California Schemin': Lying, scamming, and assorted trickery of the self.
James McAvoy's Directorial debut doesn't bother being self-serious -- it's too busy being honest about deceit.
Latest
BFI Flare 2026 | Best of Fest
Our amazing Flare Editorial Team gives you the scoop on the next 12 months of indie cinema you should keep an eye on
Did the world end last night?
As we watch a manned mission slingshot around the moon, and after Donald Trump's announcement, which spurred fears of nuclear apocalypse, I finally, lucidly saw the impact Film and media have had on our modern world.
🇬🇧🇪🇸Sub vs Dub: Film, Language & Accessibility (EN & ES)
There is something inherently ableist about claiming that everyone should always watch media in its original language with subtitles.
Will Zendaya survive this summer?
With five major projects set for release, I fear we have a storm brewing.
Departures (Review): Raucous Grief and the queer urge to ignore Red Flags
A raucous self-aware romp through the tragedy of toxic situationships with bisexual Mancunians.
Is there any such thing as Apolitical Science Fiction?
In an era of perceived waning Media Literacy and an increase in analysis fatigue, are we allowed to opt out of politics in favour of Pew-Pews?
011 - OFFLINE ALGORITHM
An anti-scroll collection of newsworthy things we watched & read this week.
The Drama: Charlie and Emma and the Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad, No Good Week (Light Spoilers)
How well do you really know the ones you love? The Drama takes us on a dark and twisted comedic ride, putting the wedding vows "for better or for worse" to the ultimate test.
Logan Rozos and Lexie Bean discuss their latest film, 'What Will I Become' | Sophisticulture at BFI Flare 2026
Sophisticulture is a podcast for people who care a lot about stories and storytellers, and can be found on all major Podcast platforms.
Treat Me Like Your Mother | BFI Flare 2026
A fascinating archive dive blending fuzzy analogue memories and stories of Lebanon's enduring trans aunties.
Kisses And Bullets (Short) | BFI Flare 2026
Two Iranian women on opposite sides of the world are moved to protest, no matter the cost.
Reviews
Krizalit (Short) | BFI Flare 2026
The need for connection in a big, unfriendly city drives two women to the edge in this universal, sad but hopeful short.
Reviews
COYOTES (Short) | BFI Flare 2026
A Palestinian woman in trouble, danger lurking in the darkness on the road to Ramallah, and a tire iron.
Reviews
Everything Between Us (Short) | BFI Flare 2026
A sweet short in which masculinity lingers in its absence as two girls grow closer, despite an avoidable gulf.
Reviews
Daria's Night Flowers (Short) | BFI Flare 2026
Something to interpret! Colours leak, run, and flash in this experimental archival collage drawn from old Iranian films.
Reviews
Abstraction Belongs To Us (Short) | BFI Flare 2026
Palestinian voices and perspectives echo on the capital streets of liberal democracies that ignore them.
Film
What Will I Become? | BFI Flare 2026
A tender and moving tribute to trans masculine youth, which holds the weight of its subject matter while never veering into sensationalism.
Film
Night Stage: Desire in the Spotlight
Buy us a coffee (or two!), and fuel our work - for £5 a month you can help us keep OBSCURAE’S independence alive. Become a Paid Aficionado Night Stage opens with an immediate sense of artistic intent: a theatrical space, underscored by the classical swell of “Adeus”, and Maura
Film
The Serpent's Skin: Desire Meets Fantasy | BFI Flare 2026
Supernatural powers, overpowering desire, and inexplicable deaths make for a unique and exciting indie film. The Serpent's Skin delivers a fast-paced young adult novel brought to life. This trans led queer horror is driven by mysterious characters, each hiding their own secret. New to town, a young trans
Music
Misty Mountain - Sophia Yau-Weeks (Album Review)
In a pocket universe of dreamy indie rock, Yau-Weeks makes the past feel like the present, and untangles the last few difficult years personally -- and, by extension, her generation.
Film
Another Man | BFI Flare 2026
Another Man is a millennial coming-of-age reminiscent of Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World, with similarly nuanced relationships and sympathetic performances from our leads.
BFI Flare 2026
Cherri: Depths of Despair | BFI Flare 2026
It challenges an idealistic view of the world, attempting to bring light to darker routines and inescapable self-loathing. It is emotionally bold, using as little dialogue as possible, forcing an audience to sit with the silence, perhaps trying to reflect what Cherri feels on a daily basis.
Film
Washed Up | BFI Flare 2026
A charming story of love and identity, full of heart, humour...and seals