The British Film Institute's 33rd Flare: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival kicked off last night on the Southbank with the gala screening of Vita & Virginia, attended by Gemma Arterton, Rupert Penry-Jones, director Chandra Button and several cast and crew members. This is my 21st year covering what is one of London's biggest film festivals, and the most festive film festival I get to attend each year - one where you can mix with the filmmakers and actors, attend parties and casual gatherings alongside screenings and special events. Not only are the films of unusually high quality, but BFI Southbank is always a much more colourful part of the city for these 10 days! I'll be blogging the festival every day or two. Here's the first bunch of highlights...
Vita & Virginia
dir Chanya Button; with Gemma Arterton, Elizabeth Debicki 18/Ire **.
There's a refreshingly modern sensibility to this period drama, which allows the actors to create vivid characters. But the script is so wordy that it never lets the audience in. This leaves this as a film that's lovely to look at, and even admire, but it's impossible to crack the surface and genuinely experience the emotions. And the excellent cast struggles to make the dialog resonate with the famous characters they're playing.
Lizziedir Craig William Macneill; with Chloe Sevigny, Kristen Stewart 18/US ***.
The sensational true story of Lizzie Borden is told in an intriguingly naturalistic style by filmmaker Craig William Macneill. It's a remarkably thoughtful film, packed with insinuating plot points and earthy performances. And Macneill uses deliberately choppy editing to drop hints and reveal the chain of events out of sequence. It's rather chilly, and very cleverly made... FULL REVIEW >
Josedir Li Cheng; with Enrique Salanic, Manolo Herrera 18/Gua ****
Earthy and honest, this observational drama deals with big themes without ever getting pushy about them. Chinese-born American filmmaker Li Cheng lets the story develop in an organic way, almost as if he's capturing real events with the camera. This astute style stretches from the busy street scenes to much more intimate moments, grounding the events and emotions in a way that's powerfully resonant... FULL REVIEW >
Girldir Lukas Dhont; with Victor Polster, Tijmen Govaerts 18/Bel ****
Belgian filmmaker Lukas Dhont takes a matter-of-fact approach to an extraordinary story, turning a teen trans girl's epic struggles into something that's remarkably easy to identify with. And without a traditional plot, the film builds a gnawing sense of dread that bottled-up feelings will lead to something very dark. Indeed, the climactic scenes deliver a powerful punch... FULL REVIEW >
The Gospel of Eurekadir Michael Palmieri, Donal Mosher; with Lee Keating, Walter Burrell 18/US ****
Beautifully written and edited, this documentary centres on an unusual corner of the world where devout Christians mix with the LGBTQ community. The filmmakers wisely avoid commenting on the issues, cutting scenes together with knowing wit to make an important point, bracingly highlighting the hypocrisy of people who use the Bible to justify bigotry. And the personal stories earn the viewers' tears... FULL REVIEW >
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