic deep dives, the boundary-pushing indies, or just an excuse to dance till dawn, these are the moments you can’t miss.
THE FILMS
HOT MILK
The ultimate power combo of literary pedigree and serious acting chops. This adaptation of Deborah Levy’s beloved novel is set to make waves, starring Emma Mackey and Fiona Shaw. It’s a sun-drenched, emotionally charged drama, guaranteed to leave you mesmerised.
PONYBOI
The intersex representation we’ve been waiting for. River Gallo’s gritty, emotional thriller packs a serious punch, featuring a stacked cast including Indya Moore and Murray Bartlett. A Sundance favourite, now coming to shake up the UK.
THE WEDDING BANQUET
A modern reimagining of the 1993 classic, with a sapphic twist and a cast that includes Bowen Yang and Lily Gladstone. Expect mistaken identities, awkward family gatherings, and all the high-stakes chaos of a fake marriage done for all the wrong reasons.
NIGHT STAGE
Sultry, suspenseful, and scandalous. This psychosexual thriller follows the forbidden affair of a rising politician and an actor with a penchant for public trysts. It’s closing the festival, and trust us, you don’t want to miss it.
I’M YOUR VENUS
The House of Xtravaganza returns in this powerful documentary about Venus Xtravaganza, the ballroom icon tragically murdered before the release of Paris Is Burning. It’s a love letter to a legend, a call for justice, and an electrifying reminder of why her story still matters.
THE EVENTS
Opening Night Party
Flamboyant, joyous, and packed with energy, the Flare Festival kicks off with a bang. Expect live performances, surprise guest appearances, and a dancefloor that doesn’t quit.
For Us, By Us: A History of Black Queer Women’s Cinema
Join BFI Flare programmer Grace Barber-Plentie for a talk tracing the history of films made by, for, and about Black queer women.
DJ Night: Fèmme Fraîche
The underground queer scene doesn’t get much better than this. Expect a mix of house, disco, and sweaty, feel-good dancefloor moments curated by some of the best DJs in the game.
Closing Night Party
An eclectic mix of pop, rock n’roll, girl groups, disco, punk, country, divas, indie and camp classics from the unparalleled Unskinny Bop duo. Then R & She in the Balcony Bar, DJs Neil Prince and QBoy play the finest female fronted R & B and hip-hop from the 90s to now, wrapping up the festival in true fabulous fashion.