Three exhibitors have been named as Film London Lodestars for 2021 and tipped as future stars of the industry. You can learn more about them below, including messages from the people who nominated them for the award.

Fringe! Queer Film and Arts Fest (@fringefilmfest)

Since 2011, Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest has been an entirely volunteer-run organisation rooted in London's queer creative scene. In Novembers, and throughout the year, we showcase an eclectic mix of films, arts and events celebrating LGBTIQA+ stories from around the world, welcoming everybody.

Fringe! started in 2011 as a community response to arts cuts carnage, and since then we’ve ‘expanded exponentially to become one of the most innovative and exciting festivals on the circuit.’ (Londonist)

From feature films to experimental installations, workshops and lively debates to wild parties, Fringe! hosts a multitude of diverse events to tickle every one of the senses. You'll see them flooding East London's cinemas, art galleries, pop-up venues and basement clubs with the powerful, provocative and strange.

Lexi Cinema (@TheLexiCinema)

The Lexi is the UK’s first social enterprise cinema, and is programmed completely independently.

Their Front of House is run by a team of 50 local volunteers, and 100% of our profits go to charity. They run a wide range of community projects alongside our first run film programme of mainstream, independent and world cinema. These include strands such as Black history studies, a women-only refugee film club, a neighbourhood film school and events for LGBT seniors, carers and the hard of hearing. Lexi Cinema is nearing the end of a two year campaign to build The Lexi Hub, an innovative eco build which will house a second screen and community Hub, a project that has only been possible with the enthusiastic support of our local community. The Lexi Hub will open in Spring 2021.

Genesis Cinema (@genesiscinema)

Genesis Cinema was opened by Tyrone Walker-Hebborn in 1999 and is a family owned independent cinema across 5 screens, a bar, kitchen and cafe. They actively screen films with Black, Asian and
ethnically diverse, female and LGBTQ+ content and creators, reflected in their in-house created diversity festival Fragments. They work locally with 3 universities, 5 schools, and host over 30 UK premieres and 10 UK Festivals yearly. Genesis have been an integral part of the East End Film Festival (involved in its creation) and the LFF. They provide family, autistic, screenings for people with disabilities, educational screenings and those on low wages.

You can see the full list of Film London Lodestars for 2021 here.