Join us for special screening of Five Films For Freedom, the world’s widest reaching LGBTQIA+ online celebration.
A partnership between the British Council and BFI Flare, London’s LGBTIQIA+ film festival, Five Films For Freedom makes five international LGBTQIA+ short films available to watch online for free anywhere in the world as well as free public screenings.
Since its launch in 2015, the films featured in the programme have been watched online and in person by over 26 million people in more than 202 countries and principalities, celebrating global stories in support of LGBTQIA+ communities around the world.
Christchurch Art Gallery is delighted to host this free public screening of the films in collaboration with Christchurch Pride and the British Council New Zealand and the Pacific. The films selected for this year’s programme will be announced in late February.
The Films
Overnight, the five films drawn from the BFI Flare Festival programme that will make up the 2026
Five Films For Freedom were announced. They are from Brazil, France, United Kingdom, USA/Mexico and Vietnam. You can see the announcement here:
Five Films For Freedom | British Council ArtsThis year’s selection is:
I HATE HELEN (Dir. Katie Lambert, UK, 7 min)
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 gay lust some girls feel in school and letting those feelings just wash over you.
In the UK this film would be classed as a PG.
RAG DOLLS (Dir. Amy Adler, USA / Mexico, 12 min)
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.
In the UK this film would be classed as a U certificate.
ROOM 206 (Dir. Laurie Bisceglia, 16 min, 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.
In the UK this film would be classed as a PG.
SWEAT (Mô Hôi) (Dir. Edward Nguyen, Vietnam, 15 min)
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.
In the UK this film would be classed as a U certificate.
THEO (Dir. Monica Palazzo & Joana Galvão, Brazil, 15 min)
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.
In the UK this film would be classed as a U certificate.
Screenings
We are delighted that there will be 24 screenings across New Zealand, and in Fiji, in the following locations:
Cathay Cinema, Kerikeri
Matakana Cinemas
Auckland University of Technology, Auckland
Capitol Cinema, Auckland
Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum & Gallery, Hamilton
Luxe Cinemas, Tauranga
MTG, Hawke’s Bay, Napier
Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre, New Plymouth
Roxy Cinema, Wellington
Space Place, Wellington
Nelson Provincial Museum
Regent Theatre, Hokitika
Christchurch Art Gallery
Aigantighe Art Gallery, Timaru
Te Atamira, Queenstown
Dunedin Public Art Gallery
Arts Murihiku, Invercargill
Damodar Cinemas, Suva, Fiji
