Rentals

BFI Flare presents

The UK’s premier LGBTIQ+ festival is now as accessible as it is inclusive – offering the latest films and coverage direct from the event itself.

Bold, diverse, exhilarating and unapologetic – the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival earned its reputation for adventurous programming over 28 years. Newly rebranded as BFI Flare, the festival now brings you a BFI Player collection including features and shorts from current and previous festivals, alongside coverage of the latest talks and events to bring you closer to the experience, wherever you are.

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Make UpMake Up

Drama201986 minsDirector: Claire Oakley

The debut feature from acclaimed short filmmaker Claire Oakley is a riveting psycho-sexual drama in which nothing is quite what it seems.

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The PrinceThe Prince

Drama201996 minsDirector: Sebastián Muñoz

This powerful tale of love behind bars won the Queer Lion at the 2019 Venice Film Festival.

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SummerlandSummerland

Drama2020100 minsDirector: Jessica Swale

Gemma Arterton stars in acclaimed theatre director Jessica Swale’s moving Second World War drama, as a woman rediscovering her ability to love.

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God's Own CountryGod's Own Country

Drama2017105 minsDirector: Francis Lee

A troubled young sheep farmer falls for a hired hand in this stunning debut from Francis Lee.

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Vita & VirginiaVita & Virginia

Biopic2018110 minsDirector: Chanya Button

Gemma Arterton and Elizabeth Debicki relive a literary love affair, fiery and forbidden, with a remarkable legacy.

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Giant Little OnesGiant Little Ones

Drama201893 minsDirector: Keith Behrman

The classic high-school coming-out story gets a smart revision in this sharply perceptive teen drama.

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Tell It to the BeesTell It to the Bees

Drama2017108 minsDirector: Annabel Jankel

Anna Paquin and Holliday Grainger star as two very different women who fall in love in this 1950s-set romantic drama.

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Papi ChuloPapi Chulo

Comedy201899 minsDirector: John Butler

Delightfully unexpected buddy movie about a heartbroken TV weatherman's relationship with a migrant worker.

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JT LeRoyJT LeRoy

Drama2018109 minsDirector: Justin Kelly

Kristen Stewart and Laura Dern's towering tall story hoaxes the world.

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TuckedTucked

Drama201981 minsDirector: Jamie Patterson

A blossoming friendship between two drag performers born 60 years apart is the subject of this emotionally engaging comedy.

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MapplethorpeMapplethorpe

Drama2018102 minsDirector: Ondi Timoner

Matt Smith stars as legendary photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in this full-frontal homage to the devilish bad boy, whose sex life fuelled his career.

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SunburnSunburn

Romance201892 minsDirector: Vicente Alves Do Ó

The simmering sexual tensions of a group of old friends come to the boil in this sizzling psychological drama, which playfully evokes the spirit of François Ozon.

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RafikiRafiki

Drama201883 minsDirector: Wanuri Kahiu

Romantic sparks fly between the daughters of two opposing politicians in Wanuri Kahiu’s neon-bright story of forbidden love in Kenya.

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GirlGirl

Drama2018106 minsDirector: Lukas Dhont

Lukas Dhont's breathtaking debut feature encompasses the heartache, courage, and punishing training of a ballerina transitioning in her teenage years.

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LizzieLizzie

Crime2018105 minsDirector: Craig Macneill

Chloë Sevigny and Kristen Stewart captivate in this bodice-ripping retelling of the strange and fascinating case of Lizzie Borden.

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SauvageSauvage

Drama201899 minsDirector: Camille Vidal-Naquet

The daily misfortunes of a lonesome rent boy are laid bare in this tough but tender portrait of life on the fringes of society.

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Night Comes OnNight Comes On

Drama201887 minsDirector: Jordana Spiro

After being released from prison, a young African American woman goes in search of her father.

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We the AnimalsWe the Animals

Drama201893 minsDirector: Jeremiah Zagar

Sensitive and increasingly different from his hyper-masculine brothers, a young boy faces the truth of his own desires.

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CarolCarol

Drama2015119 minsDirector: Todd Haynes

Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara illuminate Todd Haynes’ intoxicating adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s beloved novel.

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Malila: The Farewell FlowerMalila: The Farewell Flower

201795 minsDirector: Anucha Boonyawatana

A dream-like encounter between two ex-lovers becomes a meditation on love, life and loss in this hauntingly beautiful film.

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Reinventing MarvinReinventing Marvin

Drama2017114 minsDirector: Anne Fontaine

A young gay man (Finnegan Oldfield ) flourishes under the tutelage of Isabelle Huppert's drama teacher, in this stirring drama from director Anne Fontaine (The Innocents).

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The HandmaidenThe Handmaiden

Crime2016146 minsDirector: Park Chan-wook

Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, Stoker) channels Sarah Waters’ novel Fingersmith, to create a sumptuous twisty psychological thriller full of erotic intrigue.

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Mapplethorpe: Look at the PicturesMapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures

Documentary2016109 minsDirector: Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato

An unflinching and sometimes graphic account of the life, art and legacy of the legendary photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.

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Beach RatsBeach Rats

Drama201798 minsDirector: Eliza Hittman

Gripping account of repressed sexual desire in a hyper-masculine environment, with British newcomer Harris Dickinson as a virulently macho Brooklyn teen.

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Freak ShowFreak Show

Comedy201891 minsDirector: Trudie Styler

Alex Lawther is outstanding as a teenage rebel in this tale of an unrepentant high-school outsider, directed by Trudie Styler.

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The OrnithologistThe Ornithologist

Drama2016118 minsDirector: João Pedro Rodrigues

A lone scientist in Portugal’s Douro region embarks on an unexpected transcendental journey. Beautiful, erotic and baffling.

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Centre of My WorldCentre of My World

Drama2016115 minsDirector: Jakob M. Erwa

A young man falls for the new boy at school in this energetic and inventive adaptation of Andreas Steinhoefel’s acclaimed YA novel.

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The PassThe Pass

Drama201686 minsDirector: Ben A. Williams

Russell Tovey stars as a Premier League footballer who shares a fumbled pass (of the sexual kind) with a teammate (Arinzé Kene), changing everything - both on and off the pitch.

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Are You Proud?Are You Proud?

Documentary201896 minsDirector: Ashley Joiner

Celebratory yet reflective documentary charting the LGBTQ+ movement's momentous journey towards equality.

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The Happy PrinceThe Happy Prince

Biopic2018105 minsDirector: Rupert Everett

Rupert Everett astounds as Oscar Wilde, depicting the fallen star in the final years of his life, in this heartfelt and captivating passion project.

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DepartureDeparture

Drama2016108 minsDirector: Andrew Steggall

Andrew Steggall’s deft and delicate drama about a teenage dreamer who falls for the rough beauty of a local boy while staying in France.

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MoonlightMoonlight

Drama2016111 minsDirector: Barry Jenkins

Winner of the 2017 Oscar for Best Picture (eventually!), Barry Jenkins’ intoxicating drama follows the furtive life of a gay black boy through 80s Miami.

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TaekwondoTaekwondo

Drama2016108 minsDirector: Marco Berger and Martin Farina

A gorgeously photographed, teasingly libidinous exercise in latent homoeroticism set over a long hot summer in Buenos Aires.

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The Duke of BurgundyThe Duke of Burgundy

Drama2015104 minsDirector: Peter Strickland

Peter Strickland’s visually and aurally intoxicating tale of sadomasochistic power-play is a daringly erotic sensory feast.

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Holding the ManHolding the Man

Biopic2015128 minsDirector: Neil Armfield

A sweepingly romantic adaptation of Timothy Conigrave’s best-selling memoir, an impassioned love letter to his partner, John Caleo.

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A Date For Mad MaryA Date For Mad Mary

201683 minsDirector: Darren Thornton

Dry, sarcastic, maddening Mary must find a date for her best friend’s wedding in this Irish feel-good hit for misfits everywhere.

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LiltingLilting

Drama201486 minsDirector: Hong Khaou

Ben Whishaw stars in an intimate portrait of two strangers brought together by the common language of grief.

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The Girl KingThe Girl King

Historical drama2015106 minsDirector: Mika Kaurismäki

Lush retelling of the story of lesbian monarch Queen Christina of Sweden, combining period drama with a deeply personal love story.

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Amen IslandAmen Island

Thriller201091 minsDirector: Mark Harriott and Mike Matthews

When an adventurous trio set off for the secluded island of Amen, they're blissfully unaware of the horrors that lie in wait, in this indie bisexual riff on The Wicker Man.

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Nasty BabyNasty Baby

Drama2015101 minsDirector: Sebastián Silva

Kristen Wiig plays a woman trying to start a family with a gay couple, in this biting black comedy set among a diverse Brooklyn community.

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Like You Mean ItLike You Mean It

Drama201690 minsDirector: Philipp Karner

Writer-director Philipp Garner also stars in this refreshing gay drama, a portrait of a couple trying to make it work in the film world of Los Angeles.

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The UntamedThe Untamed

Fantasy201698 minsDirector: Amat Escalante

Amat Escalante follows Heli with a boundary-pushing, mind-blowing mix of sex, sci-fi and social drama.

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FulboyFulboy

Documentary201581 minsDirector: Martin Farina

This deeply intimate portrait of an Argentine football club is a forensic, fetishistic expose of soccer’s clandestine dressing-room culture.

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Everlasting LoveEverlasting Love

Drama201469 minsDirector: Marçal Forés

A thrilling and disturbing exploration of the perils of illicit sexual encounters, beginning when a teacher initiates a tryst with one of his pupils.

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Peter de Rome: Grandfather of Gay PornPeter de Rome: Grandfather of Gay Porn

Documentary201496 minsDirector: Ethan Reid

The journey of a true English eccentric, from his 1960s experiments with gay erotica to a reappraisal 40 years later as an LGBT pioneer.

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Love Is StrangeLove Is Strange

Drama201495 minsDirector: Ira Sachs

Ira Sachs’s refined Manhattan-set drama sees Alfred Molina’s Ben and John Lithgow’s George in the latter days of a tender, loving 39-year relationship.

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Of Girls and HorsesOf Girls and Horses

Drama201483 minsDirector: Monika Treut

A troubled teen finds love during a summer spent at a horse ranch, in this captivating lesbian drama from cult director Monika Treut.

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Futuro BeachFuturo Beach

Thriller2014107 minsDirector: Karim Aïnouz

A tragic event brings together a Brazilian lifeguard and a German tourist in Karim Aïnouz’s hypnotic melodrama.

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Something Must BreakSomething Must Break

Drama201485 minsDirector: Ester Martin Bergsmark

A striking 21st-century love story about the passionate relationship between a transgendered teen and a straight man.

Currently unavailable

Behind the CandelabraBehind the Candelabra

Biopic2013119 minsDirector: Steven Soderbergh

Michael Douglas dazzles as the flamboyant virtuoso pianist Liberace in this fascinating biopic by Steven Soderbergh.

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Dior and IDior and I

Documentary201490 minsDirector: Frederic Tcheng

An astonishing behind-the-scenes documentary following the famed fashion house’s new artistic director as he prepares his first collection.

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Blue is the Warmest ColourBlue is the Warmest Colour

Romance2013180 minsDirector: Abdel Kechiche

The epic, passionate and strikingly naturalistic Palme d'Or-winning romance.

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G.B.F.G.B.F.

Comedy201393 minsDirector: Darren Stein

Three high-school girls wage war to win the latest must-have social accessory - a Gay Best Friend.

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Kiss MeKiss Me

Romance2011107 minsDirector: Alexandre-Therese Keining

Mia is engaged to marry a man, but finds herself falling for Frida, who happens to be her new stepmother's daughter.

Currently unavailable

Eastern BoysEastern Boys

Drama2012124 minsDirector: Robin Campillo

A gay pick-up turns into a dangerous game of betrayal and violence in this slyly subversive and compelling thriller.

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BlushBlush

Drama201585 minsDirector: Michal Vinik

An assured and authentic lesbian coming-of-age drama, boasting a mesmerising and heartfelt lead performance.

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The New GirlfriendThe New Girlfriend

Melodrama2014108 minsDirector: François Ozon

Ruth Rendell provides the source novel for this delicious tale of deception and identity, from the master of mischievous melodrama, François Ozon.

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Tom at the FarmTom at the Farm

Drama2013103 minsDirector: Xavier Dolan-Tadros

Dark psychosexual thriller from prodigious Canadian director Xavier Dolan, following a young man who finds himself embroiled in a dangerous game of deception.

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TestTest

Drama201389 minsDirector: Chris Mason Johnson

A wonderfully evocative period drama exploring the telling details of gay life in San Francisco in 1985 with a fantastically upbeat 80s soundtrack.

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Who’s Afraid of Vagina Wolf?Who’s Afraid of Vagina Wolf?

Comedy201379 minsDirector: Anna Margarita Albelo

In order to impress an girl, a struggling filmmaker agrees to write an all-female retelling of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

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Greek PeteGreek Pete

Drama200970 minsDirector: Andrew Haigh

Acclaimed filmmaker Andrew Haigh (Weekend, 45 Years) made his feature debut with this bold, sexually explicit drama-documentary about London rent boys.

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The Passion of MichelangeloThe Passion of Michelangelo

Drama2013100 minsDirector: Esteban Larraín

In Pinochet's Chile, a 14-year-old boy becomes a media sensation after claiming to have witnessed visions of the Virgin Mary.

Currently unavailable

Yellow FeverYellow Fever

Comedy199827 minsDirector: Raymond Yeung

A gay British-Chinese man refuses to date Chinese men. But then Jai Ming moves in next door.

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SpeechlessSpeechless

Drama201293 minsDirector: Simon Chung

A mysterious, exotic and riveting drama about a nameless man discovered naked on a riverbank, who forms a bond with the hospital assistant who can communicate with him.

Currently unavailable

It's All So QuietIt's All So Quiet

Drama201391 minsDirector: Nanouk Leopold

Reflective calm and ambient beauty suffuse this tale of silent sexuality, as a lonely farmer’s quiet existence is interrupted by desire.

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The ComedianThe Comedian

Drama201379 minsDirector: Tom Shkolnik

Touching drama about a thirtysomething comedian looking for happiness.

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I Am MichaelI Am Michael

Drama102 minsDirector: Justin Kelly

James Franco stars in this provocative film about Michael Glatze, a pioneering gay rights activist who later denounced his homosexuality.

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Eyes Wide OpenEyes Wide Open

Drama200993 minsDirector: Haim Tabakman

A married butcher in Jerusalem’s ultra-orthodox Jewish quarter falls for a beautiful young man in this outstanding Israeli feature.

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Keep the Lights onKeep the Lights on

Drama2012102 minsDirector: Ira Sachs

A filmmaker escapes the pain of a break-up through casual sex and meets a closeted lawyer in this deeply personal work from Ira Sachs.

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I Promise You AnarchyI Promise You Anarchy

201586 minsDirector: Julio Hernández Cordón

A pair of teenage skateboarders find themselves drawn into a murky criminal underworld in this distinctive thriller.

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Hidden AwayHidden Away

Drama201492 minsDirector: Mikel Rueda

A chance encounter between a Moroccan boy and a Spanish teen alters the course of their lives.

Currently unavailable

Breakfast on Pluto Breakfast on Pluto

Drama2006129 minsDirector: Neil Jordan

Cillian Murphy is extraordinary as a transgender foundling searching for her lost mother, in Neil Jordan’s runaway romp.

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120 BPM (Beats per Minute)120 BPM (Beats per Minute)

Drama2017143 minsDirector: Robin Campillo

Pulsating with life and pounding with urgency, Robin Campillo’s extraordinary account of 1990s AIDS activism is a rousing, sensual and heart-breaking celebration of personal and political resistance.

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Tiger OrangeTiger Orange

Drama201476 minsDirector: Wade Gasque

Big city morality and sex culture clash with small town values in this sweet tale of two gay brothers.

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White Bird in a BlizzardWhite Bird in a Blizzard

Drama201491 minsDirector: Gregg Araki

Shailene Woodley and Eva Green star in Gregg Araki’s lyrical and impressionistic adaptation of Laura Kasischke’s novel.

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Floating SkyscrapersFloating Skyscrapers

Drama201389 minsDirector: Tomasz Wasilewski

Hailed as ‘Poland’s first LGBT film’, Tomasz Wasilewski’s striking drama follows a champion swimmer whose gay relationship causes ripples.

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A Fantastic WomanA Fantastic Woman

Drama2017104 minsDirector: Sebastián Lelio

This invigorating and inspiring Chilean drama from Sebastián Lelio (Gloria) follows a trans woman’s quest for a little respect. Winner of the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film 2018.

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The Chambermaid LynnThe Chambermaid Lynn

201490 minsDirector: Ingo Haeb

An obsessive-compulsive hotel cleaner (Vicky Krieps) who harbours a fetishistic fascination with her hotel's guests meets an enigmatic dominatrix who changes her world.

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Beautiful SomethingBeautiful Something

Drama201593 minsDirector: Joseph Graham

In one desperate night, four disparate gay men cruise Philadelphia in pursuit of ever-elusive human connection.

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AkronAkron

Romance201588 minsDirector: Brian O'Donnell and Sasha King

Two young men meet on the sports field and fall in love. But there’s a family secret which resurfaces and threatens to tear them apart.

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Before StonewallBefore Stonewall

Documentary198484 minsDirector: Greta Schiller

Documenting the testimonies from those who dared to challenge the world and helped create the modern gay community.

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