British Council Wales and Chapter Arts Centre are delighted to host a special screening for the 10th anniversary of the Five Films for Freedom - the world’s widest-reaching LGBTQIA+ online celebration in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual rights.

A partnership between the British Council and BFI Flare, Five Films for Freedom makes LGBTQIA+ short films available to watch online, for free, anywhere in the world. Running annually since 2015, the festival has received more than 23 million views over 200 countries.

The tenth anniversary edition will showcase global LGBTQIA+ stories that resonate with strength and spirit, from the historic defiance of Compton's 22 in San Francisco to the heartfelt journey of love and un-derstanding in Halfway. This year's selection, including Little One, Cur-sive, and The First Kiss, dives deep into themes of family, identity, and the universal quest for acceptance.

BSL interpretation by Claire Anderson.

Little One

Directed by Clister Santos (Philippines – 9 mins)

A pregnant mother, unsure of how to raise a child, arranges a chat with her two gay dads but fate intervenes when one suffers a heart attack. Memories captured on an old camcorder help her reflect on their family's history.

Cursive

Directed by Isabel Steubel Johnson (UK – 9 mins)

When a woman on the verge of a breakup gets help from a mysterious stranger to improve her handwriting, she finds the inner voice she has always longed for.

Halfway

Directed by Kumar Chheda (India – 14 mins)

A turbulent couple ends up at different entrances of Juhu Beach, forcing them to walk towards each other and meet halfway.

The First Kiss

Directed by Miguel Lafuente (Spain – 9 mins)

Today is a special day for Andi, heading to Madrid to have his first date with a boy he's met online, but things don’t turn out quite as he ex-pected.

Compton's 22

Directed by Drew de Pinto (USA – 18 mins)

Three years prior to Stonewall, transgender sex workers and drag queens revolted against police violence at Compton's Cafeteria in San Francisco's Tenderloin district. Compton’s 22 imagines what happened.

In partnership with BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, we're celebrating global LGBTQIA+ stories, in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual people across the world.