Fast approaching is the 25th London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, bringing the best in new international queer cinema to London. The festival is taking place from the 31st March till 6th April at London’s BFI Southbank and starts with acclaimed director, Gregg Araki (Totally Fucked Up, Nowhere, Mysterious Skin) brilliant new surreal sci-fi ‘end of the world’ drama, ‘KABOOM!’ starring Thomas Dekker, Haley Bennet, Juno Temple and James Duval.

I will be reporting on some of the highlights of the festival as a member of the BFI Future Film Junior Reporter Scheme, taking part in discussion groups and going to screenings (including the Opening Gala Screening of ‘KABOOM!’) so keep following to see what the festival offers.

There is a wide array of talks, discussions, screenings and various other activities to do which are open to anyone and many of the activities really are relevant to a very varied audience – the festival is not just a niche event! There are too many events to talk about but for a full timetable, check the website at BFI LLGFF for more details.

There are many highlights though and these include:

Thursday 31st:

• ‘KABOOM!’

Friday 1st:

• ‘Becoming Chaz’ Dir: Fenton Bailey & Randy Barbato
• ‘Heartbeats’ Dir: Xavier Dolan
• Absolute Beginners – A workshop for new or prospective LGBT filmmakers which will unwrap the secrets of making films with limited resources.

Saturday 2nd:

• ‘Break My Fall’ Dir: Kanchi Wichmann
• ‘Gigola’ Dir: Laure Charpentier
• ‘Making the Boys’ Dir: Crayton Robey
• ‘Queer Youth Making Changes’ – A pair of documentaries about queer youth on both sides of the Atlantic.
• ‘We Are Family’ – A popular film show for kids, their friends and families.

Sunday 3rd:

• ‘Expectations’ – Decisions must be made, both big and small, in these dynamic stories of young men making sense of their lives.
• ‘Made in the USA’ – There’s something for every lesbian to enjoy in this funny, sexy and thought provoking selection of short films.
• The Future of Queer Cinema – Come and share your views about the future of queer cinema in this informal discussion event.
• The LLGFF 25th Anniversary Lecture – Senior programmer Brian Robinson takes a stroll through 25 years of the BFI London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival.

Tickets & Info:

For times, full info and to book tickets, please check the BFI