It’s a wonderfully abundant time for queer stories. Never before have we seen so much representation across the small and big screen, with shows such as the Sarah Paulson and Cynthia Nixon-starring Ratched racking up huge audiences across the globe. Teen romcom The Half of It explored young love from the perspective of a gay Asian female, while No Ordinary Man is a moving documentary about the transgender jazz musician Billy Tipton.
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As we enter the final part of 2020, a challenging year for the film industry to say the least, we look ahead to a wealth of new movies set to enter cinemas and hit streaming services over the next two months. From the resilient Cuban documentary Transformistas to potential blockbuster lesbian love story Ammonite, here are seven stunning new queer films coming to a screen near you soon.
Read more: 7 Thoroughly Enjoyable Romantic Movies On Netflix To Watch Now
‘I Am Samuel’
This 70-minute documentary from filmmaker Peter Murimi is a stirring yet ultimately uplifting examination of one man’s experience of being gay in Kenya today. The film’s protagonists, netball coach and construction worker Samuel, and his partner Alex, have been together for more than a year. The country is not liberal regarding homosexuality — section 162 of the Penal Code states it is a felony liable for imprisonment of up to 14 years — and both Sam and Alex’s families reject them when they come out.
Yet, they continue on; a rainbow flag hangs on the wall behind them as they discuss the horrific gay bashing of their flatmate. This quiet defiance in the face of both physical and emotional violence perfectly sums up how the couple navigate life. Ending on a quiet positive, there’s hope that things may improve for both Sam and Alex and, who knows, all queer Kenyans.
‘Cicada’
An intimate portrayal of two young men falling in love. Ben (Matthew Fifer) is bisexual and enjoying, or possibly enduring, an active sex-life fuelled by impulse and alcohol. One day, while book browsing in Brooklyn, New York, he meets the gentle, shy Sam (Sheldon D Brown) and suddenly the pace shifts. Sam refuses to rush into bed and instead they eat food, go for walks and talk about their lives.
