From 21st March to 1st April 2018, audiences in London are enjoying BFI Flare, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) film festival. At the same time you, and people all over the world, can watch five films from the festival for free online.
#FiveFilms4Freedom is a global, digital short-film celebration in support of LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) rights – and hence human rights. We and our partners promote the programme through a digital campaign.
In 2018, anyone with an Internet connection will again be able to watch five short films with LGBTQ+ themes as part of the celebration and campaign.
#FiveFilms4Freedom was a big success in 2016 and 2017. In 2017, audiences in 202 countries and principalities watched the films, which reached a tally of nearly 1.8 million views. British Council teams in 70 countries participated, and the campaign had a massive social media reach of 45 million. This is the fourth year the campaign is running. As in previous years, #FiveFilms4Freedom in 2018 is a project in partnership with the British Film Institute (BFI) and, specifically, BFI Flare: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival.
The BFI and the UK Foreign Office continue to be proud partners and celebrate the success of the joint initiative.
Show that love is a human right
On Wednesday 21 March, we are once again asking the world to watch a movie together. Over the course of one single day, you can show that love is a human right simply by watching one of the films, joining people from around the world.
If you want to pledge your support, please tweet and share on all social media on 21 March, with the hashtag #FiveFilms4Freedom.
Watch the five films for free online
The five short films selected for #FiveFilms4Freedom 2018 include dramas and documentaries chronicling lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer experiences.
With stories from India, Greece, South Korea, Canada and the UK, the films range from overcoming discrimination at high school to an intimate portrait of LGBTQ+ experiences amongst farmers in rural Britain.
*Please note that Handsome & Majestic and Goldfish are suitable for younger audiences, please see our resource pack for schools
The films are available to watch online from 21 March – 1 April 2018
The #FiveFilms4Freedom 2018 are: