Some of the best ways to learn more are as close as your TV, tablet, or computer! The list can’t possibly include all of the great movies out there, so we’ve picked a few that represent a good place for everyday allies to begin.
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Faith and Religion:
Trembling Before G-d
Trembling Before G-d documents the lives of gay and lesbian Hasidic and Orthodox Jews. It also includes interviews with Rabbis, therapists, and others this film challenges our assumptions about religious fundamentalism and sexuality.
A Jihad for Love
Filmed in 12 countries in nine different languages, A Jihad for Love is a first-of-its-kind documentary about gay and lesbian Muslims, their lives, and their faith. Many of the interviewees remain anonymous, due to concerns about their safety, but the bravery, honesty, and authenticity of their stories is undeniable.
For the Bible Tells Me So
For the Bible Tells Me So examines the ongoing discussion regarding biblical scripture and the LGBT community in America. By looking at the stories of several families the film looks at many of the passages believed to condemn homosexuality in great detail.
Coming Out:
Trevor
This short film tells the story of a flamboyant 13-year-old boy through excerpts from his diary. Once his classmates discover that he is gay they tease and bully him mercilessly. Feeling hopeless, he attempts suicide. This story created the momentum that launched The Trevor Project.
Transgender Community:
No Dumb Questions
No Dumb Questions is a short documentary about three little girls whose Uncle Bill is becoming Aunt Barbara. Poignant interviews with Barbara’s brother, sister-in-law and nieces highlight many of the questions that people are just too afraid to ask in a way that will make you laugh (and cry).
Soldier’s Girl
Based on a true story, Soldier’s Girl is the story of a young soldier who falls in love with transgender woman, Calpernia Adams. The film addresses the implications of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” as one soldier suffered from harassment that goes unaddressed by his superiors and leads to his death.
Two Spirits
Two Spirits is a documentary about a Navajo teen named Fred Martinez who was brutally murdered in 2001 when he was only 16. Accepted by his tribe as nádleehí – a male-bodied person with a feminine nature – the documentary details the four genders commonly accepted by Native American Tribes.
Politics / Social Issues:
If These Walls Could Talk 2
If These Walls Could Talk 2 tells the story of three lesbian couples who occupy the same house during various time periods. These stories deal with death, falling in love, and they joys of having a baby while highlighting the many ways that each couple must face inequality.
The Strange History of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell
The Strange History of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell is a documentary that investigates the policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) which banned LGBT people from openly serving in the US military.
LGBTQ+ History & Culture:
The Times of Harvey Milk
This Oscar Award-winning documentary tells the story of Harvey Milk through archival footage and personal interviews with friends, and colleagues. It also documents the trial of Dan White, the “Twinkie defense,” his conviction for manslaughter, and the riots that followed.
The Celluloid Closet
Based on the groundbreaking book by Vito Russo, The Celluloid Closet looks at the portrayal of LGBT characters in cinema in the 20th century. It examines classic films like Spartacus as well as modern films such as Philadelphia and demonstrates the impact film has had on public perceptions of gay culture.
Before Stonewall
Before Stonewall is a documentary that details gay culture in the United States from roughly the 1920’s until the Stonewall riots. Learn more about the underground gay culture, McCarthy’s persecution of LGBT people in the federal workforce, and the grassroots organizations of the 1950’s.
After Stonewall
After Stonewall is a documentary that begins by detailing Stonewall Riots in 1969 which sparked the modern gay rights movement. From the declassification of homosexuality as a disease to the AIDS activism in the 80’s and 90’s this film helps examines the history, politics, and culture of LGBT America.
Paragraph 175
Paragraph 175 is a documentary that details the persecution of gay men by the Nazi regime. These men were sent to concentration camps throughout occupied territory and wore an inverted pink triangle. Interviews with less than 10 survivors, still alive during filming, share a touching and devastating history.
International Films:
Yossi and Jagger
As Israeli film, Yossi and Jagger is a short film about two young Israeli soldiers who fall in love and develop a relationship while stationed on the border of Lebanon. It deals with the topic of love, the struggle of being out, and building a relationship while in the military.
HIV/AIDS
Angels in America
Based on Tony Kushner's award-winning play, Angels in America is an HBO miniseries that follows the lives of a gay couple torn apart by HIV/AIDS. The story is a mix of emotion politics, philosophy, religion, and magical realism in the midst of a modern health crisis.
Just Because We Love Them:
But I’m a Cheerleader
A satirical romantic comedy, But I’m a Cheerleader shows us the strange world of in-patient reparative therapy. A girl is sent to True Directions, a reparative therapy camp, before she even comes out to herself. The experience helps her understand herself, find love, and celebrate her sexuality. Keep your eye out for PFLAG at the end!
The Hours
Based on the novel by gay author Michael Cunningham, The Hours tells the tale of three women author Virginia Woolf, housewife Laura, and literary editor Clarissa during three very different parts of history. Each struggles to understand their sexuality within the context of the time period in which they live.
Saved!
Saved! is a modern religious satire about a Christian high-school in the United States. Mary, a born again Christian, discovers her boyfriend, Dean, is gay and believes that Jesus has told her to help him. In doing so she becomes pregnant and Dean ends up at Mercy House causing drama at school.
