15 essential movies to watch during Pride Month but also year round

Fewer corporations are slapping a gaudy rainbow filter on top of their logos, more rights (and people) are being threatened against on the daily, and there’s a general feeling of aching dread pitted inside ourselves knowing that it’s never been more in vogue to be an asshole. Fab!

There’s enough doom and gloom happening both here and abroad to dampen even the sunniest of dispositions, which means that there’s no better time than now to gather up all of your straight and/or cisgender mates and force them to watch a healthy heaping of gay-as-hell flicks from the depths of a queer person’s Letterboxd watchlist, a la A Clockwork Orange. It’s the least they could do! Or, you could just enjoy your time alongside your fellow queer pals — they’d probably enjoy them a whole lot more anyway.

(Disclaimer: I will not be mentioning every single LGBTQIA+ movie, and so I’m sorry if your fave did not make the list in advance!)

Paris Is Burning

It truly cannot be overstated just how bloody monumental this flick is. Paris is Burning treats us to an equally sun-soaked and glamorously shady (pun unintended) New York City in the early-’90s, as it dives into the heyday of ballroom culture and its magnetic community: consisting entirely of Black, Latino, gay, and transgender folks. It’s devastatingly magical, and while the majority of the film’s cast have since joined their ranks among the stars in the years since, they shine just as brightly on film as they did in real life three decades prior. Listen to your artsy gay friends on this one, it’s worth the hype (and then some). 

Streaming now on MUBI.

The Watermelon Woman 

This one’s for all the lesbian film nerds out there! Directed by and starring Cheryl Dunye, The Watermelon Woman  — the first feature film directed by a Black lesbian, BTW — was similarly shot during the latter-half of the 20th Century. It delights us with a then-modern look into lesbian culture in ’90s Philadelphia. Main character, Cheryl takes it upon herself to find the eponymous ‘Watermelon Woman’; an uncredited Black actress from the ’30s who has largely been lost to time, and make a documentary about her life. The film’s main message explores how and why queer people (especially POC queer people) bear the responsibility of writing their own histories, made even more poignant since it could be argued that The Watermelon Woman has become a historical text in its own right, made way ahead of its time and undeservedly undervalued by its contemporary critics.

Streaming now on MUBI.

Pride 

I dare any person to try and show me a better feel-good movie than this 2014 classic (you won’t win). Set in the UK during the height of the Welsh miners’ strike in the mid-1980s, this movie depicts the real history of how activist group, Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners, raised money and supported the families of striking miner workers, plus how the workers supported them in return. It’s the perfect film to watch to remind yourself that solidarity is paramount, gay people have always existed, and that there truly is power in a union. It’s just a lovely, lovely film that even your most annoying family members or roommates’ aggressively heterosexual boyfriends will get misty-eyed at. Plus, who doesn’t love that killer soundtrack?

Streaming now for free on ABCiview.

Funeral Parade of Roses 

Finally, something for all the esoteric baddies who are partial to something a tad more bonkers! Shot and set within the underground LGBTQIA+ scene of 1960s Tokyo (and loosely based on the myth of Oedipus Rex, of all things), this surreal art house flick follows main character and transwoman Eddie as she attempts to rise to a higher rank in the hostess club she works at. This movie is truly a trip, as the film jumps from a drama inspired by a Greek tragedy to a documentary that constantly breaks the fourth wall, and it doesn’t hurt that there’s a healthy heaping of cartoon-esque antics in there for some good measure, too. It’s silly, it’s shocking, and just so, so cool. You’ll impress your film nerd mates with this one for sure.

Streaming now on MUBI. 

Queens of the Qing Dynasty 

This 2023 experimental drama shot and set within a snowy Nova Scotia follows main character Star, a teenager hospitalised after a suicide attempt, being cared for by genderqueer hospital volunteer and Chinese immigrant An. I asked Allie Daisy King, a fan of this Canadian flick, what she had to say about this one.

“I love how experimental and weird this movie is! I think that in a lesser movie, the focus of these characters’ bond would eventually become romantic, so I am glad that it doesn’t go there, and is simply an exploration of a platonic relationship between a young ace girl, and her non binary bal,” she said.

“The creator Ashley Mckenzie had this to say of the lack of romance,:’It’s definitely a subversion, even in the context of queer stories. They can be very focused on sex. The asexual undertone of the film subverts a lot of queer content. It’s easier to tell the story of a couple who are similar to a heteronormative one with a few changes. A story that refuses to follow that narrative trajectory and refuses to have a relationship hit certain milestones is a subversive thing. But it’s also a very real thing and something I’d like to see represented more. I see relationships like that in the real world, but not so much in media.”

Streaming now on MUBI. 

Moonlight 

Another movie that is well worth the hype is the 2016 coming-of-age drama Moonlight, which explores how Black masculinity, sexuality, identity, and vulnerability all coincide and crash against one another amidst economic instability, government-fuelled drug epidemics and inherited trauma. Main character Chiron’s life is shown in three stages; child, teenager, and adult – all taking place in Miami from the ‘90s during the crack epidemic to present-day as a working-class and closeted gay man. It’s an intimate look at an often overlooked and marginalised community, allowing audiences to be dazzled by the dark blue beauty the film drapes itself under, only heightened by its absolutely top-notch acting performances. 

Streaming now for free on SBS On Demand. 

Carol

When it comes to moody lesbian period drama films, we’re pretty spoilt for choice. It could also be argued that the entirety of gay filmmaker Todd Haynes’ repertoire could make an excellent watch this month — from horror thrillers inspired by the AIDS crisis to historical romances examining mid-century racial and social relations — but it’s his most acclaimed flick from 2015 that I implore you, dear reader, to watch (or rewatch) this June.

There’s not much I can say about this deeply empathetic film adaptation of a ’50s novel that hasn’t already been said by much more eloquent individuals, since it’s really as good as those smart cookies say it is. While masterpiece flicks such as Portrait of a Lady on Fire are usually the lesbian cinephile’s flick of choice (including this author, don’t get it twisted), I say to check out the equally as revered Carol for one simple reason this month: it has a happy ending, plus it has Cate Blanchett. Treat yourself!

Streaming now for free on ABCiview.

I Saw The TV Glow

This is the most recently-made flick to be included on this list, but there’s no surprise on knowing that this soon-to-be-revered movie will find its way into the pantheon of queer classics in no time (if it hasn’t already). Trans filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun described her film as being an allegory for the “egg crack” moment in a trans person’s life — when they realise their gender identity does not match the one assigned to at birth — and thus expanded on that phenomenon and created a patient yet existential horror drama, heavily stylised and inspired by iconic late-1990s teen TV shows.

You’ll find yourself thinking about this one for a while, long after the credits roll, as it’s a film that offers viewers more questions to ponder rather than giving them solid answers. It’s deeply uncomfortable as it is breathtakingly ethereal, and it’s the type of post-modern LGBTQIA+ cinema that I hope to see more of very soon. There is still time. 

Streaming now on Binge. 

Slow 

Another movie from 2023, Slow is a Lithuanian-made romantic drama that follows couple Elena and Dovydas, the latter of whom identifies as asexual. I asked asexual activist Allie Daisy King what she thought of this intimate flick. She said, “I love how this movie explores the silent tragedy in having a partner with the opposite sexual preferences to you. Because neither of them are at fault. You can love one another but so often love is not enough. This film in a lot of ways feels like a cautionary tale about the anxieties of dating as an asexual person, and it is as beautiful as it is painful.”

Streaming now on MUBI. 

But I’m A Cheerleader

Ah, my beloved But I’m a Cheerleader…More often than not this movie marks a baby lesbian’s first step into the wide world of sapphic cinema, and it still holds up pretty well as a certified campy classic (no matter what those fun-hating losers at Rotten Tomatoes say!). I’m sure that all of you have already witnessed the beauty of a closeted cheerleader played by Natasha Lyonne falling in love with a gothy Clea DuVall,

both clad in pink uniforms and surrounded by gender colour-coded sets — as well as featuring Dante Basco (the voice of Zuko from The Last Airbender, if you weren’t in the know) — but in case you haven’t, you’re seriously missing out. It’s fun, colourful and also happens to star RuPaul as an ‘ex-gay’ camp counsellor. It doesn’t get much better than that, folks!

Streaming now for free on SBS On Demand. 

Happy Together 

If there’s one thing we can count on filmmaker Wong Kar-wai for, it’s a heavily stylised and vividly-glamorous cinematic delight that dissects all the complications that come with loving someone. Get your tissues ready, as this 1997 romantic drama is no different to his previous heartbreaking works. The audience watches as Kar-wai’s camera intrudes upon gay couple Fai and Ho’s most intimate moments with each other, both good and bad, with the same level of emotional gravitas that make Kar-wai’s films so excellent. The film examines the complexity of being in a toxic relationship where both parties are at fault, but still wanting to make it work and sometimes bringing out the best of one another. It’s messy, heartbreaking, a sight to behold, and another great addition to the growing collection of LGBTQIA+ movies that completely blow me away. You’ll also be unable to look at a waterfall without tearing up after sitting through this one, I guarantee it. 

Streaming now on Apple TV. 

Bound

Directed by transgender sister filmmakers the Wachowskis, this late-1990s flick is a sleazy, sophisticated, and sexy neo-noir thriller that’ll keep you blushing the whole way through — thanks in part to the contributions made by feminist writer and intimacy coordinator, Susie Bright. Bound places Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon as a secret lesbian couple in cahoots to steal $2 million from the mafia, and it’s packed to the brim with enough tasteful sex and violence to keep any low-attention-span viewer satiated. Released three years before The Matrix made the Wachowski sisters a household name, this erotic crime drama is decked out in the type of dark and atmospheric flair that made the duo such creative powerhouses. So, sink your teeth into this respectfully-made depiction of lesbian sensuality. 

Streaming now on Stan. 

Disclosure 

The second documentary on this list, this 2020 film puts a magnifying glass onto Hollywood’s long (and incredibly problematic) depiction of transgender people throughout its history, and how these exploitative portrayals have impacted Western societies’ treatment and view of transgender people in the years following.

With stellar cameos from experts like Laverne Cox, Chaz Bono, Angelica Ross, the aforementioned Lilly Wachowski, and more, this doco provides a long-overdue denunciation of Hollywood’s harmful practices and the subsequent films that have profited off transphobia, while still bringing forth the many strides transgender actors and filmmakers have made in the industry. If you’re a film nerd and you want to dig a little deeper into LGBTQIA+ history in cinema, this film is an important reminder of how far we’ve come, and how much more work we still need to do. 

Streaming now on Netflix. 

Every Body 

Another documentary that examines an often-neglected topic within the LGBTQIA+ community comes the 2023 film Every Body, which focuses on the lives and uncovers the misconceptions of intersex people. Allie Daisy King had this to say about this doco: “This documentary will pierce you right in the heart, and then make you immensely angry at how scarce intersex representation is in media. I implore you, if you wanna learn more about being intersex, watch this beautiful documentary!”

Streaming now on Apple TV.

Female Trouble 

To write about essential movies in queer cinema and not mention any work made by the legendary American filmmaker John Waters would be borderline criminal, so I recommend knuckling down and witnessing the filthy glory of Divine in Female Trouble — especially if you don’t have the stomach to sit through Pink Flamingos. This dark comedy (emphasis on dark comedy…you have been warned) stars the renowned drag queen as a delinquent teenage runaway going on all kinds of haphazard misadventures, as the film indulges itself in ultimate kitsch and explicit fun. Cinema is a medium that often asks audiences to take its work seriously, while John Waters asks his audience to just go along for the ride and let the dirty little goblin that’s trapped deep down inside of you take over every once in a while. It’s a pretty healing experience, try it out! 

Now available to watch on Internet Archive for free.