A film festival is set to debut in a Romford shopping centre.
Mercury Shopping Centre will host the first East London LGBTQ+ Film Festival on November 4, organiser Kaleidoscope has announced.
Kaleidoscope, a monthly social group for under 24s, said trans stories are more important than ever, with 145,214 hate crimes recorded by the Home Office in 2022/23.
Carrie Kendall, festival director, said: “Cinema has played a pivotal role for acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community.
"It normalises and demystifies same-sex relationships," she added. "It's also just nice to see someone like yourself on the big screen.”
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Films will include blockbuster Kinky Boots, documentary Stonewall Postal Action Network by Sarah Elizabeth Drummond and RE:GEN(D)ERATION by Hanlon Uafás-Álainn.
Money raised will help support young LGBTQIA+ people in Havering, Kaleidoscope said.
Independent films are unrated, the organiser added, meaning some may be inappropriate for under 18s.
The night will end with an awards ceremony where the audience will choose winners in a public vote.
Tickets are on sale at www.kaleidoscoperomford.com at £15 for a day pass.
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