In partnership with BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, our annual online programme of short films is back! Watch the films online for free between 18-30 March.
This year’s programme brings you five powerful stories of love, courage, secrets and betrayal by filmmakers from around the world. These stories remind us that no matter where – or who – we are, the need for love and self-expression is universal.
2026 Films
I HATE HELEN
Director Katie Lambert, UK
Priya hates Helen. She hates her in the canteen. Hates her in science. Especially hates her at swimming. Mostly, Priya hates the way Helen makes her feel. A short film about the tidal wave of lust some girls feel in school and letting those feelings just wash over you.
RAG DOLLS
Director Amy Adler, USA / Mexico
Married couple Rosalinda (born with spina bifida) and Diana (who has cerebral palsy) navigate life in Puebla, Mexico, where disability intersects with discrimination and poverty. Abandoned by family, underserved by government support systems, and facing persistent homophobia, the women have built a life centred on mutual care and protection. Observing a single ordinary day, the film follows their routines, a romantic date, and moments of reflection on their enduring love.
ROOM 206
Dir. Laurie Bisceglia, France
After undergoing gender-affirming surgery, Clair no longer cares what the world thinks. Reclaiming his body becomes a path toward self-recognition for the first time in his life. This documentary accompanies him not only through physical change, but towards emotional renewal and a new beginning.
SWEAT (Mồ Hôi)
Director Edward Nguyen, Vietnam
On the eve of leaving rural Vietnam, farm worker Hung prepares to illegally cross the border in search of refuge abroad. Defined by routine and labour, his final day with Hoang, a fellow worker, reshapes his understanding of desire, intimacy and selfhood.
THEO
Director Monica Palazzo & Joana Galvão, Brazil
Brazil, 1986. During the World Cup, seven-year-old Theo quietly navigates school life while defying rigid gender expectations. Between silence and rebellion, they begin inventing their own way of existing.