LGBTQ+ filmmakers have been around ever since the start of the filming industry, whether hiding their identity because of socio-political attitudes of the time or openly out. Yes, their works may have gone unnoticed or unacknowledged back in the day, particularly in the early history of LGBTQ+ cinema, but the times are slowly changing. As such, opportunities are starting to be approached in a more equal manner.
Although there’s still progress to be made when it comes to inclusivity in Hollywood’s major studios, there are already plenty of talented LGBTQ+ filmmakers that need your appreciation. Whether on rise or already established, here are eight LGBTQ+ filmmakers and their movies that should be on your radar.
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8 A Single Man — Tom Ford
TWC
Tom Ford is mainly known as a fashion designer, with his own luxury brand that got launched back in 2005. Many do not know that he’s also a filmmaker, known for his two movies: Nocturnal Animals and A Single Man. We have chosen to talk about his directorial debut A Single Man, starring Colin Firth, as a gay depressed professor whose lover Jim died in a car accident, and Matthew Goode, who has once again found his way into a period piece. It’s one of those movies you let sit for a few years, and then you come back to it and realize just how impactful it truly was for you as a person.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
7 Cicada — Matthew Fifer
rubbertape
Matthew Fifer is an all-rounder of a human being: an actor, director, as well as a writer. The movie we want to focus on is his very personal feature debut that he also stars in, called Cicada. It tells the story of Ben, who goes through numerous one-night stands to fill out the emptiness he suffers from because of the sexual abuse he was put through during his childhood. He eventually meets Sam, who shares his suffering with his own experiences of post-traumatic stress. Cicada has been highly praised by critics, thanks to the raw material that it portrays.
6 But I’m A Cheerleader — Jamie Babbit
Ignite Entertainment
Jamie Babbit is an American director, proudcer, and screenwriter who is mostly known for her cult LGBTQ+ classic But I’m A Cheerleader and a few episodes of Netflix’s Russian Doll. Both of the works star Natasha Lyonne in the lead role. But I’m A Cheerleader specifically is a satirical romantic comedy that follows a cheerleader, raised in a heteronormative world, who gets sent to a conversion camp. The whole experience is portrayed deliberately to make fun of the absurd way in which our society is structured, such as how women are raised to only take care of kids and act as good housewives, while men are out in the woods hunting. Give it a watch if you want to have a good laugh and experience a cute lesbian romance.
5 Bound — The Wachowskis
Dino De Laurentiis
The Wachowskis are a transgender sister-filmmaknig duo who are well-known and respected in the film industry. They are globally known for their Matrix franchise, movies such as Bound and V for Vendetta, as well as the queer Netflix TV series spectacle Sense8. Their directorial debut Bound in particular is a 1996 neo-noir crime thriller film that tells the story of Violet who wants to escape from the clutches of her mafia boss boyfriend. While at it, she starts having an affair with ex-con woman Corky, as they make a plan to steal some of the Mafia’s money. If you want to watch queer women who commit several crimes against the Mafia, this is the one for you.
4 Mudbound — Dee Rees
Netflix
Dee Rees was the first Black woman nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay with Mudbound, which we’ve decided to discuss today. The movie is a historical drama that follows two World War II veterans — one white, one Black — who come back home from war and have to deal with racism and PTSD in their own way. Beware that the movie contains very graphic scenes of lynching and numerous others brutal realities of Black people’s lives. Rees really brought her A-game with this one as it’s an excellent adaptation of a novel of the same name. It is indeed required watching.
3 Driveways — Andrew Ahn
Maven Pictures
Andrew Ahn is an American filmmaker on the rise, mainly known for his movies such as Spa Night, Fire Island and Driveways. Driveways is a drama movie centered around a small boy who strikes up an unusual friendship with an elderly widower living next door. The movie was highly praised for its depiction of human connections, something that was dearly missed during the strict COVID restrictions across the globe in recent years. As for his first feature film Spa Night, Ahn had to raise the funds for production himself, so it was refreshing to see him get recognized for the movie that followed.
2 Dance, Girl, Dance — Dorothy Arzner
RKO Pictures
Dorothy Arzner was the only woman director working in Hollywood throughout her whole career that spanned from 1927 to 1943. She made 20 movies in total, and the one we chose for our list is the 1940 comedy drama Dance, Girl, Dance. The plot follows two dancers who have to fight for their integrity and place in the society as women. Decades later, the movie was labeled as a feminist classic. Many of the scenes in this media piece stay very important and influential in the history of the film industry. Make sure to give this black and white classic a watch.
1 On the Count of Three — Jerrod Carmichael
United Artists
Per LA Times, Jerrod Carmichael is a stand-up comedian, actor, and filmmaker who is known for many stand-up comedy specials. Growing up poor, Carmichael found refugee in making people laugh and didn’t expect it would turn into a successful career. The movie we want to mention is his feature directorial debut On the Count of Three, which is a black comedy that he also stars in as the lead character Val. The movie centers on two best friends who make a suicide pact and embark to take care of their unfinished business on the last day of their lives. It’s arguably one of the most powerful movies of 2021.
