The month of June, famously known for celebrating the queer community or Pride Month, is often the best time to rewatch your favorite queer movies, such as Call Me by Your Name, and Red, White, & Royal Blue. But maybe it’s time to switch it up with films that showcase pride in ways you couldn’t imagine.
Each film varies vastly from each other, spreading across the spectrum, tackling each story in its own creative way—showcasing the struggles that the LGBTQ+ members experience from society and themselves. If you’re looking to spend the last week of Pride month with a movie marathon, then this one is for you.
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Looping
A German film that follows Leila (Jella Haase), Ann (Marie-Lou Sellem), and Frenja (Lana Cooper), three women in different stages of life who are strangers to each other and all suffer mentally—leading them to meet in a psychiatric ward as roommates. Their goal is to leave the facility with healed hearts and minds, but what happens if they start enjoying the journey too much with each other, completely forgetting about the life they left behind?
Looping is a film that doesn’t amplify the complicated sexual relationship between the three girls. It focuses on their mental health disorders, traumas, and recovery—integrating queer themes seamlessly into the film's narrative
If you’re ready to unpack mental health issues, this beautifully made movie is available on both Amazon Prime Video and Apple iTunes.
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Breakfast on Pluto
Set around the late 1960s during the serious times of the Irish Troubles, we see the journey of Patrick “Kitten” Braden (Cillian Murphy), an unserious transwoman orphan, in search for her mother who left her behind. With political issues circling around, Kitten finds herself tangled with multiple occurrences that bring in the thriller element of the film.
With a soundtrack that could make your feet move and your head bop, its contrasts with serious topics being shown, such as abortion, bombings, and the death of loved ones, bringing the storytelling to a different level. Breakfast on Pluto is a movie that depicts a transwoman who is completely confident and assure of herself, but is also in need of her mother’s love.
To follow Kitten on her journey to meet her mother, you can watch the film on Amazon Prime.
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Pariah
Pariah is one of the emotionally heavy movies on this list. It focuses on Alike (Adepero Oduye), a teenage lesbian who’s sure of her sexuality but is confused on how she can openly express it, having to hide her sexuality from her parents while making it known to everyone in her social circle and exploring the themes of love for the first time. Struggling with internal disputes at home, she also faces challenges in balancing both her platonic and romantic relationships.
This film shows the pain and suffering of a girl going through her first heartbreak whilst dealing with a home that represses her true identity. Acceptance was never a concept that her religious mother understood, leaving Alike to choose to break free.
Watch “Pariah” on Amazon Prime Video and Hulu—make it known to her that she’s not alone.
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Hedwig and the Angry Inch
A musical where we find out more about the main character, Hedwig (John Cameron Mitchell), a German immigrant who is a victim of a botched sex-change operation, through his songs when he performs them on tour. Unlike the other main characters, although Hedwig appears to be a strong persona on stage, behind the scenes, he craves another half to complete his broken resolve.
Being used and left behind was the occurring pattern that Hedwig had with his past lovers—a character who loves with all of his heart. Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a movie that shows Hedwig losing his true love, but finds his resolve to be his own “other half.”
Sing along with Hedwig and the Angry Inch on Apple TV.
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Ned’s Project
Becoming a Mother is not only for cis women, but for all. It chooses no gender or sexuality, and Ned’s Project does a great job in showcasing this. The film follows Ned (Angeli Bayani), a lesbian tattoo artist in the Philippines who has always wanted to have her own child.
With perseverance and eagerness to conceive, Ned sets out to try all the ways she could to achieve her goal—resulting in joining a provincial competition with a cash prize enough to help her fund her insemination. Amidst her own project, she ends up meeting a special someone who makes her start believing in true love once again.
What are you waiting for? Support the Filipino queer community by watching “Ned’s Project” on Cignal Play.
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Desert Hearts
Two powerful women who are of different caliber, teaching each other what love is, against forces that pull them away from each other. Vivian (Helen Shaver), a professor in New York, meets Cay (Patricia Charbonneau), a spirited woman in the Nevada Desert, while divorcing her husband—wanting to break free from a calculated love in hopes of finding a genuine and wild one.
Desert Hearts is a film that will make you root for the main characters. It’s an easy watch that will make you swoon at the sight of their loving eyes. Although their complicated relationship is hindered by the disapproving opinions of those around them, Cay helps Vivian navigate through this new but right change.
Embark on a sweet country love with Vivian and Cay on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.
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The Wedding Banquet
If messy is what you’re into, then The Wedding Banquet is for you. The movie follows a gay couple, Simon (Mitchell Lichtenstein) and Wai-Tung (Winston Chang), who reside in New York City. They ask Wei-Wei (May Chin) to fake date Wai-Tung to please his parents, who are coming over for the big (fake) wedding banquet.
The film is filled with comedic bits that will make you laugh, but stressful moments where you realize the deception has gone too far. It showcases both sides of parents accepting their child and hopeful wishes for the “phase” to end. A couple of lies may result in green cards and two lines.
If you’re up for a queer romcom movie, watch “The Wedding Banquet” on Amazon Prime Video.
Queer films aren’t just about finding romantic love, most of these movies show the value of self-identity, friendship, autonomy, and self-efficacy. With various movies and unique characters peaking through and reaching into our hearts—they leave the audience a lasting reminder to embrace self-love.
