The Love Unbound: Five Films For Freedom Festival is set to make a comeback this March for the fourth year of the festival in Thessaloniki. The festival is committed to exploring and delving into a variety of LGBTQIA+ and gender equality experiences by harnessing the transformative influence of arts and culture.
The Love Unbound: Five Films For Freedom Festival is brought to you by the British Council in partnership with Parenthesis and in collaboration with the British Embassy and Beetroot House, under the auspices of the Municipality of Thessaloniki.
The festival focuses on our global programme Five Films For Freedom, which includes a collection of short LGBTQIA+ films from around the world. Through film screenings, panel discussions, empowerment workshops and mentoring sessions, the festival aims to open unbiased discussion on current equality gender issues based on ‘real life’ experiences through artistic outputs.
In the parallel programme of the Love Unbound festival, there will be a series of discussions and workshops hosting leading UK professionals from the film industry.
Screenings
This year’s Five Films For Freedom are:
- I Hate Helen, directed by Katie Lambert (UK)
Priya hates Helen. She hates her in the canteen. Hates her in science. Especially hates her at swimming. Mostly, Priya hates the way Helen makes her feel. A short film about the tidal wave of gay lust some girls feel in school and letting those feelings just wash over you. - Rag Dolls, directed by Amy Adler (USA/Mexico)
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. Observing a single ordinary day, the film follows their routines, a romantic date and moments of reflection on their enduring love. - Room 206, directed by Laurie Bisceglia (France)
After undergoing gender-affirming surgery, Clair no longer cares what the world thinks. Reclaiming his body becomes a path toward self-recognition for the first time in his life. 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)
On the eve of leaving rural Vietnam, farm worker Hung prepares to illegally cross the border in search of refuge abroad. Defined by routine and labour, his final day with Hoang, a fellow worker, reshapes his understanding of desire, intimacy and selfhood. - Theo, directed by Monica Palazzo & Jo Galvv (Brazil)
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.
Alongside the Five Films For Freedom, we will also be screening the film You Can Call Me Lou by Greek Director Zeta Gkoka, a personal and transformative story of Louise, an ex-dancer who transitioned in the 1980s, navigating her journey of self-expression and identity.
Over the last few years in London, Zeta has immersed herself in the independent filmmaking scene, contributing to projects that have been showcased at the British Film Institute (BFI) and various international film festivals. In 2025, she completed the documentary You Can Call Me Lou, which was filmed using both Super 8mm film and digital media. The film has been offered an exclusive online premiere at the major global film platform NOWNESS and the highlight of the festival run has been the selection of the film by the British Film Institute (BFI) for the 69th BFI London Film Festival (LFF) (short film selection), BFI flare 2026 and the London Short Film Festival (LSFF) 2026.
UK guest
Michael Blyth (he/him) is Senior Film Programmer for the British Film Institute (BFI) London Film Festival and BFI Flare: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival.
As Senior Programmer for BFI Festivals, Michael leads the curatorial team for BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, the largest queer film event in the UK, which takes place over 12 days each spring. Formerly known as the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, BFI Flare has been running for 36 years, showcasing the best in contemporary queer cinema from across the globe, in addition to a selection of archive screenings, talks and discussion events, and club nights.
Since 2015, BFI Flare has collaborated with the British Council on Five Films For Freedom, a global initiative which makes five short films available for free online for the duration of the festival. Over the 12 years in which the scheme has been running, over 26 million people have watched the films in over 200 countries and principalities, including many parts of the world where access to LGBTQIA+ content is heavily restricted or where homosexuality is criminalised – and in some cases – punishable by the death penalty.
Panelists
Ecem Dalgakıranlar (they/them)
Ecem Dalgakıranlar is an immigrant, multidisciplinary artist, filmmaker and activist. They are part of the Istanbul queer movement and have been involved in anti-hierarchical, horizontal organisations such as Lambdaistanbul and Istanbul Pride for the last 20 years. They are currently based in Athens and are part of the Athens Museum of Queer Arts (AMOQA), Queershallah and ReFocus Media Labs. Their short film Gender Ideology was selected for the San Francisco Transgender Film Festival this year. They are interested in community building, photography, B-movies, transcore, dreams, documentaries and childhood footage.
Workshops
Workshop 1 – Youth Connect: Leadership for Gender Equality
Friday 20 March 2026 (15.00–18.00) at Beetroot House
Trainer: Stella Elmatzoglou, Gender Equality expert, British Council (she/her)
As part of the British Council’s Youth Connect global programme, we are supporting young people to make a difference to gender equality issues through building their leadership capabilities and supporting them to implement activities in their communities.
The Leadership for Gender Equality workshop aims to discuss the value of feminist leadership and its indisputable impact in addressing the challenges we come across in our different daily contexts with regards to gender at work. Through personal reflection and the sharing of experiences, we will highlight good practices (projects, ideas, campaigns, policies, responses, actions, etc) that can help overcome personal and professional barriers. The workshop will focus on the importance of gender equality and discover practical tools on how to operate inclusively and respectfully while creating safe working and other spaces.
Workshop 2 – Deep Listening
• Friday 20 March 2026 (16.00–17.30) at Beetroot House
• Saturday 21 March 2026 (13.00–14.30) at Beetroot House
Facilitator: Chrysa Vlachopoulou, Youth Connect Europe Programme Manager, British Council (she/her)
Deep Listening is a transformational approach that enables us to have more profound encounters and truly understand each other. It can be used to help people discuss difficult topics – a way of listening that makes a speaker feel heard and acknowledged, so the listener can be open to views they might disagree with.
Based on rigorous academic evidence and real-life experiences, Deep Listening aims to empower people to create new ways of engaging with others, particularly across divides. In this session, we will explore what it means to deep listen, enabling us to truly see, hear and understand the person opposite us.
The British Council has delivered Deep Listening training to hundreds of people in different parts of the world such as Lebanon and the Baltic States (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia). Deep Listening methodology was introduced by Emily Kasriel, journalist and media executive, author of the book Deep Listening, coach and mediator.
Workshop 3 – Glitch the Screen: DIY Queer Filmmaking
Saturday 21 March 2026 (15.00–16.30) at Beetroot House
Facilitator: Ecem Dalgakıranlar, Visual Artist (they/them)
This introductory workshop encourages queer creatives to make films using simple, accessible equipment – even just a smartphone – proving that creativity matters more than expensive gear or technical expertise. Participants will watch 1–2 minute short films, learn the basics of Scriptwriting 101 and explore useful tools and platforms to get started.
By the end of the session, they will gain the confidence, inspiration and foundational knowledge to begin their own projects. Open to queers interested in cinema as well as filmmakers and students who want to build queer community and connections, the workshop will be held in English and participants only need a smartphone or tablet and basic digital skills.
Exhibition
1000 dreams. About refugees by refugees. Stories from the LGBTQI+ refugee experience
Supported by the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Thessaloniki
‘1000 Dreams’ is a project entirely authored by people with a refugee background telling the stories of refugees across Europe. While the understanding of the refugee experience most often comes through stories told by others, often creating incomplete and biased perceptions, ‘1000 Dreams’ allows us to get to know the stories of people on the move and to learn about them, their dreams and their strengths.
The exhibition offers insights into a reality, which many people on the move have to face and which is often overlooked: being LGBTQI+ and displaced can be a double stigma and people sometimes must have incredible strength and resilience.
Download the full programme in the ‘Documents’ section below.
Five Films For Freedom
Dive into the world of LGBTQIA+ cinema!
In partnership with BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, we celebrate global LGBTQIA+ stories every year in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual people across the world.
We launched Five Films For Freedom 12 years ago and this phenomenal global programme has enabled us to stand in solidarity with LGBTQIA+ communities around the world, particularly in places where freedom and equal rights are limited.
Our annual online celebration of LGBTQIA+ stories from around the world has been online for just 144 days during these 12 years. In that time over 26 million people, watching in more than 200 countries and principalities, have supported the fact that ‘Love is a Human Right’.
Information
For further information, please contact Maria Papaioannou:
| Maria.Papaioannou@britishcouncil.gr | |
| Telephone | 210 369 2336 |