10 Queer movies you can watch this Pride!!

A mix of funny and devastating queer movies that you can watch this pride! Warning many of these films are incredibly sad watch with caution (learnt from personal experience).

1. But I’m a Cheerleader

A cute, romance film following a girl called Megan who is unexpectedly sent to ‘True Directions’, a boot camp where you are trained to be straight. When she is at 'True Directions’ Megan meets the rebellious and unashamed lesbian Graham. I absolutely love this film, it is a sweet and feel good movie that pokes fun at these conversion camps. The main cast consists of Natasha Lyonne (Megan), Clea DuVall (Graham), RuPaul (Mike) and Melanie Lynskey (Hilary). You can watch it one Amazon Prime (shh don’t tell anyone but there is also a free copy on YouTube🤫).

2. All of Us Strangers

A British romance film but also a ghost story but also a family drama, it cannot be put into just 1 genre! It is a funny, sad, romantic and devastating film. This is one of the more sad options because trust me you will cry. It follows screenwriter Adam who has a strange encounter with his neighbour Harry which disrupts his life. As their relationship grows, Adam finds himself back in his childhood home, with his parents…who have been dead for 30 years. The main cast is Paul Mescal (Harry) and Andrew Scott (Adam). You can watch it on Disney+.

3. A Portrait of a Lady On Fire

A French historical romance drama which follows the relationship between Heloise and Marianne. Marianne is commissioned to paint a portrait of Heloise and shortly after they fall in love. However, they cannot be united. It is an incredible film and it is also one of our more sadder choices (this is a running theme across queer films!). It is a beautifully devastating film and covers so many important themes. The main cast is Adele Haenel (Heloise) and Noemie Merlant (Marianne). You can watch it on ITVX, Amazon Prime (with premium subscription) and Apple TV.

4. Pride (2014)

A historical comedy film which is based on a true story! It follows a group of lesbian and gay activists who raise money to help those effected by the British Miners strike in 1984. It is an inspirational movie that is a must watch! It is a mix of happy and sad, especially the ending. The main cast is George MacKay (Joe), Bill Nighy (Cliff), Ben Schnetzer (Mark) and once again Andrew Scott (Gethin). You can watch it on Apple TV, Amazon Prime and Sky though you have to pay for it on all platforms.

5. Maurice

A British romantic drama based on E.M Forster’s 1971 novel. It is set in Edwardian England and follows a tale of gay love between Maurice and Clive. It is a great romance film that shows the struggle of societal norms and some elements are still relevant to modern society. Like every other film I’ve listed, Maurice is a mix of happiness and sadness, but your reaction to it will heavily rely on your personal beliefs. The main cast is Hugh Grant (Clive Durham), James Wilby (Maurice Hall), Rupert Graves (Alec Scudder) and Ben Kingsley (Lasker-Jones). You can watch it on the BFI player, Amazon Prime (with premium subscription) and Apple TV.

6. Summer of 85

A French romantic drama that follows the relationship between Alexis and David. Their relationship begins when Alexis is rescued by David after a boating incident. Right, I know that I’ve said all of the others films are sad but this one…this is peak sad queer media. If you thought Call me By your name is devastating, try Summer of 85. The main cast is Benjamin Voisin (David) and Felix Lefebvre (Alexis). You can watch it on Amazon (with premium subscription), Sky and Apple TV.

7. Bound

A crime romance film that follows the torrid love affair between Violet, the mistress of a gangster, and Corky, a handyman. I’m going to be honest this film is only only this list because of Corky. When I tell you that when I watched this film I missed half of the plot because all I cared about was Corky. Watch it and tell me I’m incorrect! Don’t get me wrong it’s a great romance film and for once it is happy (yay!). The main cast of the film is Jennifer Tilly (Violet), Gina Gershon (Corky) and Joe Pantoliano (Caesar). You can watch it on Amazon Prime, the BFI Player and Apple TV (P.S. I’m pretty sure there’s a copy on YouTube)

8. My Own Private Idaho

An adventure and action film that touches on themes of sexuality, self discovery and alienation. It is a loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry IV. It follows Mikey and Scott who travel from Portland to Idaho and finally to Italy in a quest to find Mike’s estranged mother. This film is strongly associated with New Queer Cinema and is considered a foundational film for sad, queer cinema. It is regarded a cult classic especially amongst LGBTQ+ audiences. The main cast is River Phoenix (Mikey) and Keanu Reeves (Scott). You can watch it on YouTube, Apple TV and Amazon however you have to pay for it on all platforms.

9.Queer

A romance drama film. It follows the story of William Lee, an American, who becomes obsessed with a younger man called Eugene Allerton. The film is set in 1950s Mexico City and explores themes of obsession, identity and the search for meaning. This film is a more recent one (2024) and was directed by the king of sad queer films, Luca Guadagnino. An incredible film with really strong and powerful messages! The main cast is Drew Starkey (Eugene), Daniel Craig (Lee) and Jason Schwartzman (Joe Guidry). You can watch it on Amazon Prime (with premium subscription), Apple TV, Sky and MUBI.

10. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

The final film on this list is a musical drama which follows the story of two drag queens, Anthony and Adam, and an transgender woman, Bernadette, who travel across the Australian desert performing their acts. It explores themes of acceptance, self-discovery, overcoming adversity and the challenges of being queer in a hostile society. It is considered a cult classic which breaks away from stereotypical portrayals of queer characters. The main cast is Hugo Weaving (Anthony), Guy Pearce (Adam) and Terence Stamp (Bernadette). You can watch the film on Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Sky.

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Do you have any other film recommendations? Comment them below!

This list is on letterboxd right HERE

Happy Pride!!