It’s almost time for the 39th Edition of BFI Flare London’s LGBTQ+ Film Festival which is the biggest of its kind in Europe. It has a wonderfully eclectic mix of films spread over 10 days that covers the entire LGBTQ spectrum with its truely inclusive program. Queerguru will be on the ground there on London’s Southbank to review as many new films as possible and meeting the filmmakers. But from the ones we have already managed to view here are our Top Ten Picks of films that you really shouldn’t miss …
Christopher Marlowe’s play EDWARD II written in the 16th Century about the medieval King who was deposed and beheaded is too rarely performed. Which makes this new production at The Globe’s Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in London even more special, particularly as for once the talented lead actor TOM STUART playing the role the gay King is also openly gay.
The play that has just opened to excellent reviews will be followed by second play performed by the same cast and written by Stuart himself and called After Edward.
In a Facetime interview with Queerguru, the disarmingly charming Stuart talked about both the significant importance of Marlowe’s play to our community, and that his own play is based on how he reacted to playing such an intensely complicated figure such as Richard who was persecuted mainly for his sexuality.
P.S. You can read Queerguru’s Jonathan Kemp’s ☆☆☆☆☆ of Edward II here, and look out for our review of After Edward when it opens in London.
As Jaie Laplante the Festival’s Executive Director cut his teeth helming the city’s LGBT Film Festival several years,he has always insured that the Miami Film Festival incorporates a very healthy selection of LGBTQ movies in their programming. Not only that, but the eclectic mix they pick is adventurous, provocative, mesmerising and thoroughly entertaining. By also throwing in a few groundbreaking and potentially controversial films, their offer is one that we cannot miss and find ourselves generally wholeheartedly recommending.
Now in its 4th year Miami’s GAY 8 has become the largesst LGBTQ Latino/Hispanic Street Festival in the US. Once a year it takes over SW 8th Street in the heart of the city’s Little Havana district and fills it the best Latino music, food and men (and women too). This multi-cultural diverse celebration of the community gets bigger and better each year, and QUEERGURU was there with our camera catching some of the fun on film.
Cheng co-wrote this remarkable coming-of-age movie with his producer GEORGE F. ROBERSON and they based their script on the hundreds of interviews that they conducted with locals in Guatemala. Against the startling background of this impoverished city which ranks as the second most dangerous in the world. 19 year old Luis is looking for love as a way out of his daily drudge.
We talked to Cheng on the eve of the showing of his groundbreaking and powerful #LGBTQ movie at Miami Film Festival.