70 Best Queer Movies to Watch

70 Best Queer Movies to Watch

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In a world that celebrates love in all its diverse forms, queer cinema has taken center stage, weaving powerful narratives that challenge societal norms and redefine storytelling. From heartwarming romances to thought-provoking dramas, these queer movies are the cream of the crop, bursting with authenticity, emotion, and unapologetic pride. Whether you identify as LGBTQ+ or simply appreciate exceptional filmmaking, these captivating tales will whisk you away on a journey of self-discovery, resilience, and the universal pursuit of love. Get ready to be moved, inspired, and entertained as we delve into the best queer movies that demand your attention.

50. Twilight’s Kiss (2021)

7.7

Country

Hong Kong

Director

Ray Yeung

Actors

Ben Yuen, Lam Yiu-Sing, Tai Bo

Moods

Emotional, Lovely, Romantic

Two elderly gay men, Pak and Hoi, start a secret relationship during their twilight years. The catch: Pak is married and both are, well, old. Beneath their shared moments of tenderness, there is an undercurrent that the romance is ultimately futile, their remaining years too short to start life anew. Yet at the same time, director Ray Yeung uses the protagonists’ old age as justification for their love affair. Having dedicated their entire lives to their families and loved ones, romance is presented as a rewarding experience indicative of queer freedom, no matter how ill-fated or short-lived it might be.

49. Your Name Engraved Herein (2020)

7.7

Country

Canada, Taiwan, United States of America

Director

Kuang-Hui Liu, Liu Kuang-hui

Actors

Barry Qu, Cheng-Yang Wu, David Chiu, Edward Chen

Moods

Depressing, Emotional, Raw

Your Name Engraved Herein is a melancholy and emotional film set in 1987 just as martial law ends in Taiwan. The film explores the relationship between Jia-han and Birdy, two boys in a Catholic school who are in a romantic relationship. The movie tackles homophobia and social stigma in society which evokes a bleak and rather depressing atmosphere, emphasised by the movie’s earthy aesthetic. There is a rawness in the film’s narrative and dialogue, topped off by the lead actors’ successfully raw performances. Your Name Engraved Herein is tender as well as heartbreaking, occasionally depicting the joy of youth.

48. Fire (1996)

7.8

Country

Canada, India

Director

Deepa Mehta, Female director

Actors

Javed Jaffrey, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Nandita Das, Ram Gopal Bajaj

Moods

Character-driven, Intense, Thought-provoking

In this powerful exploration of suppressed desires and societal constraints, Fire delves deep into the lives of two women trapped in loveless marriages. Radha’s husband has banished all desires from their marriage due to Radha’s infertility, while the newlywed Sita knows her husband still sees his lover. As they live their stifling lives being dutiful wives and taking care of their paralyzed matriarch on their own, they begin to find solace in each other—eventually igniting a forbidden romance that challenges what they thought living truly was. The performances by Nandita Das and Shabana Azmi are captivating, as they find renewed passion in each other’s arms even as they question how tradition doesn’t hold a women’s benefit in mind. Fire is a bold and groundbreaking film that provokes reflection on love, freedom, and the courage to defy societal norms.

47. Strawberry and Chocolate (1994)

7.8

Country

Cuba, Mexico, Spain

Director

Juan Carlos Tabío, Tomás Gutiérrez Alea

Actors

Francisco Gattorno, Vladimir Cruz

Moods

Challenging, Character-driven, Discussion-sparking

Prepare to be captivated by the bittersweet tale of Strawberry and Chocolate, a 1994 Cuban film that immerses you in the complexities of friendship, love, and societal taboos. Set against the backdrop of Havana, the movie beautifully explores the relationship between an earnest university student and a sophisticated gay artist. With its poignant storytelling engrossing itself in the socio-political climate of Cuba, the film delves into themes of identity, acceptance, and the clash between tradition and individuality. Powerful and emotionally resonant, the vibrant Cuban culture is expertly woven into the narrative, transporting you to the heart of Havana’s vibrant streets. 

46. Buddies (1985)

7.8

Country

United States, United States of America

Director

Arthur J. Bressan Jr.

Actors

David Schachter, Geoff Edholm, Tracy Vivat

Moods

Discussion-sparking, Dramatic, Thought-provoking

Robert lies dying in hospital, an activist still raging against the lack of financial support and mainstream acknowledgment of the AIDS crisis. David volunteers to be his “buddy” while he’s bedbound, keeping him company and conversing. He’s less bothered by how the world treats homosexuality and AIDS, and although he commits to sticking by Robert, he’s doubtful of the need for his protests.

The film is firmly on Robert’s side, giving him space to shout and show frustration. What’s more, Buddies never treats sex as dirty or dangerous, allowing it to be something in which gay people find joy and solace, refusing to cast it as shameful. By the end of the decade, Geoff Edholm, who played Robert, and director Arthur J. Bressan Jr. had both lost their lives to the pandemic. It’s a snapshot of hospital rooms across the world, which were often hidden from sight, as a community was left to fend for itself, unsupported. David comes to understand.

45. Giant Little Ones (2018)

7.8

Country

Canada, United States of America

Director

Keith Behrman

Actors

Carson MacCormac, Cory Lee, Darren Mann, Evan Marsh

Moods

Heart-warming, Lovely, Slice-of-Life

An insightful and thoughtful Canadian coming-of-age drama, Giant Little Ones is about two seventeen-year-old best friends whose relationship changes after an incident one night. Spanning a quick 90 minutes, it manages to tell its story quickly and honestly, as it touches on themes of sexual identity not only for the teenagers but for their parents as well. And it has a great message about tolerance. It’s a lovely and wholesome movie. 

44. And Breathe Normally (2018)

7.8

Country

Belgium, Iceland, Sweden

Director

Female director, Isold Uggadottir

Actors

Ísold Uggadóttir, Babetida Sadjo, Bragi Arnason, Gunnar Jonsson

Moods

Slice-of-Life, Slow, Thought-provoking

Iceland is a country of vast lands but limited population – only about 300,000 people can call themselves Icelandic. On the other hand, 8 million people have connecting flights through Iceland every year. 

In this setting of mass movement, a single mother dealing with poverty is offered a chance to turn things around – a job as a border agent. One of her first days, she comes across an asylum seeker on a connecting flight from Guinea Bissau to Canada, trying to cross with a fake passport. 

Their stories don’t only intertwine as border agent and asylum seeker, but as two mothers. And Breathe Normally is about struggling with poverty both in Europe and coming from a place like Guinea Bissau. It’s a beautiful, plot-heavy statement on the importance of solidarity and of seeing the human behind the country of origin or race. 

43. A Fantastic Woman (2017)

7.8

Country

Chile, France, Germany

Director

Sebastián Lelio

Actors

Alejandro Goic, Aline Kuppenheim, Amparo Noguera, Antonia Zegers

Moods

Character-driven, Emotional

As heartbroken as you will be after watching this movie, you will feel nothing but triumph in the main actor’s debut role. This movie has very little hope to offer the viewer, except the small amount felt every time the main character, Marina, gets up again to fight another day. This film depicts grief in such a profound and personal way within a character who must remain relatively silent and alone most of the movie. You will quickly know why the film is called “A Fantastic Woman”.

42. Carol (2015)

7.8

Country

UK, United Kingdom, United States of America

Director

Todd Haynes

Actors

Amy Warner, Anita Farmer Bergman, Carrie Brownstein, Cate Blanchett

Moods

A-list actors, Discussion-sparking, Romantic

Watching Carol is like reading a really interesting book while relaxing on a Sunday afternoon. It is one of those movies that you probably heard about during its Oscar run, and have since delayed actually viewing it. Well now that it is on Netflix and other streaming services you have no excuse! It’s refreshingly unique, incredibly charming, and features a kind of story that hasn’t been told very often – a love story between two women. Both characters played by Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara attempt to live true to their own principles while facing unjust yet severe backlash from society. If you are open to it, the love story in this will stay with you forever.

41. Uncle Frank (2020)

7.9

Country

United States of America

Director

Alan Ball

Actors

Banks Repeta, Britt Rentschler, Burgess Jenkins, Caity Brewer

Moods

Easy, Emotional, Feel-Good

You’ll recognize more than a few faces in Uncle Frank. There are no mega-stars but the caliber of acting in this 70s story is truly impressive.

Beth is an 18-year-old in rural South Carolina who grew up admiring the family member she could relate to the most: her uncle, a college professor living in New York.

When she finishes high-school, she makes the move to the city her beloved uncle told her so much about. Once there, she discovers that he has been living a double life which he kept a secret from the family.

This is the perfect holiday movie for those looking for a story that’s not about the actual holidays. It’s sweet, often funny, and packs a heartfelt and genuine story without being too predictable.

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