To put it bluntly, since the recent Presidential election, I’ve felt a never-ending sense of fear and anxiety as a queer person living in the United States. Between various executive orders targeting the trans community and one that attempts to dictate what students can or cannot learn in school and who they can be, to be out and live openly feels even more like an act of defiance than before. Given how Pride Month started as a riot and is a call to action as well as a celebration, films about activism that dramatize pivotal events in LGBTQ+ history should always make our watchlists.
That being said, for this list, I’ve decided to conjure up ten films that end on a happy note because, even in these trying times, we still need stories that end in positive affirmation. Whether they’re narratives centering on queer joy or films that at least end on a positive note after a dramatic struggle, these ten films create feelings of hope that we need as their last scenes conclude with the protagonists heading into a potentially bright future after the credits roll. It is not always an easy future, but a hopeful one.
Beautiful Thing (1996)
Based on the stage play of the same name by screenwriter Jonathan Harvey, the British coming-of-age dramedy “Beautiful Thing” shows that first love can be exactly that. When Jamie (Glen Berry) falls for his neighbor Ste (Scott Neal), what happens is the familiar motions of bewilderment and eventual self-assurance involved in exploring one’s sexuality. It becomes as much a story about Jamie’s stressed-out mother, Sandra (Linda Henry), learning to accept her son as it is about Jamie and Ste accepting themselves. Thanks in large part to the soundtrack composed of music by the Mamas and the Papas, “Beautiful Thing” serves as a harmonious viewing experience from the opening sequence to its poetic final scene involving a simple slow dance that speaks immense volumes.
But I’m a Cheerleader (1999)
Although “But I’m a Cheerleader” is notable for its candy-coated production design that masks the sourness within its central setting along with its biting humor, it’s the early intervention scene involving Megan (Natasha Lyonne, in her best film role to date) confessing she’s a lesbian that leaves quite a mark. Despite Megan feeling a sense of relief in knowing her true self, the agony in the way she was forced into this realization shows there’s still an instant trauma that any queer individual who’s been forced out of the closet sadly knows too well. At least for this writer, who still has scars from being teased for his sexuality as a teenager, it’s after that harrowing moment that the viewer is really left hoping for Megan to find her eventual peace in a film that successfully keeps its message on the harms of conversion therapy alive.
Carol (2015)
What Pride Month watchlist would be complete without this modern stone-cold classic? Todd Haynes’ “Carol” is a masterclass in craftsmanship and performance that’s even more notable for being a queer-centric storyline within a period setting to have a happy ending. Given its controversial Oscar snub in Best Picture, one would think the happy ending part is almost unheard of, even for the Academy. Thankfully, things would start to change the following year in a big way regarding AMPAS’ recognition of queer-themed stories. But even without Best Picture validation, “Carol” and its ending still live on in our hearts.
Fire Island (2022)
Andrew Ahn’s “Fire Island” is a light rom-com so breezy that the only scene with any heavy, pulsating dramatic tension involves a game of “Heads Up!” involving trying to guess the names of Oscar-winning actresses. The Emmy-nominated picture depicts enough joy and simmering romantic chemistry between star/screenwriter Joel Kim Booster and Conrad Ricamora, a newly-minted Tony nominee for “Oh, Mary!” while simultaneously offering tenuous commentary on race, privilege, queer intersectionality, and found families. Plus, any movie that acknowledges that “Sometimes” by Britney Spears is an absolute bop is a worthy watch.
God’s Own Country (2017)
Since the year 2025 almost belongs to Josh O’Connor, why not visit or revisit the film that launched his career? Directed by Francis Lee, “God’s Own Country” follows O’Connor as John Saxby, a hedonist frustrated with his mundane small-town life whose life becomes changed by the arrival of Gheorghe (Alec Secăreanu), a Romanian migrant worker, who comes to help John and his family out on their farm. As they spend time in the mountains, a romantic spark slowly blossoms and facial and body gestures are used to communicate one’s feelings instead of words. The minimalism approach of writer/director Francis Lee proves to be so potent that the nighttime barn scene where John and Gheorghe make love not only illustrates the difference between sex and love but is one where Gheorghe showing John a gentle touch is a method of breaking the invisible walls that the misanthropic John built between himself and everyone around him. It’s also thanks to the two central performances that the viewer is enamored by their romance and a potential emotional wreck by the time the film’s final scene hits.
Layla (2024)
“Layla” is a winning feature directorial debut from Amrou al-Kadhi that is as crowd-pleasing as it is poignant. As much as it depicts the joy that its titular non-binary drag queen protagonist (played by Bilal Hasna in a magnetic star-making turn) feels from performing, it’s also about the demanding struggle of navigating a society trying to force you into a box. Whether it’s their religious family or Max (Louis Greatorex), the charming executive with whom they begin a passionate romance, Layla is constantly forced to play a part for everyone around them. While not an overtly political story, “Layla” plays into the painful reality of living openly and truthfully as a form of rebellion while still emphasizing the pleasure of living one’s best self.
Moonlight (2016)
Along with it being the first LGBTQ+ film to win the Oscar for Best Picture, what makes “Moonlight” winning the prize even more celebratory is that it’s a queer-themed film ending on a happy note to do so. Given how, up until that point, it felt more common for stories centering on LGBTQ+ protagonists with grim conclusions to garner major awards and recognition, the victory of “Moonlight” feels even more groundbreaking. Of course, the acclaimed coming-of-age drama is also noted for its flawless acting ensemble, including two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali, stunning cinematography, and how it announced director/co-writer Barry Jenkins as a filmmaking force to be reckoned with.
Rafiki (2018)
As celebratory as it is that a film with a buoyant narrative like “Rafiki” got made, what’s even more laudable is that it simply got made. Despite being a film made in Kenya, which has strict anti-LGBT laws, and being banned from release by the Kenya Film Classification Board due to it having a hopeful ending as well as its homosexual themes, “Rafiki” still managed to not only see the light of day but become eligible to be Kenya’s Oscar submission for Best International Feature at the 91st Academy Awards when the KFCB temporarily lifted its release ban. Ultimately, it wasn’t chosen, but its off-screen story remains as triumphant as the film’s narrative involving two women blissfully falling in love amidst political and community turmoil. “Rafiki” is also notable for its vibrant use of pink coloring from cinematographer Christopher Wessels that syncs in with the film’s harmonious narrative as it symbolizes the blissfulness of the central romance and how hope will only follow the protagonists even in times of adversity.
Tangerine (2015)
Before Sean Baker swept the Oscars with “Anora” came another story about sex workers living on the margins of society. One that didn’t attract the same level of audience attention yet still proved how vibrant filmmaking can be as it was filmed entirely on iPhones and helped pave the way for visibility for transgender performers. As Sin-Dee (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) and Alexandra (Independent Spirit Award winner Mya Taylor) navigate their way through a chaotic Christmas Eve, they go on a serio-comic journey that, by the film’s simplistic yet powerful final scene, has them recognizing that as they exist in a world at odds with them, and that they may sometimes be at odds with each other, in the end, it’s still them against the world.
The Way He Looks (2014)
Since we’re seeing a greater appreciation of Brazilian cinema between the Oscar run of “I’m Still Here” and “The Secret Agent,” a prize winner at Cannes, being poised to be an awards contender, Daniel Ribeiro’s “The Way He Looks,” the Brazilian Oscar submission for Best International Feature at the 87th Academy Awards, is a recommended add to your viewing lists. Based on Ribeiro’s 2010 short film “I Don’t Want to Go Back Alone,” “The Way He Looks” follows Leonardo (Ghilherme Lobo), a blind student trying to maintain his independence, whose life becomes changed by the arrival of a new student named Gabriel (Fabio Audi). What transpires is a navigation of the familiar adolescent anxieties of expressing your feelings to your crush that’s handled with delicacy and, by the film’s end, will have you immediately streaming the music of Belle & Sebastian.
Which films have you seen from this list? Are there any LGBTQ films that end on a positive note that you would recommend to watch during Pride Month? Please let us know in the comments section below and on Next Best Picture’s X account.
