'Day 5' ends the first weekend of the 35th 'BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival'.

Our @echochamberfp coverage looks at first love in its truest, sweetest forms. Both films are debuts from the directors and the work will really give the heart palpitations. One deals with holiday love and the other shows us that even in tragedy love can be found

'Sweetheart' is the debut feature film, written/directed by Marley Morrison. Tina (Jo Hartley) wants one more holiday with all the family, especially as her eldest Lucy (Sophia Di Martino) is soon to have a baby with her boyfriend Steve (Samuel Anderson). The problem is AJ aka April Jane (Nell Barlow) did not want to come, AND, is not going to have fun! She doesn't want to be on a campsite looking after her little sister Dayna (Tabitha Byron). That is until she bumps into lifeguard Isla (Ella-Rae Smith) and wonders if this could be her official awakening since coming out, and maybe, she could fall in and receive love.

'My First Summer' is the sensational debut from writer & director Katie Found @katiefound  It introduces us to Claudia (Markella Kavenagh) after she's gone through a tragedy no one should ever face. All her life she's lived in isolation, so she is lost, with only her dog Tilly for a companion. That is, until Grace (Maiah Stewardson) comes by. Because Grace was the only witness to the incident and wants to make sure Claudia is OK. In doing so, they become close, offering each other the thing neither thought they were truly missing. But is it enough to keep all of the perils of life at bay.

In today's episode:

Sweetheart

BFI Flare London LGBTQ+ Film Festival: 17th - 28th March 2021

Director: Marley Morrison

Cast: Jo Hartley, Nell Barlow, Ella-Rae Smith, Sophia Di Martino, Samuel Anderson, Tabitha Byron

Credit: BBC Films, Bohemia Media, British Film Institute (BFI), Hazey Jane Films, Microwave, SUMS Film and Media

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Running Time: 103 min

Cert: 15

Accessibility Available with closed captions and audio description

Trailer: Here. https://youtu.be/uLSA-yTqyUk

Website: Here. https://www.hazeyjanefilms.com/project-film-sweetheart

Twitter: @FilmSweetheart https://twitter.com/FilmSweetheart

Instagram: @sweetheart_film https://www.instagram.com/sweetheart_film/

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My First Summer

BFI Flare London LGBTQ+ Film Festival: 17th - 28th March 2021 

Director: Katie Found

Cast: Markella Kavenagh, Maiah Stewardson

Credit: Noise & Light

Genre: Drama

Running Time: 80 min

Cert: 15

Accessibility Available with closed captions and audio description

Trailer: Here. https://youtu.be/uZ1yswhLJ5M

Website: Here. https://www.myfirstsummer.com/++

Twitter: @_myfirstsummer https://twitter.com/_myfirstsummer

Facebook: Here. https://m.facebook.com/My-First-Summer-314673352754200/

Instagram: @myfirstsummerfilm https://www.instagram.com/myfirstsummerfilm/?hl=en

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*(Music) 

'Pursuit Of Happiness' by Kid Cudi - 2009