Join us for special screening of Five Films For Freedom, the world’s widest reaching LGBTQIA+ online celebration. A partnership between the British Council and BFI Flare, London’s LGBTIQIA+ film festival, Five Films For Freedom makes five international LGBTQIA+ short films available to watch online for free anywhere in the world as well as free public screenings. Since its launch in 2015, the films featured in the programme have been watched online and in person by over 26 million people in more than 202 countries and principalities, celebrating global stories in support of LGBTQIA+ communities around the world. The Len Lye Cinema is delighted to host this free public screening of the films in collaboration with Pride Taranaki and the British Council New Zealand and the Pacific. This year’s Five Films: I Hate Helen | Directed by Katie Lambert (UK, 7 minutes) Priya hates Helen. Hates her in the canteen. In science. Especially at swimming. Mostly, Priya hates the way Helen makes her feel. A short film about the tidal wave of gay lust some girls feel at school, and letting those feelings wash over you. Rag Dolls | Directed by Amy Adler (USA/Mexico, 12 minutes) Married couple Rosalinda (born with spina bifida) and Diana (who has cerebral palsy) navigate life in Puebla, Mexico, where disability intersects with discrimination and poverty. Abandoned by family and facing persistent homophobia, the women have built a life of mutual care. The film observes a single ordinary day, a romantic date, and moments of reflection on their enduring love. Room 206 | Directed by Laurie Bisceglia (France, 16 minutes) After undergoing gender-affirming surgery, Clair no longer cares what the world thinks. This documentary accompanies him not only through physical change, but towards emotional renewal and a new beginning. Sweat (Mô Hôi) | Directed by Edward Nguyen (Vietnam, 15 minutes) On the eve of leaving rural Vietnam, farm worker Hung prepares to illegally cross the border in search of refuge abroad. His final day with Hoang, a fellow worker, reshapes his understanding of desire, intimacy and selfhood. Theo | Directed by Monica Palazzo & Joana Galvão (Brazil, 15 minutes) Brazil, 1986. During the World Cup, seven-year-old Theo quietly navigates school life while defying rigid gender expectations. Between silence and rebellion, they begin inventing their own way of existing.