‘Five Films for Freedom’ 2025, a celebration of global LGBTQIA+ stories set to inspire audiences worldwide

British Council in collaboration with British Film Institute Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, announced the return of ‘Five Films for Freedom’ from March 19 to 30, 2025. This time the annual programme will not only be streaming online worldwide, free of charge but also screened offline in Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru and Mumbai, shedding light on five impactful LGBTQIA+ short films from filmmakers from Indonesia, New Zealand, China, Switzerland and the UK to global audiences.

Alison Barrett MBE, Director India, British Council said, "Five Films for Freedom is more than a film programme, it is a powerful global movement that champions the freedom to love and be seen. As we mark 11 years of this partnership with British Film Institute Flare, we continue to celebrate the resilience, creativity, and courage of LGBTQIA+ filmmakers whose stories inspire change. This initiative is a testament to the power of storytelling in fostering inclusivity, understanding, and cultural exchange, and we are proud to bring these films to audiences in India and across the world. This year, alongside digital screenings, we are excited to host in-person screenings in Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai and Bengaluru, creating spaces for deeper engagement and conversation”.

What will the ‘Five Films for Freedom’ feature?

This year’s programme includes an exceptional blend of genres and storytelling styles. The curative selection of five power-packed short films includes, a heartfelt animated tale of gender exploration in Lisa Ott’s DragFox, a moving documentary about a trans football club in Cameron Richards and Charlie Tidmas’s We’ll Go Down in History, a coming-of-age drama centred on family and aspirations in Andre Shen’s If I Make It to the Morning, Oktania Hamdani and Winner Wijaya’s NGGAK!!! brings a tender yet powerful take on young love and societal expectations, and Ramon Te Wake’s Wait, Wait, Now! reminisces about childhood friendships and the journey to self-expression.

Director of BFI Festivals, Kristy Matheson shared, "BFI Flare is a place for community, thought and discussion through films and over the last decade it’s been a privilege and a joy for our team to work with filmmakers and the British Council to expand this space across the globe. As we embark on the 11th edition of ‘Five Films for Freedom’, we continue to be inspired by the enormous creativity of LGBTQIA+ storytelling and the power of the short film medium to spark connection and conversation."

(Written by Addrita Sinha)