Summary

Pride is a time to celebrate every part of who we are. Most commonly associated with parades and other big events, but those aren’t the only ways to celebrate Pride. It can be celebrated in whatever way feels most true to you, and for some that means a quiet night on the couch with media that speaks to them.

There are no shortage of films to lose yourself in, but during Pride it’s only natural to want to immerse yourself in cinema from the LGBTQ+ community. We’ve put together a list with a range of films to help youcelebrate Pride your wayand not just in June. These movies are too good to restrict to one month of the year.

The cast of D.E.B.S sit around a diner table with their commanding officer.

8D.E.B.S.

Discipline Energy Beauty Strength

D.E.B.S. is by no means a perfect movie, but it excels in an area where so many others fail - it’s actually fun to watch. An unashamedly cheesy spy romp with the absurd premise that young women in school girl outfits make the best spies, D.E.B.S. is the perfect movie to make fun of with your friends while you secretly enjoy it.

Featuring the classic enemies to lovers trope between top spy Amy and supercriminal Lucy Diamond, the film manages to be a spy flick, rom com and comedy of errors all in one. D.E.B.S. has gone on to become something of a cult classic since it’s 2004 release, and for good reason.

Two men recline on a sofa, looking into each others eyes.

7Weekend

Short But Sweet

Remember when films were consistently around 90 minutes and not three-hour marathons? If you’re longing for that time and a bittersweet sort-of love story that only spans the course of a weekend, then Weekend is the film for you.

It follows two men who have a brief love affair over a weekend, all while exploring themes of shame and acceptance. Those aren’t exactly new themes forLGBTQ+cinema, but they remain as relevant now as ever.

Two men sit together in an almost empty cinema.

6Tropical Malady

Divided And Divisive

Tropical Malady, described as a Thai romantic psychological drama art film, is divided into two parts. In the first, we see a romance between two men, and in the second we witness a bizarre tale about a soldier lost in the woods. At the 2004 Cannes press screening, many audience members left before the film finished and many of those who stayed went so far as to boo it once it was over. And yet, it won the Jury prize.

This movie splits audiences down the middle as much as it splits its themes. On release, it was harshly reviewed by critics, but is now regularly considered among the top 100 films of the century. Tropical Malady is a bizarre and hypnotic experience, one you’ll have to watch yourself to see how it lands with you.

Two women speak in a department store. One is wearing a santa hat, the other finely dressed in a fur coat.

5Carol

One Of The Greats

Carol is one of the best LGBTQ+ films ever made. Based on the semi-autobiographical book The Price Of Salt by Patricia Highsmith, it follows the love story between two women in 1950’s Manhattan, detailing their romance and the obstacles it faces.

Showered with praise and accolades, Carol is truly worth your time. It shines in every aspect and is an example of elegance in film making, elevated by the effortless performances of Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.

Two women walk arm in arm down the street, one of them sporting a black eye.

4All About My Mother

The Awards Magnet

A 1999 Spanish-language comedy drama, All About My Mother has to be seen to truly be understood. The plot is outlandish, but handled with such care that it feels real. The characters are exaggerated, but portrayed so immaculately that they remain identifiable. It examines topics like AIDS and gender identity, approaching them with both humour and sensitivity.

Relatively unknown to Western audiences, All About My Mother is one you absolutely have to watch. It picked up awards at the Oscars, BAFTA’s, Golden Globes, Cannes and many others, marking it as one of the most lauded LGBTQ+ movies ever made.

Tilda Swinton moves through a hedge maze in the movie Orlando, dressed in a ballgown and wearing an elaborate wig.

3Orlando

Tilda Swinton Is Everything

You could argue that Orlando is the highlight of Tilda Swinton’s incredible career, and you would be right to do so. In a film that explores identity, gender and the power dynamics associated with those concepts, Tilda Swinton works perfectly with director Sally Potter to create something special.

Since releasing in 1992, Orlando has become a key piece of cinema inLGBTQ+culture. Based on the novel Orlando: A Biography by Virginia Woolf, it’s a piece of media that is only getting better as it ages.

An elegant woman smokes a cigarette in the film Paris Is Burning.

2Paris Is Burning

Having A Ball

Absolutely no piece of media has had the same impact on LGBTQ+ culture as Paris Is Burning. RuPaul’s Drag Race is in the running, but much of what it does is inspired by or lifted wholesale from Paris Is Burning itself, although usually with an acknowledgment to the historic film.

Unlike almost all other celebrated LGBTQ+ films, Paris Is Burning is a documentary. It chronicles the ball culture of New York while examining issues like race, gender, sexuality and class equality. If you’ve never seen Paris Is Burning, Pride is the perfect time to do so. If you have seen Paris Is Burning, well, isn’t Pride the perfect time to revisit this cultural touchstone?

Natasha Lyonne and Clea DuVall in But I’m A Cheerleader, standing in the woods wearing entirely pink outfits. Both women look unhappy.

1But I’m A Cheerleader

You Are Who You Are

But I’m A Cheerleader revels in poking fun at the stereotypes of traditional gender and sexuality, while celebrating individuality and being true to yourself. It’s the sort of film that you could study for years and consistently find something new to geek out over and enjoy, from the deliberately oversatured colours to the diverse casting.

The film is so good that it, along with Orange Is The New Black, has made Natasha Lyonne an icon in the lesbian community, despite her not identifying as one herself. Along with co-star Clea DuVall, she tells a story of learning to accept yourself for who you are, not who everyone else tells you that you should be. That’s a message that carries just as much weight today as it did in 1999, one that truly resonates with the spirit of Pride.