"Through the eyes of a teenage girl in early 2000s New Zealand, Big Girls Don't Cry charts burgeoning desire over the course of a summer holiday. Sid (Ani Palmer) spends her days ignoring her father and perusing online chatrooms. The 14-year-old is adrift, caught between childhood and adolescence; she's desperate to locate her identity. When she becomes enamoured with a group of older teens, Sid begins to navigate her burgeoning desires."
"Black Burns Fast charts the sexual awakening of nerdy 17-year-old Luthando (Esihle Ndleleni). She's set on good grades until the arrival of rebellious new girl Ayanda (Muadi Ilung). The pair begin a clandestine romance. With Ayanda, Luthando gets a taste of the freedom she craves. Though as jealousy threatens to rear its head, Luthando's exciting relationship and the bond she has with her family are put under threat."
BFI Flare returns for its 40th year from March 18-29, 2026, at BFI Southbank with an extensive programme of LGBTQIA+ cinema. The festival showcases feature-length films, directorial debuts, and queer stories from around the world. Notable offerings include Big Girls Don't Cry, a coming-of-age debut from Jane Campion-mentored filmmaker Paloma Schneideman about a teenage girl's sexual awakening in early 2000s New Zealand, and Black Burns Fast, the closing night film exploring queer identity in a South African boarding school. Beyond screenings, the festival features special events including Heartstopper Forever! with Alice Oseman and a screen talk with Russell T Davies, providing opportunities for deeper engagement with LGBTQ+ storytelling and creators.
#lgbtqia-film-festival #coming-of-age-cinema #queer-storytelling #independent-film-debuts #bfi-flare-2026
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