[Reader disclaimer: spoilers will be discussed. This piece also contains material of a sensitive nature].
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| Moonlight (2016) |
If you're part of the LGBTQ+ community, then I'm sure you've heard the phrase 'baby gay' tossed around in conversation. And for those unfamiliar with the term, a 'baby gay' simply refers to a person of queer association whom is fresh out of the closet, ready to experience all parts of LGBTQ+ culture.
As a queer person myself, I had my baby gay phase. I attended my first Pride in 2012, spent hours in online safe spaces and, of course, watched a lot of gay films; queer cinema (in my opinion) is one of the best ways to initially immerse yourself in the culture. For lots of kids growing up in conservative households or strictly heteronormative environments, queer cinema not only provides representation but also a form of escapism for those unable to come out safely.
When I began to live my life authentically, I didn't have anyone to teach me. So I hope this piece can be the essential guide for people, like me, who aren't sure where to start.
Gender
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| Orlando (1992) |
Originally a novel by the iconic Virginia Woolf (a bisexual, feminist, pioneer of writing), Orlando follows a nobleman from the 16th century who remains young forever, experiencing various different forms of love and gender. Orlando (played by the androgynous Tilda Swinton) begins the film as a man but transforms into a woman as they enter the 18th century: this film brilliantly illustrates the duality of the sexes but celebrates a blend of androgyny, queer presentation and defying gender norms.
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| The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) |
One of the most iconic musicals in history, The Rocky Horror Picture Show encompasses comedy, lust and horror in the most fabulously camp manner. It is known best for leading man Tim Curry, who plays a cross-dresser from another world (referred to in the film as a "sweet transvestite"): Curry's outfits, consisted of garters, glitter and drag-esque makeup, which consequently paved the way for gender experimentation in the late 70s for a lot of young, queer fans.
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| A Fantastic Woman (2017) |
The most modern film on this list, A Fantastic Woman is an important watch for anyone, regardless of whether you're within the LGBTQ+ community or not. The film depicts the hardships of protagonist Marina (played by Daniela Vega), who experiences assaults, threats and discrimination for being a trans woman. Although it is undoubtedly hard to watch, it's vital for people to see that this is unfortunately the reality for a lot of trans women, but the upside is that not only does this film celebrate being who you are but Marina is played by Vega who is a trans woman in real life as well.
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| Soldier's Girl (2003) |
Whilst I'm usually against films that cast cis actors to portray trans people (you can read my post that goes into further detail on this here), I make an exception for Soldier's Girl because it's a biopic wherein the cis actor, Lee Pace (who plays trans woman Calpernia Addams) worked closely with the real-life individual in order to play her respectfully and realistically. This film features a trans woman but it's more-so focused on her boyfriend, who was sadly murdered for being in love with her. Despite the tragic ending, Soldier's Girl is worth watching in that it shows that love knows no bounds and that relationships between cis and trans individuals should not be execrated as dangerous and/or unnatural.
Sexuality
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| Blue is the Warmest Colour (2013) |
The unfortunate context to Blue is the Warmest Colour is that the lead actresses were not treated very well at all, and that should be acknowledged, but it still remains an important staple of queer cinema because it illustrates a realistic, turbulent relationship between two women.
Very often in the media, lesbian relationships are fetishized (mainly for male voyeurism), so this film is refreshing in that it's a relationship just like any other and realistically portrays the experience (not everybody's experience, mind you) of coming out, of not being accepted by friends and ultimately facing a harsher judgement from society for living as your authentic self.
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| Brokeback Mountain (2005) |
It may not have won Best Picture at the 78th Academy awards but Brokeback Mountain is arguably one of the most influential films within queer cinema. It showcases two rangers (played Jake Gyllenhaal and the late Heath Ledger) who start a whirlwind romance, despite their heteronormative lifestyles and personal differences. Although the narrative ends in heartbreak, it is definitely one to watch, if not for the phenomenal acting then for the realistic portrayal of toxic masculinity, struggles with bisexuality and the era-appropriate attitude towards same-sex couples.
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| Carol (2015) |
Carol is regarded as one of the best lesbian films period, as it delves into the complicated nature of divorce, femininity as well as the trials and tribulations of one coming to terms with their sexuality. What's wonderful about this period piece is that, contextually, lesbianism would've been incredibly taboo: it is refreshing, then, to see Carol (Cate Blanchett) accept herself at the end of the film and be unapologetically herself.
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| Interview with the Vampire (1994) |
Anne Rice's novella series (The Vampire Chronicles) consists of 13 books, two of which were adapted to film. The first one was made for cinema in 1994, depicting vampires Louis (Brad Pitt) and Lestat (Tom Cruise) spending decades as "companions". Although it is never explicitly said in the film adaptation, the queer connotations certainly shine through as they would've in the book, and this broody, gothic couple are beautiful to watch.
Further watching/historical context
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| Paris is Burning (1990) |
Fans of RuPaul's Drag Race may be familiar with the terms "sashay, shantay", "touch all of this skin" and "serving face", but what you might be unaware of is that these are sayings that RuPaul use in honour of the vogueing scene of New York City, captured in the 90s documentary Paris is Burning. I personally believe this is a must-see for a lot of people, as the political climate of drag and cis-queer spaces has been strife with a lot of transphobia in recent years, which is unbelievable when you consider that the art of drag was co-founded by trans women.
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| The Celluloid Closet (1995) |
Lastly is (perhaps an outdated) documentary on queer cinema itself, starting from all the way back at the birth of film. The documentary features exclusive interviews with both queer people and allies, as well as clips from films historically known for their atrocious representation and/or their accurate depiction of queer identities. A more recent documentary to watch would also be Disclosure (2020), released last year on Netflix: however, it's important to see where we've come from and how far we've got to go, so I'd highly recommend also adding The Celluloid Closet to your watchlist.
- K
