35 LGBTQIA+-themed movies you need to watch

LGBTQIA+-themed films are increasingly gaining space in the cinematographic environment, giving rise to representation and respect for all groups of people that these films cover, therefore having a fundamental importance in cinema.

To stay on top of the best that LGBTQIA+ movies have to offer, check out some great suggestions below. It has something for all tastes: from classics that revolutionized past decades to the most recent and super interesting.

1. Today I Want to Go Back Alone (2014)

The Brazilian film portrays the life of Leonardo, a blind teenager who seeks his independence with the support of his best friend, Giovana. Together, they face the daily life of the school. Until one day Gabriel appears, a new student who gets closer to Leonardo every day, arousing confused feelings in the boy.

2. Brokeback Mountain’s Secret (2005)

Critically acclaimed and winner of 3 Oscars, the narrative tells the story of Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar, who work together taking care of sheep in Brokeback Mountain, an isolated place surrounded by nature that favors the proximity of the two. But soon the sheep care season is over and they are forced to go their separate ways, facing the consequences.

3. Tomboy (2011)

Directed by Céline Sciamma, the feature shows Laure, a ten-year-old girl who keeps moving houses due to her father’s work. Until, in the new town they arrive in, Laure approaches a group of local kids, introducing herself as Mikael and becoming increasingly attached to her friends, which makes it difficult to tell the truth about her real name.

4. Imaginary Loves (2010)

Francis and Marie are best friends. But their lives change course when they meet Nicolas, a boy who catches everyone’s attention for his beauty and charm. The three start to go out together and become inseparable and, with that, turbulences of feelings developed within the trio appear.

5. Verses of A Crime (2013)

The plot takes place in the 1950s scenario, when Allen Ginsberg, Lucien Carr and Jack Kerouac start walking together, forming a group of members of the Beat generation. Their lives are transformed when the boys are accused of murder, which makes them re-evaluate their relationship.

6. The Danish Girl (2015)

Based on the true story of Einar Mogens Wegener, the first person to undergo sex reassignment surgery. The film focuses on the character’s story of discovering her true identity and the subsequent problems of that in a conservative 20th century society. You can watch it on Netflix.

7. Carol (2015)

In the 1950s, the film stars Rooney Mara in the role of Therese Belivet, a shopkeeper who dreams of glamorous life in New York. This only intensifies when she meets Carol Aird, a married woman who possesses the gift of seduction. Therese catches her eye and the two begin to become intensely involved.

8. Bent (1997)

The story takes place in the context of World War II, where Max, who is homosexual, is held back by the Nazi government and taken to a concentration camp. As a form of protection, he identifies as a Jew rather than a homosexual. But when all seems lost, Max is joined by Horts, an openly gay prisoner.

9. Princess Cyd (2017)

Eager to get away from her depressed father, 16-year-old athlete Cyd Loughlin decides to take her summer vacation to visit her aunt in Chicago. There, she falls in love with a girl from the neighborhood, something that makes her reevaluate her perspectives on life and love.

10. Tom On The Farm (2013)

Sublime and agonizing, the film introduces us to Tom, a young man mourning the recent death of his boyfriend. In view of this, he decides to go visit his partner’s family. Upon being received at the family’s farm, Tom realizes that the mother did not know about her son’s sexuality, something that becomes conflicting.

11. XXY (2007)

Born with both male and female sexual characteristics, Alex is a child who suffers constant persecution from doctors, who insist on wanting to correct his sexual ambiguity. Disagreeing with the surgery, Alex’s parents decide to move the family to a more remote place. Years later, everything changes when the parents welcome two friends into their home and, with them, their teenage son, who becomes Alex’s attraction.

12. Moonlight: Under the Moonlight (2016)

Oscar winner for best picture, Moonlight tells the story of Black, from childhood to adulthood. The boy faces a journey of self-knowledge amid the world of drugs and violence in Miami, but at the same time, brings reflections on homosexuality. The play of colors and photography are spectacles apart.

13. Pariah (2011)

The direction is by Dee Rees, a black and lesbian woman who portrays the reality of Alike, a girl in conflict with her sexual identity and self-esteem. The girl hides her sexuality from the family to avoid being a source of disappointment to her parents and must face her path of acceptance on her own.

14. Call Me By Your Name (2017)

Elio is a young man who loves to read and play the piano in the quiet village where he lives, in Italy. His family rhythm is dictated by the calm of the place where they live. But that dynamic changes when Oliver, a teacher, comes to live in the house with them temporarily to help Elio’s father with his studies. Oliver’s presence moves the boy and makes him discover new feelings.

15. Monster: Killer Desire (2003)

Based on the story of the well-known serial killer Aileen Wuornos, the film deals with aspects of a woman’s life. The narrative shows everything from her involvement with Selby Wall, for whom Aileen develops romantic feelings, to the crimes she starts to commit after another night in the midst of prostitution.

16. Saturday Church (2017)

Saturday Church, over the course of an hour and a half, describes the life of Ulysses, a young black man who struggles with issues of gender and religion. Until one day he is introduced to the world of fantasies and musicals to distract himself from the harsh reality and ends up discovering his true identity.

17. Those People (2015)

Glamorous, Those People is also available on Netflix. It’s a romantic drama about Charlie, a young man torn between his attractive and manipulative best friend, who lives a life of luxury, and a foreign pianist who subtly wins his heart.

18. Disobedience (2018)

Ronit needs to return to his hometown after the death of his father. On her return, she is reunited with Esti Kuperman, her childhood best friend for whom she has a crush. However, the friend is married to Ronit’s cousin, facing doubts about her marriage and her relationship with her friend.

19. Rare Flowers (2013)

Set in 1950s Rio de Janeiro, the film tells the story of the relationship between American poet Elizabeth Bishop and Brazilian architect Lota de Macedo Soares. Elizabeth reaches the peak of her career in Brazil, but she has fears about her relationship with the architect. So you don’t miss this film, watch it through the Netflix catalog.

20. Nobody’s Perfect (1999)

Fun and dramatic at the same time, Nobody’s Perfect portrays the personal struggles of Walter Joontz, a conservative who, one day, suffers partial body paralysis when he is beaten while trying to help his neighbors. Looking to improve his speaking skills, Walter seeks the help of Rusty, a drag queen singer, having to put aside his prejudices to overcome difficulties.

21. Boys (2014)

Sieger is a 15-year-old athlete who has an intensive training routine. Everyday life changes when a new boy joins the team and starts training alongside Sieger. The two become great friends and the friendship opens space for the development of a deeper relationship. The film is available on Netflix.

22. Bad Girl (2016)

Rebel, Amy is a 17-year-old girl who grows closer and closer to Chloe, a neighborhood girl who is seen as a good influence by Amy’s parents. However, the drama intensifies when Amy discovers Chloe’s secret, conflicting with herself for her life and the future of her family.

23. Tangerine (2015)

In the cruel streets of Los Angeles, Sin-Dee and Alexandra roam the urban scene seeking revenge on one of their treasonous, pimping boyfriend and his lover.

24. Freefall (2013)

Marc Borgmann is a happy cop with his quiet life with his girlfriend and friends. A new member of the police, Kay Engel, shows up to practice running alongside Marc, catching the boy’s attention. With the coexistence, the two end up getting involved and Mark is between living next to his pregnant girlfriend or spending more time with Kay.

25. Laurence Anyways (2012)

Laurence, a transgender woman, decides, at the age of 30, to reveal to her girlfriend, Fred, her decision to make the transition. Together, they face barriers to be accepted in the midst of a prejudiced society, having to keep fighting side by side in search of love and happiness.

26. 120 Beats Per Minute (2017)

In France in the 1990s, the activist group Act Up intensifies its efforts to make society aware of the importance of preventing and treating AIDS. Nathan, a new member of the collective, is impressed by Act Up’s dedication and especially by Sean, one of the group’s participants who faces serious health problems.

27. My Name Is Ray (2015)

In a catalog on Netflix, the feature focuses on Ray, a transsexual teenager who decides to start hormone transition treatment. His mother Maggie begins a search for Ray’s father to get him to sign the legal consent for the move. Ray’s grandmother, an elderly lesbian, finds it difficult to accept the transition.

28. Soul Mates (1994)

Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme meet at school and instantly become inseparable friends. United, they dreamed of fantasies of an imaginary world, forgetting about reality, ignoring other people. In contradiction to this, their families worry about the approach of the two and the consequences of their inventions.

29. The Monster in the Closet (2016)

Oscar is a creative and impulsive teenager who wants to escape his hometown and, with it, leave his childhood memories behind. But, suddenly, an inexplicable event changes his life trajectory and makes him open his eyes to who he really is.

30. Electric Body (2017)

Directed by Marcelo Caetano, a 34-year-old Brazilian, the film is inspired by the poem “Eu Canto o Corpo Elétrico”, by Walt Whitman. In it, Elias dreams of the sea, even more so as summer approaches. However, the responsibilities in your work increase as the year comes to an end. It’s on one of those extra shifts that the boy decides to hang out with his co-workers after hours and discover a whole new world.

31. Looping (2016)

A German production by Leonie Krippendorff, the feature chronicles the relationship between three women of different ages, Leila, Ann and Frenja, who have a special bond. They find themselves in a psychiatric clinic and, from there, their stories unfold during the plot.

32. Paris Is Burning (1990)

A classic, award-winning and…