Among the films featuring in the Valletta Film Festival main competition today is Tom of Finland.

The 2017 Finnish production, directed by Dome Karukoski, follows Touko Laaksonen (Pelka Strang), a decorated officer, who returns home after a harrowing and heroic experience serving his country in World War II.

Life in Finland during peacetime proves equally distressing. He finds post-war Helsinki rampant with homophobic persecution and men around him even being pressured to marry women and have children. Touko finds refuge in his liberating art, specialising in homoerotic drawings of muscular men, free of inhibitions. His work – made famous by his signature ‘Tom of Finland’ – became the emblem of a generation of men and fanned the flames of a gay revolution. The film is showing at Pjazza Teatru Rjal at 9pm.

Among other categories, the special screenings section is presenting the Japanese film Radiance about a passionate writer of film versions for the visually impaired who meets an older photographer who is slowly losing his eyesight. It is showing at Herbert Ganado Gardens at 9pm.

For more information and tickets, visit www.vallettafilmfestival.com. Festival passes, allowing access to all the screenings, master classes and events, are also on sale.

Other Valletta Film Festival screenings today

■ A Very Long Engagement at St George’s Square   at 9pm
■ Boy on the Bridge at Embassy Cinemas at 2pm
■ Short Film Programme C at St James Cavalier at 2.30pm
■ Arabia at Embassy Cinemas at 4pm
■ The Good Postman at St James Cavalier at 5pm
■ Filthy at Embassy Cinemas at 6pm
■ Beuys at St James Cavalier at 7pm
■ The Black Pin at Embassy Cinemas at 8.30pm
■ Everyday Heroes at St James Cavalier at 9pm