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| Layla |
The biggest LGBTQ+ film festival in the UK, BFI Flare, has just announced its line-up for this year. It will open with Layla, which explores the complicated romance between a very conventional white gay man and a glamorous British-Palestinian drag queen, and will be introduced by director Amrou Al-Kadhi. The closing film will be Luke Willis' documentary Lady Like, which follows RuPaul's Drag Race star Lady Camden as she adjusts to fame and copes with the legacy of a troubled childhood.
Other highlights include family drama Close To You, whose star, Elliot Page, will discuss the film and reflect on his career. There are some fantastic international films in the line-up, including Brazilian drama Toll, which explores the complex relationship between a mother and son, and Canadian-Pakistani co-production The Queen Of My Dreams, in which a mother and her estranged lesbian daughter are reconnected by bereavement and discover the common threads that bind their lives together. Plus there's a chance to see Rose Glass' slick noir Love Lies Bleeding, which will also open Glasgow Film Festival.
Running at BFI Southbank in London from 13 to 24 March, the festival will also feature panel discussions, giving attendees the opportunity to learn about how casting works for asexual and aromantic characters, and how intimacy coordinators do their jobs. There will also be a crafting workshop, DJ nights and a quiz.
