It’s pride month and even though we may have had to skip the parades and marches, we can still celebrate by making sure we keep investing our time and resources into self-education and giving our full support to the LGBTQ+ communities. While partying is all good fun, LGBTQ+ culture should be shown good vibes and support year-round. Whether you are a part of the culture yourself or you just want to be a better ally, here are the movies that are making our list as we celebrate pride month…
Moonlight
The story of a young black man coming of age follows our protagonist through three stages of his life. Moonlight deals with a glut of complicated themes; sexuality, masculinity, survival, and deprivation being just a few of them. There’s almost too much to say about this film and it’s tricky to summarize in a few sentences. It’s a visceral portrait, beautifully done, and deserved all the awards and more.
Tangerine
While Tangerine has been served up some just criticism, it's on our list as a film that doesn’t solely focus on the transition stage of the trans experience (like many movies). Tangerine is a micro-budget comedy that follows Sin-Dee and Alexandra around the streets of LA as they delve deep into various subcultures trying to find out if Sin-Dee’s boyfriend has been cheating on her. Bittersweet and touted as brash and brave, rather than picking downbeat depictions these themes often love, it serves the story up in perfect pop culture fashion.
Pride
Based on the amazing true story and with a stellar cast, Pride retells the tale of a group of lesbian and gay activists in 1984 who turn up to support the mining strike. Initially turned away by the union, the gang head out to a tiny Welsh village to make their donation. It’s bright, funny, perky and doesn’t shy away from being uplifting but that doesn’t mean it keeps you away from taking stock of the battles that have been fought (and continue to be fought), showing that we are strongest when we stand together.
The Death and Life of Marsha B Johnson
She who was said to have thrown the first brick at the Stonewall Riots and who later was declared dead by suicide. This intimate documentary takes a sober dive into the ongoing quest for equality and human rights by using an investigation into the activist's death as a platform. It delivers the harsh and searing truth of what trans people have been fighting for. Emotional and educational, it’s a must for anyone who wants to brush up on their LGBTQ+ history.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
A cult classic, Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a singing sensation dressed in camp glam costumes. The film centers around Hedwig Robinson, an East German glam rocker who, after a bad sex operation, is left with an ‘angry inch’. While it’s celebrated for the costumes and the songs, at the heart of it, it’s a film about individualism, the expression of self, and making something beautiful out of life.
Which LGBTQ+ plus films have we missed from our list? Share your thoughts and faves in the comments.
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