More Films for Freedom LGBTQIA+ Commissions
Neo Nahda, written and directed by May Ziadé, was a More Films For Freedom Round 3 commission
Building on the success of Five Films for Freedom (our annual digital programme run in partnership with BFI), we launched a new short film commissioning programme exploring LGBTQIA+ stories in 2019.
Our pilot More Films for Freedom programme saw three short films made by British producers working in partnership with Syrian, Palestinian and South African filmmakers. The first three films were made available online throughout summer 2020. At a time when many Pride celebrations were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the films were screened as a way of linking and celebrating LGBTQIA+ communities everywhere.
A second round of three films were commissioned in 2021 from UK producers working in partnership with filmmakers of Nigerian, Libyan and South African heritage. The films enjoyed a successful festival journey taking in Toronto International Film Festival, Sundance, and the BFI London Film Festival, as well as finding huge awards success, nominated for a British Independent Film Award (BIFA) and winning Iris Prizes.
In April 2022, we commissioned a further four films - this time adding creatives from Brazil to those from the Middle East and Africa - and the finished films enjoyed a long festival journey during 2023/4.
Most recently, a fourth round, which went in to production in 2024/5, saw three new short films made with creatives based in Qatar, Nigeria and South Africa. The first of these - Shall We Meet Tonight - premiered at BFI Flare LGBTQIA+ Film Festival in March 2025. The other two are locking now and will be seen at Festivals during 2025/26.
ABOUT THE FILMS
Shall We Meet Tonight?
UK with Nigerian collaboration | 2025
Director/Writer | Wapah Ezeigwe | Producers | Bisi Alimi and Lanre Njoku
Before her arranged marriage, a woman’s forbidden romance with her town’s elegant seamstress unfolds in stolen nighttime moments.
More updates to follow later this year as the next two films complete...
Round 3: 2023/24
Round 2: 2021-22
Round 1: 2020-21
Where we started
Watch our trailer
Our More Films partner
BFI Network
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