The LGBTQ+ community has struggled since the 18th Century and has come a long way — from any queer behavior previously being considered a crime globally to now having freedom to express themselves in most places, including in the media. Over the past two decades, LGBTQ+ representation in the media has skyrocketed, with plenty of categories and awards being birthed to cater to the blossoming genre of film. In fact, a recent GLAAD study showed a record-high number of LGBTQ+ characters on television.
Most LGBTQ+ films have a specific focus in mind. For example, Moonlighthas a focus on toxic masculinity within the Black community while Tangerine examine the struggles that transgender people face, even by those with whom they share relationships. LGBTQ+ communities tend to cater to every audience imaginable and thanks to the same-sex relations examined within LGBTQ+ media, films about women are about more than just queerness, but cover aspects of feminism and the female gaze. These are the best LGBTQ+ movies about women, ranked.
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8 Violette
Violette tells the story of the life of novelist Violette Leduc. Struggling from the scars of her past and her loveless marriage to Maurice Sachs, Leduc finds refuge in her new mentor and fellow writer Simone de Beauvoir. Leduc is best known for her autobiographical bestseller La Bâtarde, which led to her writing a number of LGBTQ+ novels, including Thérèse and Isabelle which was adapted into a film in 1968. Violette was praised for Emmanuelle Devos’ portrayal of Violette as a lesbian writer struggling with her identity. Violette was nominated for Best Foreign Film in Coproduction at the Magritte Awards, the Belgium equivalent of the César Award.
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7 Margarita, with a Straw
Young Laila may suffer from cerebral palsy, but that won’t stop her from discovering herself. When Laila leaves her home in India to study in New York, she finds herself falling in love with Khanum, a young blind activist in her creative writing class. The two become each other’s caregivers, but trouble arises when Laila finds herself attracted to male classmate Jared. Margarita, With a Straw was a breakthrough for India Cinema as it dove head first into the LGBTQ+ genre, exploring all aspects of sexual orientation and the intersection between race, disability, and sexuality as a part of a person’s whole identity. Margarita, with a Straw was nominated for a number of awards, and won several, including Best International Film at the Galway Film Fleadh.
6 Pariah
Self-identifying lesbian Alike embraces her identity and looks to share her love. Despite her mother Audrey’s disapproval of Alike’s lifestyle, forcing her to wear girly clothing, Alike is forced to befriend Bina, annoying Laura, Alike’s lesbian friend. Alike and Bina end up developing feelings for one another, but Bina denies ever having romantic feelings for Alike. Pariah was made under the direction of Black woman director Dee Rees also known for Bessie and The Last Thing He Wanted. Pariah premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and won a number of awards, including the African-American Film Critics Association Award for Best Independent Film.
5 The Kids Are All Right
Thanks to a sperm donor, lesbian couple Nic and Jules have managed to bring up two children over the past twenty years. As their eldest daughter Joni prepares for college, she wishes to know more about her heritage, leading her and her brother Laser on a journey to find their biological father. When they discover the identity of their donor, he enters their lives and chaos ensues. With a star-studded cast featuring Annette Bening, Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right is among the first mainstream films to display a same-sex couple raising teenagers. The film was awarded the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture and received four Academy Award nominations, including a nomination for Best Picture.
4 Rafiki
A hidden gem among the LGBTQ+ films is Rafiki. Set in Nairobi, hard-working Kena and free-spirit Ziki meet, and while their personalities couldn’t be more different, they spark a connection soon growing affectionate towards one another. This comes under threat when their fathers run against each other for a seat on the County Assembly. Their relationship blossoms and despite the prying eyes of their conservative community, Kena and Ziki’s love will not be extinguished.
Rafiki examines the political and community pressures surrounding LGBTQ+ rights in Kenya. The film was so potent in its message that it was banned in Kenya for “promoting lesbianism,” the KFCB even warned that anyone in possession of the film would be in breach of the law in Kenya, where gay sex is punishable by jail time. The ban was eventually lifted after a great deal of backlash and the wish for the film to be the Kenyan entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
3 Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Released in 2019, Portrait of a Lady on Fire became an instant classic in LGBTQ+ cinema. Set in 18th-Century France, painter Marianne is commissioned to create the wedding portrait of Héloïse, a woman fresh out of a convent. The catch is: Marianne must paint Héloïse without her knowledge, resulting in Marianne’s careful observation of the bride’s every movement. The two bond as friends and this friendship soon becomes a true affection that they cannot ignore anymore. The film was praised as a critical masterpiece, receiving universal acclaim showing realistic circumstances of women in the 18th century and how their lives were not their own. Portrait of a Lady on Fire was shortlisted to be France’s entry to the Academy Awards for Best International Film, but received a number of awards including the Queer Palm at the Cannes Film Festival.
2 The Color Purple
Starring Whoopi Goldberg and Danny Glover, The Color Purple spans forty years, following the life of Celie, a Black woman who suffers a great deal of abuse at the hand of her father and eventually her husband “Mister” Albert Johnson. Celie remains optimistic, never losing hope that she will one day be reunited with her sister and finding companionship in a number of women she encounters, including Shug. While the film does not display any explicit lesbianism between the two, the implications are enough. The Color Purple was a box-office success and was critically acclaimed, earning it 11 nominations at the Academy Awards.
1 Carol
StudioCanal
Working her counter at a department store, Therese spots the graceful Carol. Carol and Therese form a bond almost immediately, but the 1950s are not so kind to same-sex couples. The two spark up a relationship and Therese finds herself in a complex web as Carol hopes to maintain normality for her daughter despite going through a rough divorce. Based on the 1952 romance novel The Price of Salt, Carol features Cate Blanchet, Rooney Mara and Sarah Paulson. Carol received a ten-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival, gaining it universal acclaim. The film received over 100 total awards, including the Apolo Award for Best Film and the Dorian Award for Film of the Year.
