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BFI Flare LGBTIQ+
Here are the pioneers, the iconoclasts, the brave - from landmark LGBTIQ+ portraits to the next generation of queer classics from the BFI Flare festival.
This collection offers a chance to look back, to revisit and discover - not just the icons of queer cinema but the lesser-known treasures.

Enfant TerribleEnfant Terrible
Biopic2020135 minsDirector: Oskar Roehler
The life and loves of celebrated filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder are laid bare in this engrossing, unconventional biopic.

ChemsexChemsex
Documentary201580 minsDirector: William Fairman
A hard-hitting and often graphic documentary about the 'chemsex' sub-scene in London’s gay community.

TomboyTomboy
Drama201182 minsDirector: Céline Sciamma
Tender drama from Céline Sciamma (Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Girlhood) about a ten-year-old child exploring a new gender identity.

The Duke of BurgundyThe Duke of Burgundy
Drama2014104 minsDirector: Peter Strickland
Peter Strickland’s visually and aurally intoxicating tale of sadomasochistic power-play is a daringly erotic sensory feast.

End of the CenturyEnd of the Century
Romance201984 minsDirector: Lucio Castro
A chance encounter reconnects two men in this heart-breaking lament on love, lust and missed opportunities.

WeekendWeekend
Drama201197 minsDirector: Andrew Haigh
Andrew Haigh's internationally acclaimed tale of a brief encounter between two gay men.

Stranger by the LakeStranger by the Lake
Drama2013100 minsDirector: Alain Guiraudie
A young man witnesses a violent crime at a gay cruising ground and becomes obsessed with the killer in Alain Guiraudie’s acclaimed mystery-thriller.

The Watermelon WomanThe Watermelon Woman
Comedy199785 minsDirector: Cheryl Dunye
Cheryl Dunye's smart and funny romance - thought to be the first feature directed by a black lesbian - remains a breath of fresh air decades on.

52 Tuesdays52 Tuesdays
Drama2013110 minsDirector: Sophie Hyde
A mother undergoing a gender transition meets his estranged daughter every Tuesday, changing gradually each time they meet. An intelligent indie hit about modern identity.

Reaching for the MoonReaching for the Moon
Biopic2013114 minsDirector: Bruno Barreto
Beautifully told true story of the love affair between American poet Elizabeth Bishop and Brazilian architect Lola de Macedo Soares.
Stud LifeStud Life
Drama201287 minsDirector: Campbell X
Campbell X's debut feature is a sexy, young and cool gay romance taking a unique look at a slice of British urban life.

Dressed as a GirlDressed as a Girl
Documentary2015101 minsDirector: Colin Rothbart
An in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at London’s finest drag performers. Warning: extreme use of make-up and glitter.

MargaritaMargarita
Drama201290 minsDirector: Laurie Colbert
When a cash-strapped yuppie couple fire their teenage daughter’s nanny they set of a chain of unexpected events.

VivaViva
Sex comedy2008116 minsDirector: Anna Biller
Anna Biller's outrageous sexploitation satire follows bored housewife Barbi as she searches for adventure in predatory 1970s Los Angeles.

Love Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis BaconLove Is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon
Biopic199887 minsDirector: John Maybury
Derek Jacobi and Daniel Craig star as artist Francis Bacon and his muse George Dyer in John Maybury’s darkly exquisite biopic.

Young Soul RebelsYoung Soul Rebels
Drama1991105 minsDirector: Isaac Julien
The Queen's Silver Jubilee beats to the sounds of Funkadelic, Sylvester and the O'Jays in Isaac Julien’s feature debut.

Tom of FinlandTom of Finland
Biopic2017116 minsDirector: Dome Karukoski
The story of a gay icon is brought to life in Dome Karukoski’s handsome biopic of Touko Laaksonen, the artist whose homoerotic drawings gave visual expression to a growing gay culture.

The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant
Drama1972124 minsDirector: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Fassbinder's visual and verbal extravaganza about a successful but lonely fashion designer who falls in love with a beautiful younger woman.

Pink NarcissusPink Narcissus
Fantasy197165 minsDirector: James Bidgood
With its highly charged hallucinogenic quality, its atmosphere of lush decadence, and its explicit erotic power, Pink Narcissus is a landmark of gay cinema.

Interior. Leather Bar.Interior. Leather Bar.
201360 minsDirector: James Franco
James Franco and Travis Mathews recreate explicit footage cut, rumoured to be lost, from one of the most notorious gay features ever made.

I Am DivineI Am Divine
Documentary201390 minsDirector: Jeffrey Schwarz
A unique documentary about a unique person – follow Divine’s life from humble Baltimore beginnings to superstar status as the Queen of Cult.

La NocheLa Noche
Drama2016141 minsDirector: Edgardo Castro
A gritty journey through the sexual underbelly of Buenos Aires, with graphic depictions of the highs and lows in one man’s quest for intimacy.

Fox and His FriendsFox and His Friends
Drama1975124 minsDirector: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Fassbinder's brilliantly caustic and cynical drama follows an ex-fairground worker who wins the lottery but is still mocked and exploited by his boyfriend’s family and friends.

Théo and HugoThéo and Hugo
Romance201697 minsDirector: Olivier Ducastel
A brief encounter at a naked sex club in Paris seems to be going well for Theo and Hugo, but a sudden realisation changes everything.

A Friend of DorothyA Friend of Dorothy
Drama199532 minsDirector: Raoul O'Connell
A gay man studying in New York develops a crush on his male roommate in this cute and breezy short.

AllureAllure
Drama2017105 minsDirector: Carlos Sanchez
A dark psychosexual drama from first-time directors Carlos and Jason Sanchez, Allure stars Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld) as a troubled woman who becomes entangled in an intense relationship with a teenage girl.

Leave It on the FloorLeave It on the Floor
Drama2011106 minsDirector: Sheldon Larry
Sheldon Larry’s audacious, raunchy and big-hearted voguing musical, set in downtown LA.

RosebudRosebud
Drama199114 minsDirector: Cheryl Farthing
A lesbian couple arouse the interest of their new neighbour in this erotic tale of voyeurism, power dressing and fantasy.

A Special DayA Special Day
Drama1977106 minsDirector: Ettore Scola
Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni deliver the finest and most nuanced performances of their careers in this understated masterpiece from director Ettore Scola.

Madonna and ChildMadonna and Child
Drama198028 minsDirector: Terence Davies
Autobiography as art: the centrepiece of Terence Davies' devastating Liverpool-set Trilogy focuses on his fictional alter-ego in middle age.

ChildrenChildren
Drama197646 minsDirector: Terence Davies
The first part of Terence Davies' formidable Trilogy explores the effects of violence on a Liverpool schoolboy, told in a series of flashbacks.

Death and TransfigurationDeath and Transfiguration
Drama198326 minsDirector: Terence Davies
The Terence Davies Trilogy reaches its astonishing climax as tortured Liverpool clerk Robert Tucker prepares to meet his maker.

Caught LookingCaught Looking
Drama199135 minsDirector: Constantine Giannaris
Years before Grindr, a gay man turns to virtual reality to satisfy his sexual fantasies in this strangely prophetic short film.

What Can I Do with a Male Nude?What Can I Do with a Male Nude?
Comedy198524 minsDirector: Ron Peck
Ron Peck tests the thin line between pornography and art with his amusing rumination on the difficulties of showing the naked male form.

The Lay of the LandThe Lay of the Land
Drama199814 minsDirector: Fraser Macdonald
A man with a history of gay-bashing enters a smoky bar and strikes up a conversation with a drag queen in this dark short.

Eisenstein in GuanajuatoEisenstein in Guanajuato
Biopic2015106 minsDirector: Peter Greenaway
One of Britain’s most inventive filmmakers, Peter Greenaway, tackles the story of arguably the most influential filmmaker in cinema history, Sergei Eisenstein.

Real BoyReal Boy
Documentary201672 minsDirector: Shaleece Haas
A 19-year-old trans man navigates family, friendships, and the challenges of young adulthood.

New Queer Visions Lust in TranslationNew Queer Visions Lust in Translation
Anthology2015108 minsDirector: Kate Meveau
Compilation of short films exploring female desire, including illuminating stories from Belgium, South Africa and Cambodia.

Through a Boy's EyesThrough a Boy's Eyes
Anthology201877 minsDirector: Damiá Serra Cauchetiez
In this selection of award-winning short films, witness the struggles and celebrations seen through the eyes of boys not only becoming men, but becoming attracted to them..

Mysterious SkinMysterious Skin
Drama2004105 minsDirector: Gregg Araki
Gregg Araki's provocative story of two boys haunted by disturbing events one summer when they were eight years old, adapted from Scott Heim's cult indie novel.

A Deal With The UniverseA Deal With The Universe
Documentary201892 minsDirector: Jason Barker
This extraordinarily intimate documentary from Jason Barker tells the inspiring tale of a very different kind of pregnancy.

RelaxRelax
Drama199122 minsDirector: Christopher Newby
A gay man awaits the results of an HIV test, drifting into moments of fantasy as he copes with his fears and memories.

You and the NightYou and the Night
Drama201389 minsDirector: Yann Gonzalez
Eric Cantona and Beatrice Dalle star in an outrageous erotic fever dream about a couple who invite four diverse guests to their midnight orgy.

Love and Death on Long IslandLove and Death on Long Island
Comedy199689 minsDirector: Richard Kwietniowski
John Hurt stars in Richard Kwietniowski’s comedy of fame and obsession about an older man (Hurt) who becomes infatuated with a young Hollywood actor (Jason Priestley), and proceeds to track him down.

A Moment in the ReedsA Moment in the Reeds
Romance2017107 minsDirector: Mikko Makela
The world’s troubles recede, at least for a moment, in this intimate drama about an affair between a Finnish man and a Syrian immigrant.

Postcards from LondonPostcards from London
Drama201789 minsDirector: Steve McLean
A stylish, sexy film about a young man’s journey into an unusual form of escort work.

Jamie and Jessie Are Not TogetherJamie and Jessie Are Not Together
Musical2011101 minsDirector: Wendy Jo Carlton
An indie comedy lesbian romance about falling in love with your best friend. With songs!

QuerelleQuerelle
Drama1982109 minsDirector: Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Jeanne Moreau plays a jaded brothel madam caught up in the violent sexual awakening of Brad Davis' naïve young sailor in Fassbinder's fever dream of subversive eroticism.

Girls LostGirls Lost
Fantasy2015106 minsDirector: Alexandra-Therese Keining
Teenage friends get the chance to be boys for a while in this supernatural, gender fluid fantasy from the director of Kiss Me.

NighthawksNighthawks
Drama1978113 minsDirector: Ron Peck
A schoolteacher juggles everyday life with nights spent cruising for Mr Right in this fascinating landmark in British gay cinema.

Nighthawks 2: Strip Jack NakedNighthawks 2: Strip Jack Naked
Documentary199191 minsDirector: Ron Peck
Ron Peck’s experimental follow up to the groundbreaking Nighthawks is both a making-of documentary and a deeply personal film memoir.

CaravaggioCaravaggio
Biopic198693 minsDirector: Derek Jarman
Derek Jarman’s unique biopic of the 17th century Italian artist Michelangelo da Caravaggio is a powerful meditation on sexuality, criminality and art.

A Dog Barking at the MoonA Dog Barking at the Moon
Drama2019108 minsDirector: Lisa Zi Xiang
This impressive dissection of one Chinese family’s imperfect life gradually reveals discomforting secrets.

Delphinium, a Childhood Portrait of Derek JarmanDelphinium, a Childhood Portrait of Derek Jarman
Biopic201013 minsDirector: Matthew Mishory
Delphinium is a stylized and lyrical coming-of-age portrait of Derek Jarman’s artistic, sexual, and political awakening in post-War England.

New Queer Visions: Men from the BoysNew Queer Visions: Men from the Boys
Anthology2017114 minsDirector: David Bonneville
First love, revenge, new beginnings and more are unwrapped, in this exciting collection of debut shorts from Portugal, Taiwan, Belgium, the UK and the USA.

More BFI Flare films in our Rentals collection.