Screenings for Independent’s new film documenting the kidnap and torture of LGBTQ+ people in Nigeria
Amid unprecedented global aid cuts, which are hurting some of the most vulnerable people across the world, The Arzner cinema and the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) will screening The Independent’s powerful new documentary Hunted: Kidnapped, blackmailed and tortured for being LGBTQ+
Reported by The Independent‘s award-winning chief international correspondent, Bel Trew, Hunted documents the world of “kito” attacks in Nigeria: where members of the LGBTQ+ community are entrapped, humiliated and extorted by gangs in a rising surge in violence and hatred. They are abducted, beaten and tortured for money on camera, the footage then shared online, destroying lives.
Now, as aid cuts start to bite, the survivors of these attacks who are also living with HIV must contend with the collapse of the very clinics and shelters that once helped them. Bel travels to Nigeria to speak to those who are fighting for their lives.
The documentary will be screened at The Arzner cinema at 8.15pm on Monday 22 June, with a special panel, as part of the cinema’s Pride Month programme of LGBTQ+-focused and queer-adjacent films and fundraising events. The screening forms part of a wider effort to spotlight global queer experiences and support LGBTQ+ communities under pressure.
The documentary will launch on Monday 22 June and be available to view on The Independent’s website and YouTube channel.
A second screening will take place at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) at 6.30pm on Tuesday 7 July, continuing the film’s UK exhibition run as part of its wider release programme.
Last year, Donald Trump slashed aid funding from the US, essentially shuttering the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), taking billions of dollars away from projects around the world.
While in the UK, while funding for certain core areas has been “protected” or kept the same – including to Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan – funding for HIV has not been classified as such. Going forward, UK aid spend on HIV/AIDs prevention and treatment is set to be largely channelled through funding for the Global Fund – which last December the UK confirmed would be cut by £150m – and bilateral aid programmes to developing countries in Africa and beyond, which are also being significantly cut.
There will be a 56 per cent decline in UK support to Africa between 2026-27 and 2028-29, with cuts hitting countries across the continent.
Bel Trew said of the screenings: “Members of the LGBTQ+ community are in hiding right now, survivors of torture and humiliation. Some have been hounded to their deaths as discriminatory attacks have surged. Those living with HIV are now facing the loss of their life-sustaining medication and prevention therapy amid unprecedented aid cuts.
“Those who have spoken to me for this film are beyond brave, given the fear we would all feel in such a situation. The world cannot turn its back on the most vulnerable at a critical moment.”
Harry Warren, Film Programmer at The Arzner, said: “We are the UK’s first and only LGBTQ+ cinema; all the films we screen are LGBTQ+ focused or queer-adjacent.
“Fundraisers, such as Hunted, are an important part of our programming, especially in such times when LGBTQ+ rights are under attack, and it is a way for us to give back to the communities that support us.
“It is Pride 24/7 here at The Arzner, but for this Pride Month, we wanted to put on lots of events for queer communities to enjoy.”
Bengi Ünsal, Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), added: “We are pleased to once again partner with The Independent to screen this important and urgent documentary.
“The ICA Cinema has long been a home for independent film, safeguarding a space where filmmakers can take risks, challenge form, and tell stories that fall outside commercial expectations.
“At a time of growing international division and increasing pressures on freedom of expression, we firmly believe we have an increased responsibility to bring challenging, necessary stories to audiences and create space for dialogue, empathy and understanding.
This documentary has been produced as part of The Independent’s Rethinking Global Aid project
