As Pride Month rolls around, I joyfully am reminded of the decades of pioneering artists who brought queer life, art, and aesthetics to our movie screens. I think of artists like Kenneth Anger, Chantal Ackerman, Marlon Briggs, and Derek Jarman, whose works were not only crucial in the establishment of a “queer cinema” but revolutionized the very artwork itself. As we honor the legends, let us take a look at 10 films from the past ten years that I, a humble queer film snob, recommend every film fan watch this Pride Month.
Tangerine (2015)
Before he was an Academy Award-winning director, Sean Baker (“Anora“) pushed the concept of “indie film” to another level, making one of the year’s most beloved and lauded films for only $100,000. Shot using three iPhones, “Tangerine” tells the story of transgender sex workers in Los Angeles as they navigate relationships, clients, and their own aspirations. Featuring a cast of first-time actors (aside from the always wonderful Karren Karagulian), the film runs on Baker’s signature improvisational style of chaos, fairy tales, and finding the beautiful in the ugly (and vice versa).
Moonlight (2016)
This is an obvious one and full confession: it’s one of my favorite movies of all time. It sounds cliché, but I really can see a clear division of my movie-going life “before” and “after” “Moonlight.” Almost ten years since the film’s release, it’s easy to forget how big of a deal this movie was. It utterly upended the portrayal of black men and their relationships with one another in American cinema and changed what we thought could and could not be an “Oscar contender.” It is an incredibly intimate triptych of self-discovery, destruction, and liberation, delivered as cinematic poetry.
A Fantastic Woman (2017)
Winner of the Academy Award for Best International Feature in 2018, “A Fantastic Woman” is one of several films that have aided in expanding the conversation about the rights of trans people around the world. The film follows a transgender woman who her deceased boyfriend’s family harasses as she navigates her life in a world that actively builds barriers to her happiness. In between the moments of hopelessness comes moments of color and music, allowing audiences to see how beautiful the world could be under more accepting circumstances.
BPM (Beats Per Minute) (2017)
In modern times, it can be difficult to remember the trials and tribulations endured by previous generations when it came to gay liberation. “BPM (Beats Per Minute)” does just that, documenting the efforts of the Paris division of ACT UP, an organization that put pressure on politicians, businesses, and the medical industry to end the AIDS pandemic. The film is far from a puff piece, highlighting the real-life internal conflict within the organization, complicated relationships between its members, and the tragedy endured by millions of people.
Rafiki (2018)
The first ever Kenyan film to be screened at Cannes, “Rafiki” (Swahili for “friend’), was banned in its home country for “promoting lesbianism in Kenya contrary to the law.” If that’s not enough to get you interested, I can happily report that “Rafiki” is a joy to watch, as a colorful girl-meets-girl love story blossoming in the face of oppression. Eventually, the Kenyan government permitted screenings of the film, where it played to sold-out crowds and rave reviews. “Rafiki” indicates a growing trend in queer cinema that seeks to end in hope rather than heartbreak, that leaves its audiences with a sense of belonging rather than fear.
And Then We Danced (2019)
Levan Akin’s “And Then We Danced” came up against similar scrutiny in its home country, this time from the populace rather than the government. The film was protested by ultra-conservative groups who obviously hate fun and have bad taste, going as far as to target those who bought tickets to see the film. The film follows a young man who practices traditional Georgian dance and becomes infatuated with the company’s new star dancer. As he begins to make discoveries about his own sexuality and identity, he struggles to find his place as an artist within a culture that values tradition above all else.
Portrait Of A Lady On Fire (2019)
As the most recent film included on the 2022 Sight & Sound list of the top 100 films of all time and as one of my own personal favorites, I cannot make this list in good faith without including Celine Sciamma’s masterpiece of longing. Not only one of the most moving queer love stories ever committed to film, “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” demands a conversation on the very topic of cinema itself, on the entire history of art, and how women have been subjected to the gaze of others. Made with painterly precision and including what (tragically) seems to be the final ever screen performance from the brilliant Adèle Haenel, the film is simply one of the finest movies ever made, an absolute treasure trove of technique and proof of what the art form has the capability of being.
Bottoms (2023)
A followup to Emma Seligman’s high-tension, claustrophobic “Shiva Baby,” “Bottoms” sees a handful of the 2020’s hottest comedic actors come together to be unabashedly stupid (I mean this as a big compliment). The result is a hilariously chaotic homage to the teen comedy craze of the 2000s, in which a pair of lesbian losers (their words, not mine) start their own fight club to defend themselves from jocks and win over their crushes. It is a perfect sophomore project for Seligman, who has already established herself as one of her generation’s foremost comedic filmmakers. I’m also of the opinion that Kaia Gerber was robbed of a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the Academy Awards (I’m only half kidding).
All Of Us Strangers (2023)
Perhaps unintentionally, Andrew Haigh’s “All of Us Strangers” feels almost post-apocalyptic. It presents an eerie isolation that comes with not only the experience of grief but, for certain gay men who grew up in Thatcher’s England, an unescapable feeling of loneliness. Andrew Scott gives a performance that is, for my money, one of the best of the century and is supported by a terrific cast who effortlessly bring this heartbreaking story of loss to life. Be warned, this one is not for the faint of heart. It lingers.
Queer (2024)
In this fever dream of a movie, Daniel Craig wanders through the sun-soaked streets of Mexico City in search of connection. His desire is so overwhelming that the world around him becomes punishingly vivid, boasting its tangible beauty to a man whose touch is forbidden. “Outdated” technologies like day-for-night and miniature set pieces invoke a sense of the uncanny, the slightly “off.” Not only has Guadagnino established himself as one of the prominent gay filmmaking voices of the twenty-first century, but in “Queer,” he lovingly calls back to those greats who came before him, like Cocteau, Anger, and Fassbinder.
Which films have you seen from this list? Are there any LGBTQ films 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.
You can follow Eve and hear more of her thoughts on the Oscars and Film on X at @EveOnFilm
