Todd Haynes’ lesbian love story Carol – which was released last year – has been named the best LGBT film of all time in a top 30 list that included past and present movies.

Carol, staring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, came top of a poll compiled to mark the 30th anniversary of the London lesbian and gay film festival, BFI Flare.

Just behind Carol was Andrew Haigh’s 2011 film, Weekend, followed by Wong Kar-wai’s 1997 Hong Kong romance, Happy Together, and at No 4, Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain.

An adaptation by Phyllis Nagy of Patricia Highsmith’s 1952 novel, The Price of Salt, Carol which topped a poll of more than 100 film experts.

It was a film adored by critics, and was nominated for six Oscar and nine Bafta nominations, although it came home empty-handed from both award ceremonies.

Tricia Tuttle, deputy head of festivals at the BFI, said it was no surprise that Carol came out top.

Haynes is an absolutely beloved film-maker inside and outside LGBT cinema circles and this is one of his finest films.

Everyone has their favourite Todd Haynes and this is certainly mine, I voted for it. Given the relative lack of lesbian content in cinema it is nice to see it come top.”

Haynes said he was proud Carol had won.

Carol is in illustrious company with so many films I love, from Brokeback Mountain and Un Chant d’Amour to Happy Together and My Own Private Idaho.”