Whilst the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival is generally held to have started in 1986, it’s roots – and influences – go much further back.

The current Film Festival is actually a development from a ‘one-off’ event at the British Film Institute in 1977. This was a selection of 35 works of varying lengths, drawn mainly from the mainstream film industry. Screened under the generic title ‘Gays and Film’, it sought in part to examine the portrayal of lesbians and gay men in movies.

Given the dearth of films featuring positive images at that time, much of the programme’s content actually reinforced  negative stereotypes. So much so that the organisers felt it necessary to produce notes to accompany each film just to ensure that the audience did actually realise this! (Click here to view a short film of gay activist and film expert Richard Dyer discussing the issues around the 1977 festival)

Four years later – almost midway between the BFI’s first event and the launch of the annual London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival – the London Filmmakers Co-operative held ‘London’s First Festival of Gay Film and Video’ in June 1981.

This Festival sourced a different range of cinematic representations of lesbians and gay men. Some were relatively old – such as Kenneth Anger’s ‘Fireworks’ (1947), Cocteau’s ‘Testament d’Orphee’ (1950) and Genet’s ‘Chant d’Amour’ (1950) But there was also a significant amount of new material, including short film and work shot on Super 8mm cameras. This came from across the globe and included ‘The Homosexual Century‘ from French director Lionel Soukaz, ‘David Montgomery und Ich’ from Berlin-based director Wieland Speck (who went on to make ‘Westler’) and ‘Nothing Personal’ by Ron Moule and Ieuan Rhys Morris in the USA. 

Despite the inclusion of titles like ‘Mae West – a Tribute’ and an Italian movie on Bette Davis, the bulk of the content was produced by lesbians and gay men and was about the experience of lesbians and gay men. As such it flagged a major shift towards LGBT people finding their own voices, something that the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (and similar events around the globe) has continued to build on.

The programme – as detailed in the promotional flyer – was as follows:

Opening night Monday 22 at 7.15 p.m: ‘Twenty Top Ties’ a performance by Charlie Pig (an exhibition of twenty colour Xeroxes, shirts and photographs by Charles Hustwick).

Monday 22 at 7.15: Race D’Ep (UK premiere with translation) and Banque de Sperme. LATE (11 pm) Taking a Part (Jan Worth) and Story Without Importance.

Tuesday 23 at 7.15: Mae West – A Tribute; Bette Davis (Italian movie). The Queen; Focii; Posing and Hollywood/Hollywood. LATE (11 pm) Same as Friday 26 at 7.15.

Wednesday 24 at 7.15: To be announced. LATE (11 pm): Thriller (Sally Potter) and The Death of Maria Malibran.

Thursday 25 at 7.15: Testament d’Orphee and workshop on ‘Cocteau and the Neo-Romantic Sensibilty’; Fireworks and Meshes of the Afternoon. LATE (11 pm): Devastated City; A Certain Desire and Age of Consent.

Friday 26 at 7.15: The Leather Boys; Custom Car Commando; Ixe; David Montgomery und Ich; Cinema Work (gay male epic film); Chant d’amour and Homosexuals. LATE (11 pm) Same at Monday 22 at 7.15.

Saturday 27 at 2.00pm: To be announced. 7.15: Nothing Personal. 9.00: Berlin Programme. LATE (11 p.m.) PARTY with rock’n’roll film and Space Mover.

Sunday 28 at 4 pm: ‘Gay Male Porn Images’ workshop. 5.30: Berlin videos. 7.15: Corner of the Circle and Tiergarten.

Also, through the week, permanent exhibition by various artists, including Tony Benn. Includes exhibition on images of gay males in advertising. Admission free. Coffee bar from 3 pm.