Most gay people will remember when they first came to realise their sexual orientation. They may have been scared or frightened, believing life would get worse if they acted on their desires or were publicly known as LGBT.
Depictions of this in films can really help a person with their identity and with the coming out process. It’s a daunting time for anyone, but representation in movies builds character and self-esteem.
There are a number of standout LGBT films which explore key themes including love, relationships and courage.
Not every film involves rainbow flag-waving, however, as some look at the tough realities of being LGBT, even today.
There are still lots of countries where being gay is criminalised, leaving some who are forced to flee their home nation.
Even in places where it’s safer, some LGBT people still struggle with shame and stigma, and suffer family problems or mental health issues as a result. Movies, even if only touching on LGBT life, can assist in lifting this and helping LGBT people to live their lives happily.
So, what are some of the top films exploring themes around LGBT life? Here’s our lowdown of some of the must-sees this year.
The Half Of It
In this movie, Chinese American teenager Ellie (Leah Lewis) writes a letter as a favour for a boy, Paul (Daniel Diemer), who is trying to impress a girl, Aster (Alexxis Lemire).
Paul knows Ellie is good at writing, but when Ellie does so, Ellie realises she has feelings for Aster herself.
Ellie has been lonely in her life up until now, succumbing to the school bullies. However, she never realised she would develop a same-sex attraction, at least not in this way. The film explores the three of them as they navigate this love triangle.
The Half of It is available to watch on Netflix, and was released for viewing on the platform in May.
The Boys In The Band
In this film, a group of gay men gather in a New York apartment in time for a birthday party. One friend of Michael’s, Alan, tells Michael he has to speak to him immediately, so Michael invites him to the bash.
But there’s a problem for the group as Alan, played by Brian Hutchinson, doesn’t know about Michael’s sexual orientation. Michael, played by Jim Parson, has kept his homosexuality secret from him.
It later turns out that Alan has his own secrets, after allegedly being in a relationship with a boy when he was in college.
The film explores the identities of the men and how they came to be where they are in life today.
The Boys In The Band is available now to watch on Netflix. It is based on the play by Mart Crowley.
The Prom
In The Prom, a teenager Emma (Jo Ellen Pellman) wants to attend her high school prom with her girlfriend, Alyssa (Ariana DeBose).
The annual event had been cancelled after Emma made this declaration, against the wishes of many around her.
Rallying around to save the day, a group of Broadway stars come to the small Indiana town where the film is set in an attempt to let Emma and her girlfriend attend the prom.
Prom stars James Corden, Meryl Streep and Nicola Kidman, and has divided viewers on social media. Still worth a watch, though. It’s available on Netflix.
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Your Name Engraved Herein
In this movie, on the cusp of graduating, A-han (Edward Chen), speaks to the priest at his school, Father Oliver (Fabio Grangeon). He is the only person A-han can trust with his secrets.
The film then goes back to when A-han met Birdy (Jing-Hua Teng). Birdy isn’t so worried about keeping his sexuality a secret and the pair cause some trouble.
In later scenes, Birdy gets a girlfriend, Banban (Mimi Shao), and there are suggestions that A-han should get one too. But A-han doesn’t want a girlfriend, so he declines.
Your Name Engraved Herein is available to watch on Netflix now, and has been on the platform since 2020.
The film explores homophobia, the pressures of families and social discrimination. It is also one of Taiwan’s most popular LGBT films, so worth a watch.
Supernova
Supernova follows the life of partners Sam (Colin Firth) and Tusker (Stanley Tucci) as the latter develops dementia.
The pair travel across England in a camper van, visiting friends and family members. They live happily, until their relationship becomes tested when they start revealing their secret plans.
Supernova can be seen in cinemas from Friday, July 9, 2021. This one’s definitely worth a watch over the summer.
