THE British Council in the Philippines will show its support for queer individuals by hosting a free screening of “Five Films for Freedom” in the country on March 21 and 22. 

Five Films For Freedom is an online celebration of gender minority narratives from across the world, held in support of the fight for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) individuals.

This is the ninth edition of the world’s widest-reaching LGBTQIA+ digital showacase. It is a partnership between the British Council and BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival.

In a statement, the British Council said the organization partnered with the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) in order to host a limited number of screenings of the films in various cinemas across the country.

“Five Films for Freedom promotes rarely heard LGBTQIA+ stories from around the world, and makes them accessible to a global audience, particularly for people living in cultures where they cannot live or love as they would like,” British Council Director of Film Briony Hanson said in a statement.

The Five Films for Freedom will be available for public viewing on March 21 and 22 with the following schedules:

FDCP Cinematheque Centre – Manila

22 March 2023, 6:30 PM

FDCP Cinematheque Centre – Iloilo, Davao, Zamboanga, Nabunturan, Negros

21 March 2023, 4:00 PM

22 March 2023, 6:30 PM

The British Council selected five films from the BFI Flare program to address a variety of topics, including violence and security, love across borders, and shifting identities. 

The movies that will be shown during this year’s Five Films for Freedom are:

• All I Know by Obinna Robert Onyeri (Nigeria/USA)
• Butch Up! by Yu-jin Lee (South Korea)
• Eating Papaw on the Seashore by Rae Wiltshire and Nickose Layne (Guyana)
• Just Johnny by Terry Loane (UK – Northern Ireland)
• Buffer Zone by Savvas Stavrou (UK/Cyprus)

The British Council also said that aside from the physica; screening of the films, these would also be available in the British Council Arts YouTube channel and through other channels in countries with access restrictions.

“It’s a privilege to share the work of these hugely talented filmmakers with millions of people around the world, many of whom do not have the same level of access to LGBTQIA+ film, or the rights to express themselves freely. This year’s campaign remains as vital and urgent as ever,” BFI Flare’s Senior Programmer Michael Blyth said.