Both films and many in the festival demonstrate the themes of community and friendship running through this year’s programme. The festival’s closing film on Saturday 25 March is the UK premiere of Hannes Hirsch’s debut feature Drifter, fresh off its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival, the film is a scintillating portrait of a young man coming to terms with life, love, sex and relationships in contemporary Berlin. The stirring and deeply personal documentary is the definitive story of trans sex workers of colour in New York’s Meatpacking District.
As previously announced, BFI Flare opens on Wednesday 15 March with the international premiere of Kristen Lovell and Zackary Drucker’s resonant documentary The Stroll, which won the Sundance Film Festival’s Special Jury Award: Clarity of Vision Award.