lgbtqa+ themes
lbtqa+ films and series i like and ones i want to watch but haven't yet. i've added content warnings i think might be helpful since many of the films in this list contain content that may be triggering for lgbtqa+ and other folx. please let me know if there are any warnings i should add, and feel welcome to recommend movies for the list :3
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- DirectorAngela TuckerStarsAlizaAntoniaBarbFacing a sex obsessed culture, a mountain of stereotypes and misconceptions, and a lack of social or scientific research, asexuals - people who experience no sexual attraction - struggle to claim their identity.bc the 'a' in lgbtqa+ doesn't stand for 'ally'
cw: features a human blockhead (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Blockhead) performance
watch (A)sexual here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4rdRQtsiTQ - DirectorStephan ElliottStarsHugo WeavingGuy PearceTerence StampTwo drag performers and a transgender woman travel across the desert to perform their unique style of cabaret.cw:
- sexual assault
- various people are punched in the face
- implied child molestation in character flashback
- a woman performs a ping pong show (shown from behind)
- trans woman character Bernadette played by cis male actor Terrence Stamp
- DirectorAngélique BosioStarsBruce La BruceGlenn BelverioBruce BendersonThe Advocate for Fagdom unites the puzzle pieces one by one. Testimonies are combined with rare archive images. Art galeries present movie extracts that are succeeded by images shot on location. And the other way round. Writers, film makers, art galeries owners, actors and actresses, photographers, producers, friends and loved ones all join in a game of interpretation, analysis or simple anecdotes. John Waters, Bruce Benderson, Harmony Korine, Gus Van Sant, Richard Kern, Rick Castro and others deliver their impressions, theories and confessions. Everything blends into the fascinating portrait of a singular person blessed with singular talents. A complex personality at war not with a system but all systems. The portrait of a man constantly moving between his punk attitude and extreme sensibility.a documentary about filmmaker Bruce LaBruce
'His films explore themes of sexual and interpersonal transgression against cultural norms, frequently blending the artistic and production techniques of independent film with gay pornography'- Wikipedia
- DirectorSamantha LeeStarsJasmine Curtis-SmithLouise Delos ReyesKate AlejandrinoA young creative is secretly in love with her childhood best friend, who is a budding actress. As the truth unfolds, they decide to confront the feelings they have for each other.'-Baka Bukas- ( Maybe Tomorrow) is a 2016 Philippine romantic drama independent film written, co-produced, and directed by Samantha Lee on her directorial debut. As a lesbian herself, Lee developed the concept for the film based on her own relationship with a female partner. Furthermore, she stated in an interview for CNN Philippines:
"Baka Bukas is the story of what happens when you fall in love with your best friend. I conceptualized the film because I wanted to see a representation of the LGBT community that went beyond the portrayals that are shown in mainstream media. The characters in this film are fully flawed functional human beings. They are more than just an accessory to the plot, they are the plot"'- Wikipedia
- DirectorMarie LosierStarsGenesis P-OrridgeLady Jaye Breyer P'OrridgeBig Boy Breyer P'OrridgeA documentary on artist Genesis Breyer P-Orridge and his wife and collaborator, Lady Jaye, centered around the transformations the pair underwent for their Pandrogyne project.In January 1993, [English singer-songwriter, musician, poet, performance artist, and occultist] Genesis and his second wife, Lady Jaye, relocated to Ridgewood, Queens in New York City. It was here that the couple embarked on what they termed the "Pandrogeny Project"; influenced by the cut-up technique, the duo underwent body modification to resemble one another, thus coming to identify themselves as a single pandrogynous being named Breyer P-Orridge. In doing so, the pair underwent $200,000 worth of surgical alteration, receiving breast implants, cheek and chin implants, lip plumping, eye and nose jobs, tattooing, and hormone therapy, while also adopting gender neutral and alternating pronouns. With this project, P-Orridge's intent was to express a belief that the self is pure consciousness trapped within the DNA-governed body. The couple adopted the term "pandrogyne" because – in their words – "we wanted a word without any history or any connections with things — a word with its own story and its own information"'
- Wikipedia
- DirectorMike NicholsStarsRobin WilliamsNathan LaneGene HackmanA gay cabaret owner and his drag queen companion agree to put up a false straight front so that their son can introduce them to his fiancée's right-wing moralistic parents.
- DirectorAbdellatif KechicheStarsLéa SeydouxAdèle ExarchopoulosSalim KechioucheAdèle's life is changed when she meets Emma, a young woman with blue hair, who will allow her to discover desire and to assert herself as a woman and as an adult. In front of others, Adèle grows, seeks herself, loses herself, and ultimately finds herself through love and loss.cw:
- graphic nudity & explicit sex, between two women and between a woman and a man
- an argument between a lesbian couple regarding infidelity involves yelling and escalates to intimidation and physical violence (shoving, shaking, slapping)
- DirectorLana WachowskiLilly WachowskiStarsJennifer TillyGina GershonJoe PantolianoTough ex-con Corky and her lover Violet concoct a scheme to steal millions of stashed mob money and pin the blame on Violet's crooked boyfriend Caesar.cw:
- non-graphic sex between two women
- violence: a man's finger is cut off with pliers; it's not shown being cut off as the camera pulls away at the last minute, but you do see blood splatter on the floor, the man yell in pain and the finger fall on the floor,
a woman is punched in the face several times,
several men are shot - DirectorEric SchaefferStarsMichael WelchMichelle HendleyAlexandra TurshenBoy Meets Girl is a funny, tender, sex positive romantic comedy that explores what it means to be a real man or woman, and how important it is to live a courageous life not letting fear stand in the way of going after your dreams.cw:
- 'tranny' is used derogatorily
- non-graphic sex, between two women and between a woman and a man
- a trans woman is shown fully nude, front and back, breasts, penis and butt
- trans protagonist relates struggle with suicidal ideation and eating disorder
- DirectorRodney EvansStarsAnthony MackieRoger RobinsonAlex BurnsA drama that looks back on the Harlem Renaissance from the perspective of an elderly, black writer who meets a gay teenager in a New York homeless shelter.
- DirectorJamie BabbitStarsNatasha LyonneClea DuVallMichelle WilliamsA naive teenager is sent to rehab camp when her straitlaced parents and friends suspect her of being a lesbian.cw:
- 'conversion therapy' is a central theme
- non-graphic masturbation & sex between two girls
- teenagers are coerced into simulating heterosexual sex as part of 'conversion therapy'
- DirectorÉdouard MolinaroStarsUgo TognazziMichel SerraultClaire MaurierThe manager of a Saint-Tropez nightclub featuring drag entertainment, and his star attraction, are a gay couple. Madness ensues when his straight son brings home a fiancée and her ultra-conservative parents to meet them.cw: multiple uses of the 'f' slur
- DirectorKatherine Fairfax WrightMalika Zouhali-WorrallStarsDavid BahatiLou EngleLong JohnIn Uganda, a new bill threatens to make homosexuality punishable by death. David Kato - Uganda's first openly gay man - and his fellow activists work against the clock to defeat the legislation while combating vicious persecution in their daily lives. But no one, not even the filmmakers, is prepared for the brutal murder that shakes the movement to its core and sends shock waves around the world.cw:
- several references to rape
- references to violent, homophobic actions
- a woman describes being raped; she uses graphic terms
- StarsElise BaumanNatasha NegovanlisAnnie BriggsLittle Laura Hollis has just moved in to attend Silas College. When her missing roommate is replaced without explanation, Laura vows to find out what is happening on campus.'Carmilla is a Canadian single-frame web series co-created loosely based on the novella of the same name'
- Wikipedia
features a non-binary character & lesbian protagonists
watch Carmilla here: https://www.youtube.com/user/VervegirlMagazine/playlists?sort=dd&view=50&shelf_id=25 - DirectorRob EpsteinJeffrey FriedmanStarsLily TomlinTony CurtisSusie BrightA documentary surveying the various Hollywood screen depictions of homosexuals and the attitudes behind them throughout the history of North American film.
- DirectorKevin SmithStarsBen AffleckJoey Lauren AdamsEthan SupleeHolden and Banky are comic book artists. Everything's going good for them until they meet Alyssa, also a comic book artist. Holden falls for her, but his hopes are crushed when he finds out she's a lesbian.cw: violence: a brief fist fight occurs; a man appears to be shot
- DirectorJustin SimienStarsTyler James WilliamsTessa ThompsonKyle GallnerThe lives of four black students at an Ivy League college.features a gay protagonist, examines the intersection of being black and gay in the US
cw:- several uses of the 'n' slur
- sexual harassment of a gay student
- numerous uses of homophobic slurs
- anti-black racism is a central theme
- white students are shown wearing blackface at a party
- DirectorDavid FranceStarsKurt WolfeSue YackaCatherine Shugrue Dos SantosVictoria Cruz investigates the mysterious 1992 death of black gay rights activist and Stonewall veteran, Marsha P. Johnson. Using archival interviews with Johnson, and new interviews with Johnson's family, friends and fellow activists.
- DirectorYony LeyserStarsYony LeyserTim-Fabian HoffmannChloe GriffinDesire Will Set You Free is a feature film that explores life in contemporary Berlin with an often critical and sometimes humorous eye. Based on a true story, the plot follows the relationship of an American writer of Israeli/Palestinian descent and a Russian aspiring artist working as a hustler, offering access to the city's vibrant queer and underground scenes while examining the differences between expatriate and refugee life. Our characters travel through Berlin's layered history and unique subcultural landscape; on their adventures they discover influences and remnants of the Weimar Republic, WWII, the Bowie years, and punk. Many original Berlin personalities play themselves and the locations are all real Berlin locations. The film features performances by the queen of punk Nina Hagen, electro star Peaches, Brooklyn's Blood Orange, German sensation Rummelsnuff, rapper Sookee, Einstürzende Neubauten's Blixa Bargeld; and Wolfgang Müller, plus cast members Amber Benson (of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame), German film legend Rosa Von Praunheim, artists Eva & Adele, photographer Miron Zownir, internet sensation Labanna Babalon as well as leading roles Tim-Fabian Hoffman (Sasha), Chloé Griffin (Cathrine) and the director himself, Yony Leyser (Ezra).
- DirectorMarco La ViaHanna LadoulStarsMya TaylorEmma ThatcherTravis JohnsShortly after a hurtful breakup, Diane, a transgender pagan priestess, finds refuge in Palm Springs. She is engaged in a battle with her inner demons when an enigmatic sociopath, starts to stalk her.https://www.dianefromthemoon.com/
- DirectorJun LanaStarsPaolo BallesterosChristian BablesJoel TorreFriends attend the wake of Trisha, a Filipino transgender woman. They look back into her life and how she faced the adversities and triumphs of living as a transgender in Filipino society.
- DirectorDavid ThorpeStarsDavid ThorpeGeorge TakeiTim GunnA documentary about the stereotype of the gay voice.cw: contains a clip of a teenager being beaten in school
- DirectorSydney FreelandStarsJeremiah BitsuiCarmen MooreMorningstar AngelineThree young Native Americans - an adopted Christian girl, a rebellious father-to-be, and a promiscuous transsexual - strive to escape the hardships of life on an Indian reservation.'Another movie written and directed by a trans woman, this time a trans woman of color named Sydney Freeland, Drunktown’s Finest also co-stars a trans woman of color playing a trans woman of color. This film is about three interconnected young Navajo people, including a sex worker and aspiring model Felixia played by newcomer Carmen Moore. Freeland and Moore bring an authenticity to a trans woman’s story that’s rare in film, and even more rare for a Native American trans woman'
- https://www.autostraddle.com/15-best-trans-woman-movies-according-to-trans-women-303713/
- DirectorJust JaeckinStarsSylvia KristelAlain CunyMarika GreenThe wife of a French diplomat in Bangkok embarks on a voyage of self-discovery.cw:
- frequent nudity
- a woman is raped
- sex between women and between a woman and a man (genitalia is obscured)
- DirectorDaniel G. KarslakeStarsImogene RobinsonVictor RobinsonGene RobinsonAn exploration of the intersection between religion and homosexuality in the U.S. and how the religious right has used its interpretation of the Bible to stigmatize the gay community.cw: homophobic slurs