We asked our members to recommend their favourite LGBTQ+ films and they didn’t disappoint!
Pride month may be coming to an end, but we want to keep the celebration of all things LGBTQ+ going. So we put out a post on our Instagram account asking Spotlight members to recommend their favourite and most iconic LGBTQ+ films.
From actors and actresses to directors, writers, producers and production crew, members of the LGBTQ+ community are in all areas of the entertainment industry. This is one of the best way to ensure their stories get told in an authentic and relatable way to inspire, educate and delight audiences.
There is, of course, plenty of work to still be done to improve the representation of this community, and the debate about whether non-LGBTQ+ performers should play LGBTQ+ roles rages on, but here are 11 LGBTQ+ films our members recommend that you watch:
1. Shelter (2007)
Shelter centres on ‘Zach’ (played by Trevor Wright), an aspiring artist who falls in love with his best friend’s brother, ‘Shaun’ (Brad Rowe). Amidst a great deal of family turmoil, he must decide whether to chase his dream or put it aside to look after his family.
The film sensitively explores coming out, acceptance and queer romance. Directed by Jonah Markowitz, an openly gay filmmaker, Shelter is celebrated for its authentic representation.
2. I Saw the TV Glow (2024)
This psychological horror drama follows two teens, ‘Owen’ and ‘Maddy’, who bond over a mysterious TV show as children. However, after Maddy runs away and comes back into Owen’s life 10 years later, fantasy and reality begin to blur as Owen grapples with his identity.
I Saw the TV Glow tackles queer and trans themes, particularly transmasculine experience. Directed and written by Jane Schoenbrun, a nonbinary filmmaker, it stars LGBTQ+ performers Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine.
3. Maurice (1987)
Set in Edwardian England, Maurice follows ‘Maurice Hall’ (played by James Wilby) as he navigates love and societal pressures, and ultimately finds happiness in a same-sex relationship.
Focusing on themes of forbidden love and self-acceptance, Maurice is directed by James Ivory and is based on E.M. Forster’s novel of the same name. It also stars Spotlight member Rupert Graves and Hugh Grant.
4. Pariah (2011)
Pariah follows ‘Alike’, a 17-year-old Black teenager in Brooklyn, as she embraces her lesbian identity despite pressure and disapproval from her mother. The film explores coming out, acceptance and self-discovery.
Written and directed by Dee Rees, an openly lesbian filmmaker who describes the film as ‘semi-autobiographical’, the film stars Adepero Oduye, Aasha Davis, Charles Parnell and Kim Wayans.
5. God’s Own Country (2017)
In God’s Own Country, ‘Johnny Saxby’, a young sheep farmer in Yorkshire, has his emotionally isolated life disrupted by the arrival of ‘Gheorghe’, a Romanian migrant worker. As the two work side by side, a romance develops between them, forcing Johnny to confront his own vulnerabilities and fears about intimacy.
Written and directed by Francis Lee, an openly gay filmmaker, this film is celebrated for its raw, authentic LGBTQ+ storytelling and powerful, nuanced performances from Josh O’Connor and Alec Secăreanu.
6. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
This romantic drama, based on the short story by Annie Proulx, tells the story of ‘Ennis’ (Heath Ledger) and ‘Jack’ (Jake Gyllenhaal) – two cowboys who develop a deep, forbidden love that spans decades in the American West.
Despite marrying women and living separate lives, their deep emotional and physical bond endures. Directed by Ang Lee, this classic is a tale of love, longing and societal repression.
7. My First Summer (2020)
My First Summer follows ‘Claudia’ and ‘Grace’ – two teenage girls who form an intense, tender bond after Claudia’s mother drowns herself in a reservoir. Originally released as part of the BFI Flare: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival, the film focuses more on love than coming out or discussing sexuality.
Written and directed by Katie Found, it stars Markella Kavenagh and Maiah Stewardson in both leading roles.
8. Bottoms (2023)
This comedy follows lesbian high schoolers ‘PJ’ (Rachel Sennott) and ‘Josie’ (Ayo Edebiri), who start a female fight club to gain popularity and seduce their cheerleader crushes. Bottoms satirises teen comedy tropes while centring lesbian romance and friendship.
Directed and co-written by Emma Seligman, an LGBTQ+ director and screenwriter, this is a chaotic and fun romcom that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
9. Moonlight (2016)
Moonlight follows ‘Chiron’, a Black man, through childhood, adolescence and adulthood as he grapples with his sexuality and identity in Miami. The film examines themes of queer love, masculinity and self-acceptance.
Directed by Barry Jenkins, it’s based on LGBTQ+ playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney’s semi-autobiographical play and stars Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders, André Holland and Jharrel Jerome.
10. Longtime Companion (1989)
This romantic drama is pivotal in LGBTQ+ culture and is one of the few films that deals directly with the AIDS epidemic from a gay perspective.
Directed by Norman René, who sadly succumbed to AIDS himself in 1996, and written by openly gay writer Craig Lucas, Longtime Companion follows a group of gay friends in New York as they navigate the onset and impact of the AIDS crisis throughout the 1980s.
11. Duck Butter (2018)
‘Naima’, an aspiring actress, and ‘Sergio’, a free-spirited singer, meet at a gay bar and decide to spend 24 hours together in an attempt to ‘fast forward’ a relationship and get to know each other as quickly as possible. During this time, their vulnerabilities, insecurities and true personalities get exposed.
Co-written by director Miguel Arteta and bisexual star Alia Shawkat, it also features LGBTQ+ creatives such as Mae Whitman and Kate Berlant.
A massive thanks to all the Spotlight members who shared their LGBTQ+ film recommendations with us!
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