Before you sneer away at the sight of another Pride Month listicle, let me make this clear: this is an evergreen story, worth consulting any time of the year whenever you feel you need a good flick to watch.
If for some reason, you want something everyone knows, something your friends have been telling you to watch for years now but you still haven’t seen, we also have that list from two years ago (see, evergreen content gaming is strong here): These 10 films will introduce you to queer cinema
I don’t know about you, you might know some of these movies on the list, but these entries are rounded up from queer co-workers (who may or may have not seen it themselves), friends who are in film school, or friends of friends who know a shit ton about these things, so you know these are good recommendations.
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, may I divert your attention to these criminally underrated movies, foreign and local, contemporary and near-classic status that you may have not heard of but totally deserves some recognition, Pride Month or not.
Call Her Ganda (2018)
Directed by PJ Raval
The documentary follows the story of Jennifer Laude, a transgender Filipino woman murdered by a US Marine.
Mga Gabing Kasing Haba ng Hair Ko (2017)
Directed by Gerardo Calagui
Three transgender protagonists struggle to earn a living while dealing with their personal issues.
Bixa Travesty (Tranny Fag) (2018)
Directed by Claudia Priscilla and Kiko Goifman
Set in São Paulo, this documentary is centered on Mc Linn Da Quebrada, a black trans woman, performer and activist, and her performances set against the locale’s culture of machismo.
Silence Is a Falling Body (2017)
Directed by Augustina Comedi
This film’s director comes to terms with her father’s secret past as a gay man through the videos he’s made.
Portraits of the Rainbow (2018)
Directed by Ayumi Nakagawa
This is Nakagawa’s touching portrait of five LGBTQIA+ characters each with their own struggles living in a society with a backward outlook on queer people.
Gerontophilia (2013)
Directed by Bruce LaBruce
Its young protagonist nurses his attraction to older men while working in a home for the elderly.
Spa Night (2016)
Directed by Andrew Ahn
Forced to work at a spa to help his parents, a Korean-American teenager questions his own sexuality upon finding out the dark secrets of his workplace.
G.B.F. (2013)
Directed by Darren Stein
This comedy borrows from the Mean Girls storyline, with a gay protagonist wanting to be part of the It girls clique but ultimately ending up outing his close friend.
Prayers for Bobby (2009)
Directed by Russell Mulcahy
Based on a true story, this drama revolves around the life of a mother and her son, whom she’s at odds about in terms of his sexuality.
Blue (1993)
Directed by Derek Jarman
An autobiography slash confessional by the filmmaker, Jarman himself, about his battle against AIDS set against a blue backdrop.
Tangerine (2015)
Directed by Sean Baker
Two transgender sex workers set out to find the other’s cheating boyfriend to teach him a lesson in this comedy-drama.
Tomboy (2011)
Directed by Céline Sciamma
This French drama tackles sexual ambiguity and expression through the perspective of a young protagonist, a girl named Laure/Mikael.
Special thanks to Max Canlas
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