No matter if you’re celebrating annual Pride Month or generally seeking out more LGBTQ+ movies, queer representation in television and cinema is a prime avenue toward greater cultural inclusivity of the LGBTQ+ community. Over the past few decades—but especially recently—a slew of excellent LGBTQ+ movie titles have debuted both in theaters and on streaming platforms, making it easier than ever to access them.
Check out our latest list of the best LGBTQ+ movies where gay themes and pride shows up. Here’s the inclusive list that you can stream right now.
‘Will and Harper’ (2024)
When Will Ferrell learns that his longtime friend, Harper Steele, is transitioning to live as a trans woman, they choose to take a cross-country road trip together. This journey allows them to explore and understand their evolving friendship while navigating this significant change in Harper’s life.
Movie Details
Genre(s): Documentary
Length: 114 minutes
Rated: R
‘Queer’ (2024)
“Queer” is inspired by Burroughs’ autobiographical work and features Daniel Craig as an American who becomes deeply infatuated with a younger man in 1950s Mexico City. Lee, an introspective American, becomes enamored with a captivating and mysterious former soldier. As they venture together into the jungle, Lee experiences the potential for a profound and everlasting love for the first time.
Movie Details
Genre(s): Drama
Length: 135 minutes
Rated: R
‘Love Lies Bleeding’ (2024)
Lou (Kristen Stewart) is a solitary gym manager who becomes infatuated with Jackie (Katie M. O’Brien), an aspiring bodybuilder determined to chase her dreams in Las Vegas. However, their romance takes a dark turn as they find themselves ensnared in the dangerous world of Lou’s criminal family.
Movie Details
Genre(s): Action, Romance, Thriller, Drama
Length: 104 minutes
Rated: R
‘Bessie’ (2015)
With Queen Latifah starring as Bessie Smith, this film features queer, black womanhood through a musical lens. It depicts the talented blues singer and her rise to fame and legend status in the 1920s. Stream Bessie today.
Movie Details
Genre(s): Drama, Music, Biography, Docudrama
Length: 115 minutes
Rated: NR
This remake of the outlandish French classic La Cage aux Folles tells the story of an engaged couple in Miami (Val Goldman and Barbara Keeley). When they introduce their to-be in-laws to one another, Val’s father, Armand—the gay owner of The Birdcage drag club played by Robin Williams—pretends to be heterosexual, concealing his relationship with his life partner. This is all in an attempt to please Barbara’s father, who is a conservative Republican senator. Watch The Birdcage now.
Movie Details
Genre: Comedy
Length: 119 minutes
Rated: R
‘But I’m a Cheerleader’ (1999)
A cult classic among LGBTQ+ movies, But I’m a Cheerleader is set at a gay conversion camp for teens and a dramatization of teens coming to terms with their sexualities. The protagonist, Megan (played by Natasha Lyonne), is on the surface an average American girl who excels in school and cheerleading. She even has an attractive boyfriend on the football team who is shocked to learn her parents are convinced she is gay, then send her to a boot camp intended to alter her sexual orientation. When Megan is there, she catches feelings for an unabashed teen lesbian and begins to work through feelings about her sexuality.
Movie Details
Genre(s): Drama, Romance, Comedy
Length: 81 minutes
Rated: R
‘Shiva Baby’ (2020)
A directionless college student finds herself at a nightmarish shiva, featuring her parents, her ex-girlfriend, and her lover…as well as his wife and baby. It’s a dark comedy that will have you cringing and laughing in equal measure.
Movie Details
Genre(s): Comedy
Length: 78 minutes
Rated: NR
‘The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson’ (2017)
Directed by David France, another one of our recommended pride movies is The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson, in which Victoria Cruz investigates the mysterious death of a black gay rights activist and Stonewall veteran in 1992. The film features interviews from the archives with Johnson herself, along with new interviews with the victim’s friends, family and peer activists.
Movie Details
Genre: Documentary
Length: 105 minutes
Rated: TV-MA
‘I Am Jonas’ (2018)
I Am Jonas is a narrative journey that continuously switches between the present and the past: back in 1995 when Jonas was a teenager, then nearly two decades later when he’s in his 30s seeking a sense of balance. This French, queer, coming-of-age movie depicts two different moments of Jonas’s life as they intertwine and mirror each other.
Movie Details
Genre(s): Drama, Romance
Length: 82 minutes
Rated: TV-MA
‘Fire Island’ (2022)
A close-knit circle of queer best friends reunites in Fire Island Pines for their beloved annual celebration filled with revelry and joy. However, an unexpected twist threatens to turn this summer into their final adventure in this cherished paradise. The laughter never ceases as the bonds of chosen family are tested and romance inevitably flourishes.
Movie Details
Genre(s): Comedy
Length: 105 minutes
Rated: R
One of the most popular and best LGBTQ+ movies of the past decade, Moonlight follows the protagonist Chiron through three core chapters of his life. A young black man who grows up poor and gay in Miami, FL, Chiron is shown during vulnerable and powerful moments along the path to manhood—through love and loss alike. The film delves into themes of black queerness, toxic masculinity and more, all bolstered by consistently captivating character development. It even earned an Academy Award for Best Picture during the 2017 ceremony.
Movie Details
Genre(s): Drama, Romance
Length: 111 minutes
Rated: R
‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ (2019)
When a talented visual artist travels to a distant island to paint a young aristocrat’s wedding portrait, the women both feel undeniable romantic chemistry. Their love story is artistically symbolized throughout, playing out through the act of painting rather than overt acts of affection. Directed by Céline Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a mesmerizing and moving tale of forbidden love.
Movie Details
Genre(s): Drama, Romance, History
Length: 120 minutes
Rated: R
After being incarcerated and discovering her lover was unfaithful, a transgender sex worker seeks revenge on him alongside her best friend. The comedy-drama film has been critically acclaimed for its performances, cinematography and portrayal of transgender people. (Not to mention, Tangerine was shot solely with iPhone 5S smartphones!)
Movie Details
Genre(s): Comedy, Drama
Length: 88 minutes
Rated: R
Stream new and classic LGBTQ+ movies—all on DIRECTV.
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