Film
What it’s like serving in the US military when you’re trans
The fight for recognition — More than six years in the making, Transmilitary captures the highs and lows of a dedicated group of activists as they lobby for the recognition they deserve.
Written by: Thomas Curry
The twisted true story behind True Norwegian Black Metal
Lords Of Chaos — Director Jonas Åkerlund discusses his new film Lords Of Chaos – a pitch-black thriller about Norwegian metal group Mayhem, whose embrace of the dark side led to arson, suicide, and multiple murders.
Written by: Colin Crummy
An intimate look at the life of a gay porn star
Being Jonathan Agassi — International porn icon Jonathan Agassi had a meteoric rise to fame – but at what personal cost? A new film by Tomer Heymann reveals what happens when the camera stops rolling.
Written by: Thomas Curry
Hiro Murai’s filmmaking offers a fresh look at modern angst
Strange days — Hiro Murai is having a moment. Following his acclaimed work with Donald Glover, the filmmaker is now one of the most sought-after in Hollywood, tackling contemporary anxiety with an absurdist touch.
Written by: Niall Flynn
What Netflix did next: self-love & gender nonconformity
Are you still watching? — Writer Megan Nolan bravely ventures into the latest Netflix Original releases, in an attempt to figure out if anything is worth our time anymore. This week, it’s A Kid Like Jake and Juanita.
Written by: Megan Nolan
Flat Earth: inside the world’s biggest conspiracy theory
Behind the Curve — In new documentary Behind The Curve, filmmaker Daniel J Clark gets to know the people who believe the earth is flat. ‘There are continents outside of our Antarctica that are full of the elites and the rich and the powerful, and the government wants to keep that a secret.’
Written by: Ralph Jones
London skateboarders on masculinity and mental health
Minding the Gap — Camaraderie, catharsis, and angry white boys: UK skateboarding collective I Should Not Be Here review Bing Liu’s Oscar-nominated doc, Minding The Gap.
Written by: Beth Webb
What it’s like to grow up under FBI surveillance
Feel like you’re being watched? — After investigating rumours of surveillance in her Arab-American neighbourhood, journalist Assia Boundaoui uncovered one of America’s largest pre-9/11 FBI terrorism probes.
Written by: Hannah Clugston
Journalism’s future: finding truth in a post-truth world
The man behind Bellingcat — With his open-source website Bellingcat, journalist Eliot Higgins has uncovered the story behind the Skripal poisonings, flight MH17, and the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. Now, he’s taking his investigations to the next level.
Written by: Hannah Clugston
The LGBTQ documentaries you need to see this year
Around the world — As the BFI Flare gears up for its launch later this month, festival programmer Zorian Clayton highlights the best documentaries from the 2019 programme.
Written by: Thomas Curry