| BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival | |
| Founded: | 1986 |
| Last: | 2024 |
| Location: | London, United Kingdom |
| Language: | International |
| Website: | https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/flare/Online/default.asp |
| Preceded By: | 37th |
| Followed By: | 39th |
| Main: | Current: 38th |
| Chronology: | BFI Flare |
BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival, formerly known as the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (LLGFF),[1] is the biggest LGBTIQ+ film festival in Europe.[2] It takes place every spring in London, England. Organised and run by the British Film Institute, all BFI Flare screenings take place in the BFI Southbank.
It began in 1986, as a season of gay and lesbian films at the National Film Theatre for two years, under the title "Gay's Own Pictures", curated by Peter Packer of the Tyneside Cinema. It was renamed the 'London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival' in 1988. Having been a two-week festival for many years, the festival was shortened to a week in 2011, then increased to 10 days in 2012. The events name change to BFI Flare occurred in 2014.[3]
On its 30th anniversary, screenings attendance at BFI Flare was up 9% and box-office results surpassed the previous, record-breaking year. Audiences at all events and screenings over the eleven-day festival totalled 25,623 in 2016.[4] Additional programming under the BFI Flare tag is available at throughout the year.[5]
The 38th edition of BFI Flare will take place at the BFI Southbank in London from 13 to 24 March 2024. It will feature 33 world premieres across its programme, divided into three thematic strands called Hearts, Bodies, and Minds.[6]