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"For whatever reason, we are creatures who want to see our stories reflected back to us, starting with cave paintings to 3D IMAX," (Nick Adams, Disclosure 2020). Art—movies and especially television—has the ability to show us the extent of human imagination, while also providing us with the tools to see our own realities more clearly.
The world is more than a bit fraught for LGBTQ+ folks right now, with harsh daily realities in the form of ongoing transphobic legislation, legislation dedicated to obscuring queer identities, and more. Conversely, the last few years have seen r queer stories celebrated onscreen—from the most recent episode of Doctor Who, to films like “Bottoms,” “Passages,” instant classics like “I Saw the TV Glow,” and more. While it's important to note that art isn't a monolith, and there's still a lot of space that needs to be opened up for queer narratives and stories, hopefully, with the titles below, you can continue to explore cinema that reflects different facets of the LGBTQ+ experience, from the joys of queer love to the complexities of queer identities and coming out. Maybe there's a film on this list that you haven't seen, or have always wanted to check out but never knew how to find. Either way, we hope these stories can make you feel seen this month, this year, and always.
1. ‘Bottoms’
Featuring people's princesses Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri
Topping our list is 2023’s “Bottoms,” which stars Ayo Edebiri and Rachel Sennott in a gay high school fight club film that’s all about queer desire and community. I’ve talked about “Bottoms” at length before, and recommend it for anyone looking for a film where girls kiss girls to the tune of an absolutely stellar soundtrack.
2. ‘Pride’
A timeless display of solidarity.
Solidarity forever! 2014’s “Pride” chronicles the real story of a group of gay and lesbian organizers (Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners) who come together to push back against Margaret Thatcher’s government’s fight with the National Union of Mineworkers in the 80s. The film stars Paddy Considine, George Mackay, Jessica Gunning, Ben Schnetzer, Bill Nighy, Dominic West, Imelda Staunton, and Andrew Scott.
3. ‘Fire Island’
'Fire Island' is streaming on Hulu as of this month.
‘“Fire Island”, which was written by Joel Kim Booster and directed by Andrew Ahn. “Fire Island” debuted June 3, 2022, and stars Booster, Bowen Yang, Conrad Ricamora, Matt Rogers, Margaret Cho, Tomas Matos, Torian Miller, and more in a “Pride and Prejudice” retelling centered on Fire Island, a village on Long Island, New York that is a safe haven for queer people. Booster and Yang star as Noah and Howie, two best friends whose relationship is based on that of Elizabeth and Jane Bennett, as they navigate the complexities of romance on Fire Island.
4. ‘Disclosure’
A riveting exploration of the portrayal of trans people across film and television.
‘Disclosure’ is a 2020 documentary by Sam Feder that features transgender artists and creators discussing the history of trans representation in Hollywood, and the various ways in which trans narratives have been portrayed. Featuring Laverne Cox, Bianca Leigh, Lilly Wachowski, Jen Richards, Brian Michael Smith, and many more, ‘“Disclosure’” speaks very specifically to the way that film and television can make or break queer narratives, providing insight or else creating cultural backlash and the wrong kind of cultural perception.
Stream ‘Disclosure’ on Netflix
5. ‘Passages’
Stream "Passages" for Pride.
French film “Passages” stars Ben Whishaw, Franz Rogowski, and Adéle Exarchopolous in the story of Tomas (Rogowski) and Martin (Whishaw), a couple whose marriage is thrown into disarray when Tomas begins an affair with a woman. “Passages” was directed by Ira Sachs, and written by Sachs, Arlette Langmann, and Mauricio Zacharias.
Stream ‘Passages’ with Mubi on Prime Video
6. ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’
The YEARNING.
Focused on the story of a French female painter and her aristocratic subject, a young French woman preparing for her marriage, ‘“Portrait of a Lady on Fire’” is a study in quick, furtive glances and yearning, until it blossoms into a sweeping, heady romance between Marianne (Noémie Merlant) and Héloïse (Adèle Haenel). Written and directed by Céline Sciamma, this 2019 film was the first film at Cannes directed by a woman to be awarded the Queer Palm in 2019.
Stream ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ on Hulu
7. ‘Disobedience’
Weisz and McAdams have undeniable chemistry in this film.
Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, and Alessandro Nivola star in this 2017 queer film about Ronit (Weisz), a lesbian Orthodox Jewish woman who is forced to reconcile her community's beliefs with the life she was living up until her father's funeral. In this movie, directed by Sebastián Lelio, the reason behind her alienation from her community is revealed.
Stream ‘Disobedience’ on Starz
8. ‘Milk’
People still discuss Sean Penn's career-changing performance as Harvey Milk.
Starring Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna, and more, this 2008 biographical film about Harvey Milk, the first openly out gay person to be elected to public office in California. The movie, which was directed Gus Van Sant and written by Dustin Lance Black, covers Harvey Milk's journey to San Francisco, his rise into a prominent gay activist, and his subsequent political career and assassination at the hands of Dan White.
9. ‘Imagine Me & You’
Lena Headey! Lena Headey!
Romantic comedy “Imagine Me & You” stars Lena Headey and Piper Perabo as Luce and Rachel, a wedding florist and a newlywed woman who meet on Rachel's wedding day and form a relationship that causes Rachel to question her sexuality and her marriage. Over the course of this 2005 film, written and directed by Ol Parker, Luce and Rachel grow closer and embark on a journey toward one another that will change both their lives.
Rent ‘Imagine Me & You’ on Amazon Prime Video
10. ‘Tangerine’
Truly stunning (and shot on an iPhone).
Shot entirely on three iPhone 5S smartphones, the 2015 film “Tangerine” focuses on the story of Sin-Dee Rella (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez), a transgender sex worker who discovers that her boyfriend and pimp, Chester (James Ransone) has been cheating on her. The film, directed by Sean Baker, follows Sin-Dee's quest for revenge with the help of her friend Alexandra (Mya Taylor).
11. ‘The Handmaiden’
Edge-of-your-seat tension.
Directed by Park Chan-wook, this South Korean film about a female pickpocket, Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri), who becomes handmaiden to Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee) as part of a grand scheme to steal Hideko's inheritance twists and turns into an erotic thriller, and, eventually, a love story. “The Handmaiden” is lush and gorgeous, and has wowed critics since its release in 2016.
Stream ‘The Handmaiden’ on Amazon Prime Video
12. ‘Boy Erased’
Lucas Hedges is stunning in this heart-wrenching film.
Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, and Russell Crowe star in this biographical drama about a young gay boy forced to attend a conversion therapy program. This 2018 film, written and directed by Joel Edgerton, is based on Garrard Conley's memoir of the same name, and focuses on Jared Eamons (Hedges), the son of a Baptist preacher (Crowe) who is enrolled in conversion therapy and forced to undergo the trauma therein. “Boy Erased” also stars Troye Sivan as Gary, another conversion therapy attendee, and Joel Edgerton as Victor Sykes, the chief therapist.
Stream ‘Boy Erased’ on Peacock
13. ‘The Old Guard’
swoons
This is a little bit of a wild pick, but hear me out. “The Old Guard”, a 2020 superhero film directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, might not align with the rest of the films on this list at first glance, but it contains one of the most affective same-sex romances in the form of Nicky (Luca Marinelli) and Joe (Marwan Kenzari), immortal mercenaries working to protect the mortal world, and each other, from harm. Nicky and Joe meet during the Crusades, in an offscreen enemies-to-lovers plot line, and their love story spans countless generations.
Stream ‘The Old Guard’ on Netflix
14. ‘Blue is the Warmest Colour’
Léa Seydoux dazzles in this career-making film.
Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos star in this evocative film about a young woman, Adéle (Exarchopoulos) who experiences her sexual awakening in the form of Emma (Seydoux), a young woman with blue hair. This 2013 film—which was co-written, co-produced, and directed by Abdellatif Kechiche—follows Adele and Emma throughout their lives, documenting the ups and downs of their relationship and the tumult of their entanglement with one another.
Stream ‘Blue is the Warmest Colour’ on Prime Video
15. ‘Tucked’
Derren Nesbitt is a joy.
Directed by Jamie Patterson, 2018 film “Tucked” features the story of 80-year-old drag queen Jackie (Derren Nesbitt), who forms a sweet, unlikely friendship with younger queen Faith (Jordan Stephens) in this heartbreaking tale of illness, reconciliation, and companionship.
16. ‘The Boys in the Band’
This incredible, close-up look into several different characters is a must-watch.
Jim Parsons, Matt Bomer, Zachary Quinto, Andrew Rannells, and more star in “The Boys in the Band,” a 2020 film inspired by the 1968 play of the same name by Mart Crowley. “The Boys in the Band” features the intertwined stories of several gay men as they meet up for a birthday party on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, and follows the unraveling of their mutual history.
Stream ‘The Boys in the Band’ on Netflix
17. ‘Moonlight’
Witness the phenomenon that is Moonlight.
Directed by Barry Jenkins and starring Mahershala Ali, Trevante Rhodes, André Holland, Janelle Monáe, and more, “Moonlight” is a 2016 film that features the story of Chiron (played as an adult by Trevante Rhodes), a young man navigating his sexuality and his relationship with his childhood friend Kevin (played as an adult by André Holland) in increasingly fraught circumstances with the help of his mentor, Juan (Ali). Based on Tarell Alvin McCraney's unpublished semi-autobiographical play “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue,” this film won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2017, along with Best Supporting Actor for Ali and Best Adapted Screenplay.
18. ‘Pariah’
Experience the joy of Pariah.
Written and directed by Dee Rees, “Pariah” is a 2011 film that follows the story of Alike, played by Adepero Aduye, a Black teenager embracing her lesbian identity and accepting herself. The film follows Alike's journey, focusing on her relationships with her friends and family and her eventual move to California to continue her journey of self-discovery.
19. ‘A Single Man’
This film is tender and heartwrenching.
Colin Firth stars as George Falconer, a gay professor dealing with the death of his partner, Jim (Matthew Goode), and struggling to cope with his depression. This 2009 film, the directorial debut of fashion designer Tom Ford, follows Falconer as he ruminates on his partner's death and speaks to the people in his life, including Charley (Julianne Moore) and Kenny (Nicholas Hoult).
Stream ‘A Single Man’ on Netflix
20. ‘Saving Face’
Alice Wu's joyful feature-length debut.
Directed by Alice Wu (of “The Half of It” ) in her feature-length debut, “Saving Face” is a 2004 romantic-comedy focused on the story of Wilhelmina (Michelle Krusiec) and her love interest Vivian Shing (Lynn Chen), as both women balance their growing attraction for one another with the familial expectations for them.
Stream ‘Saving Face’ on Prime Video
21. ‘Supernova’
Break out the tissues.
Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth star as Sam and Tusker Milliner in this sweet, heartbreaking film about a couple traveling across England's Lake District in the wake of devastating news about Tusker's dementia diagnosis, seeking to spend the rest of Tusker's life enjoying their time together. Written and directed by Harry Macqueen, this film premiered in 2020.
22. ‘Carol’
I would ride into battle for Cate.
At last, Cate Blanchett. “Carol” is a 2015 period film directed by Todd Haynes that follows the story of Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara), a photographer whose run-in with older, married woman Carol (Blanchett) changes both their lives. Carol is in the middle of a divorce with her husband, who is attempting to take custody of her daughter, Rindy. Therese's relationship with Carol unfolds in mingled moments of tragedy and beauty over the course of the film.
23. ‘Love, Simon’
Sweet and heartfelt.
Directed by Greg Berlanti, teen drama “Love, Simon” follows the story of Simon Spier (Nick Robinson), a closeted, gay high school boy trying to find his foothold in his sexual identity as he begins writing a series of emails to another similarly closeted individual at his high school. The film explores Simon's relationship with his best friends, with his parents, and with his self-image as he navigates his identity in school.
Rent ‘Love, Simon’ on Prime Video
24. ‘The Half of It’
Ellie and Paul's friendship forever.
Written and directed by Alice Wu, ‘The Half of It’ is a beautiful, warm coming-of-age film released in 2020 about Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis), a young woman in the small town of Squahamish (a fictional town in Washington) who comes to understand her queer identity as she helps her friend Paul Munsky (Daniel Diemer) attempt to get closer to Astrid (Alexxis Lemire) by way of heartfelt love letters.
Stream ‘The Half of It’ on Netflix
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