LGBTQIA+ films to watch this Pride Month

Cinema plays an instrumental role in influencing the way people think. Over time, world cinema has represented the LGBTQIA+ community in the mainstream and normalised conversation around the community, representing them with much fervour and authenticity. Such films have helped create awareness and change perceptions. Even the portrayal of gay characters has come a long way—they are no longer just looked at through the lens of their sexuality but are shown as doting parents, lovers, great achievers and so on.  

So this Pride Month, in addition to attending Pride events in your city, watch a host of movies and shows that will not only educate, but celebrate them for what and who they are.

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

The hype ahead of the release of this film wasn’t for nothing; after all, Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal starred in this absolutely beautiful film. Ledger and Gyllenhaal play Ennis and Jack, sheep herders who tend to pastures on Brokeback Mountain together and become lovers after a night of heavy drinking. Though Ennis marries his longtime sweetheart, Alma (Michelle Williams), and Jack marries a fellow rodeo rider (Anne Hathaway), the two men keep their sporadic affair for over 20 years.

Streaming on: Netflix 

Moonlight (2016)

In this movie, we see the delicate portrayal of Chiron, a man in Miami, who faces difficulty with his sexuality and identity. The movie takes us through three chapters of his life—his childhood where he’s abused and bullied, his days as a teenager where he’s arrested, and finally as a man where he deals with the experiences from the past. The picture is the perfect depiction of what it takes for a man of colour to grow up in America with prevalent racism and repression. The movie will surely leave a lump in your throat. Ashton Sanders and Trevante Rhodes star as Chiron, with Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, Jharrel Jerome, and André Holland playing commendable supporting roles.

Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video 

Call Me By Your Name (2017) 

This is unlike any movie on a teenage romance that you’ve seen before. It’s the summer of 1983 and we see 17-year-old Elio Perlman spend time with his family at their 17th-century villa in Lombardy, Italy. He soon meets Oliver, a handsome doctoral student who's interning for Elio's father. It’s a splendid summer for the two boys as they develop a desire and longing for each other that will alter their lives forever. While we do not get the happy ending that we wish for in the film, it’s a fitting conclusion that shows how desire can be as destructive as it is delightful. 

Streaming on: Netflix

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

This movie about an artist has many layers, much like the paintings she makes. Set at the end of the 18th century, the movie is about the creations made by Marianne (Noémie Merlant) of her subject, Héloïse (Adèle Haenel). She is told by Héloïse's mother to paint a portrait of her daughter to send to a prospective husband in Milan. Things aren’t that easy as the muse refuses to be painted for she doesn’t want to get married. Over time, a deep bond fosters between the two and it soon turns romantic. Despite being set in a different era, the film shows the difficulties faced by queer lovers. 

Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video

Aligarh (2016)

The movie is based on the life of Ramchandra Siras (Manoj Bajpai), the chairman of the Department of Modern Indian Languages at Aligarh Muslim University. Siras is only six months from his retirement when people who want to oust him do a sting operation and reveal his sexual orientation to the world. He is shamed by everyone. A young professor (Rajkummar Rao) comes to his aid and gets details about the plot against the professor. Soon, people ask for justice for Siras, and his lawyer fights on the grounds of the decriminalisation of section 377 of Indian law which held homosexuality as a criminal offense. Siras wins, but, unfortunately, passes away a day before the university receives the letter to reinstate his job and his position. It’s a thought-provoking film, an eye-opener for those who see homosexuality as a crime. 

Streaming on: MX Player, ZEE5, and Amazon Prime Video

Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui

The story revolves around Manu (Ayushmann Khurrana), a bodybuilder from Chandigarh, who falls in love with Maanvi, (Vaani Kapoor) a Zumba teacher. Everything seems to be going absolutely fine until Manu discovers that Maanvi is a transsexual. He decides to end the relationship, only to later realise his mistake. The film handles the hard-hitting reality of the subject with a lot of sensitivity and maturity. One of the major reasons why the film hits the right notes is because it entertains and addresses the subject with sensitivity. 

Streaming now: Netflix

Badhaai Do

Badhaai Do is a romantic comedy revolving around two queer people—Sumi (Bhumi Pednekar) and Shardul (Rajkummar Rao). The duo enters a lavender marriage to keep their respective families happy and to remain heterosexual in the eyes of society. However, the families eventually discover the truth, and a series of emotional scenes follow. The film effortlessly talks about the importance of freedom to love, while unravelling people’s conservative attitude towards the LGBTQ community.

Streaming on: Netflix