Join us in New York City for a conversation on #fivefilms4freedom and LGBT youth issues
During October, which is LGBT History Month in the US, the British Council and partners across the US are organising screenings and panel discussions showcasing the #fiveFilms4Freedom digital campaign. fiveFilms4Freedom is the world's first and largest digital LGBT film festival, running now for 2 years across the world. fiveFilms4freedom is a social media campaign and partnership between the British Film Institute and the British Council to promote equality and diversity by encouraging people around the world to watch five short films from BFI Flare: London LGBT Film Festival.
On October 19, 2016, you will get the chance to see all five films featured in the digital campaign and hear from incredible speakers on LGBT issues, particularly issues related to LGBT youth. Please find the event details below, including more information on the films, fiveFilms4freedom and the speakers.
This screening and panel event is delivered in partnership with Barclays, GLAAD, Open Finance NYC, Outright Action International,the UK government (the British Consulate General New York, the Love is GREAT Britain campaign and the UK Mission to the United Nations), and in collaboration with the UN Free & Equal Campaign.
Registration is free and easy - please go here. Invite a friend or two and join us!
Event details
Opening Remarks
Matthew Rycroft CBE, Ambassador and Permanent Representative, UK Mission to the UN New York
Michael Roemer, Group Head of Compliance and Executive Committee sponsor for the LGBT agenda, Barclays
Film screening: #fiveFilms4Freedom 2016 short films
Panel discussion
Supporting young people to make sense of gender expression and sexual orientation
Moderator: Charles Radcliffe, Director, UN Free & Equal Campaign
Panelists:
- Siri Rodnes, Filmmaker
- Jessica Stern, Executive Director, OutRight Action International
- Ross Murray, Director International Programs, GLAAD
- Jon Hurst, Director, LGBTQ Student Center, New York University
More information on all of the speakers can be found in the PDF below.
About the film screenings
A trailer of the films can be watched here. You can learn more about each filmmaker here.
|
Film |
Director |
Country |
Run time |
|
Breathe |
James Doherty |
UK and Ireland |
14 mins |
|
Swirl |
Peterson Varga |
Philippines |
4 mins |
|
The Orchid |
Ferran Navarro-Beltrán |
Spain |
3 mins |
|
Take your Partners |
Siri Rodnes |
Scotland |
14 mins |
|
Xavier |
Ricky Mastro |
Brazil |
14 mins |
About fiveFilms4Freedom
In collaboration with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the British Film Institute and the British Council, in 2016, five directors created five short films about contemporary LGBT life. From travelling communities to Easter bonnets to the wonderment of growing up, the five films tell a range of affecting stories about contemporary LGBT life in countries as diverse as Brazil, Ireland, Spain, the Philippines and the UK. During the month of March 2016 we made these five original LGBT films available everywhere, demonstrating and celebrating the values of human rights, promoting freedom and equality, provoking debate and promoting the rights of LGBT people around the world.
The 2016 digital campaign was highly successful. There were 1.57 million views of the films on Facebook and YouTube, with the films being viewed across 179 countries. Among the top countries in that list were countries in which LGBT rights are entirely lacking or seriously curtailed, including Russia, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and UAE. The #fiveFilms4Freedom hashtag reach was 85.6 million and total web impressions were 54.9 million worldwide. The films have contributed to a growing global conversation that extends discussion about LGBT rights.
