Three Wishes

It's been one year since Xander was dealt a sudden and tragic loss - the loss of his friend Tobin. Now, he must confront the people from his life he has since pushed away.

Two different moments in his life. The first love and the real love. Traumas from the past stick like chlorine in water.

Raised in the South African township of Zamelda, Johannes 'JoJo' Radebe faced prejudice as a young boy who was captivated by dance – and Barbies… rather than football and rugby, as was the norm among his peers. With the support of his mother, sister, and a dance coach who spotted his gift, he became a champion ballroom dancer and popular celebrity. Having been one of the professional dancers on the South African Strictly Come Dancing, he has appeared on the British version of the show since 2018.

Touko Laaksonen, a decorated officer, returns home after a harrowing and heroic experience serving his country in World War II, but life in Finland during peacetime proves equally distressing. He finds peace-time Helsinki rampant with persecution of the homosexual and men around him even being pressured to marry women and have children. Touko finds refuge in his liberating art, specialising in homoerotic drawings of muscular men, free of inhibitions. His work – made famous by his signature ‘Tom of Finland’ – became the emblem of a generation of men and fanned the flames of a gay revolution.

At only fourteen years old, Paula hates her body. In an attempt to express what she feels, Paula creates a blog and becomes part of a large virtual community that shares her problems. Shelter in anonymity, she uploads content recorded with her cell phone, exposing her friends and family. The feeling of belonging blinds Paula, who begins to walk a lonely path in which bulimia and anorexia lurk as alternatives in the search for self-acceptance.

Ewa and Halina are forcibly separated from each other by Ewa’s father in their youth because of their love for each other. When Ewa’s father dies 13 years later, the women meet again through the initiative of their husbands, who want to make a deal with each other. Ewa and Halina can no longer hide their love, which they thought had been forgotten, from themselves and from each other.

In times of strife it's important to have someone by your side. Whether it is a shoulder to cry on or a source of confidence, an imaginary friend or a distant lover, these six tales from Mexico, Brazil, France, the UK and the Netherlands prove that the search for companionship is a journey worth taking. The short films are: My Mother's Lovers [Los novios de mi madre] (2020); Bootyful (2019); Only What You Need to Know About Me [Apenas o Que Você Precisa Saber Sobre Mim] (2018); Junk (2011); High Tide [Stille Dorst] (2018).

Any Given Tuesday is an awareness short film about an unsuspecting teen discovered to be gay by his non-accepting parents. Subsequently, this young boy is kicked out of his family home and we follow the harrowing first seven days of homelessness that these youth statistically endure.

In the middle of her husband’s funeral, Maritere (70) receives a visit from Angela (65), whom she hasn't seen in decades. Maritere reacts as if she has seen a ghost, and wards off all of Angela's approaches. Maritere's overprotective son, Fernando notices the strange interactions between the two women and assumes that Angela is one of his late father's mistresses. However, it is revealed that Maritere and Angela were intimate lovers a long time ago. Under pressure by Fernando who wants to throw Angela out of the house, Maritere will have to decide whether to continue her present life as a widow or give herself the chance to feel love again.

Following the arrival of an unwanted guest, the tightly-knit bond between two sisters is put to the test when their idyllic playdate takes a dark turn. Supported by The Future of Film is Female, ALBION ROSE is a late bloomer's coming-of-age drama with hints of magical realism and dark fairytale elements that paint a delicate, yet emotionally charged portrait of sisterhood, loss, and the healing powers of fantasy.

A depressed punk fan and her supportive friend hit upon a rare opportunity to see her favorite band perform.

Omar and Pete are half brothers. When their parents are eaten by lions they embark on a journey to find Omar's real father. What follows is a funny, heart-warming journey of self-discovery for both boys...in Blackpool. The Choudray family represents a truly contemporary example of modern multicultural Britain - but what will the brothers make of their eccentric newfound family? Will they be going to Mecca or Mecca bingo? In contrast to the old fashioned stereotypes about Blackpool, the comedy is sharp, current and non-stop.

Kanarie (Afrikaans for 'Canary') is a coming-of-age musical war drama. Drafted into the South African army during apartheid, a young soldier joins the military's traveling choir, and romance on the battlefield causes him to deal with his long-repressed sexual identity through hardship, camaraderie, first love, and the liberating freedom of music, the true self can be discovered.

Two young men spend the night together after meeting the previous evening in a notorious gay club. The next day, however, the host wakes to find the boy he picked up bewildered and confused, unable remember his name or anything about his past. Lacking any type of identification or obvious clues, the boys begin to search for the truth among fragments of memories that may or may not prove reliable.

Seventeen-year-old Stella spends most of her time in the hospital as a cystic fibrosis patient. Her life is full of routines, boundaries and self-control — all of which get put to the test when she meets Will, an impossibly charming teen who has the same illness. There's an instant flirtation, though restrictions dictate that they must maintain a safe distance between them. As their connection intensifies, so does the temptation to throw the rules out the window and embrace that attraction.

Alice, a young innocent Catholic girl, is tempted into masturbating after an AOL chat suddenly turns sexual, however is conflicted as the act would be considered a sin.

A prep school student who has been dumped by his girlfriend is approached by a middle-aged man and goes on a treasure hunt on a remote island, and wanders into a mansion in the woods where vampire brothers are said to live.

Two's company, three's allowed? From family disputes and unexpected babysitting duties to uncomfortable high school memories, manga drawing and friendships pushed to the next level - the Male Gaze series lifts the lid on six very different gay relationships and encounters. When two become three and outsiders enter the fray, what are the group dynamics at play? The short films are: Golden Boys (2017); In Beating Cells [In Pocheden Zellen] (2017); The Middle of a Lake [Le milieu d'un lac] (2017); Gilles (2016); Kiko's Saints [Les saints de Kiko] (2019); With Thelma [Avec Thelma] (2017).

After coming to terms with their identity, it's time for Bailey to come out at school. However, this proves harder than they anticipate and Bailey is faced with a choice between social ridicule or the closet.

In one night, Lucas, Luiza and Bia remember the pains and delights of being who they are.