Pride Month: 13 Queer Films And TV Shows To Watch

With Pride Month upon us, it's time to celebrate queer culture and the progression of LGBTQ+ rights, as well as acknowledge the issues and discrimination queer individuals still face to this day. From the Stonewall riots in 1969 to corporations releasing Pride Month-themed products, the LGBTQ+ community has seen major changes over the years.

Queer representation in the entertainment industry has grown over the years and now audiences can witness and appreciate well-written characters with compelling storylines.

From thrillers about survival to high school dramas about teenagers discovering their sexuality, here are 13 queer films and television shows you can watch this pride.

10 Queer Films And TV Shows To Watch

1. Yellowjackets

This thriller drama series has taken over the internet. After a plane crash in the wilderness leaves a high school girls' football team stranded, the show focuses on the survivor's attempts to stay alive and their lives 25 years after their rescue.

Featuring a beautiful queer romance, several queer characters, homoerotic cannibalism, and a "friendship" that leaves viewers debating whether Shauna (played by Sophie Nelisse) wants to be Jackie (Ella Purnell) or be with Jackie, Yellowjackets has it all.

2. Maja Ma

This Madhuri Dixit starrer Maja Ma featured something many Indian films don't have, a mother and housewife whose life takes a turn when her sexuality is questioned.

Dixit's Pallavi Patel perfectly represents an Indian woman who has suppressed her sexuality to fit the mould of a perfect mother and wife.

3. Sheer Qorma

The award-winning short film Sheer Qorma written and directed by queer nonbinary filmmaker Faraz Arif Ansari revolves around a woman (Divya Dutta) and a non-binary person (Swara Bhaskar) and their love story.

The film features a loving queer couple, the tension between a traditional mother and the aforementioned couple, and a supportive brother.

4. The Half Of It

The coming-of-age comedy-drama film stars Leah Lewis as Ellie Chu, a talented writer who earns extra money by writing papers for other students. When she's asked to write a love letter to a girl, Aster, on behalf of a boy with a crush on her, Paul, things turn hectic.

While the budding friendship and romance between Ellie and Aster was beautiful, audiences were won over by the heartwarming bond between Ellie and her new friend Paul.

5. Grease: Rise Of The Pink Ladies

A blast from the past, the iconic Pink Ladies from the 1978 musical Grease are back in the prequel series Grease: Rise Of The Pink Ladies.

Set in 1954, the show follows a group of four outcasts who refuse to conform to societal expectations and want to live on their own terms.

Gender non-conforming Cynthia is played by nonbinary actor Ari Notartomaso, proving that representation behind the scenes is as important as representation on screen.

6. Sisak

Another short film by award-winning filmmaker Faraz Arif Ansari, Sisak is India's first silent queer love story.

Set in Mumbai, the silent film follows two men on the same local train who can't keep their eyes off of each other, but can't bring themselves to speak to each other.

7. Pine Cone

Onir's Pine Cone is set to release on June 7, on the opening day of the Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival. The film follows the life of a gay man over three decades. Starring Vidhur Shethi, the film is making waves for having an openly gay actor play the role of a gay man.

Pine Cone will also highlight landmarks for the LGBTQ+ community, from the first Pride and the decriminalisation of Section 377.

8. Fire

One of the first mainstream Bollywood films to feature a queer couple, Fire was released in 1998 to the ire of activists who burnt down posters and set fire to theatres.

The film was formative for India's queer rights movement and the backlash led to the creation of the lesbian rights group Campaign for Lesbian Rights (CALERI).

Starring Nandita Das and Shabana Azmi, the film focuses on two sisters-in-law who are neglected by their husbands and fall in love.

9. Saving Face

This romantic comedy-drama film is directed by the mind behind The Half Of It, Alice Wu. The film focuses on Wilhelmina (Michelle Krusiec), a surgeon living in New York who isn't out as a lesbian to her mother and her other's friends.

Wilhelmina tries to balance her secret relationship with her girlfriend and her mother's pregnancy out of wedlock, and the film explores the bond between the mother and daughter and traditions.

10. Crush

The coming-of-age rom-com set in high school follows Paige Evans (Rowan Blanchard) after she's accused of being the anonymous graffiti artist who has been vandalising the school. The artist is suspected by the students and school administration of being the vandal.

To avoid being suspended, she joins the track team and is placed in the relay with her longtime crush Gabby (Isabella Ferreira) and her sister AJ (Auli'i Cravalho). The high school rom-com features a sapphic love triangle, drama, and humourous moments to entertain the audience.

11. Kokomo City

Kokomo City is a documentary that focuses on the lives of four black transgender sex workers living in New York and Georgia. It's directed, produced, and edited by D. Smith, a two-time Grammy nominee. The film is shot in black and white and includes monologues, conversations, and re-enactments. It courageously addresses the challenges these individuals face as they navigate their identities and the expectations of the black community.  

12. Red, White & Royal Blue

Red, White & Royal Blue is a romantic comedy film directed by Matthew López, based on the novel by Casey McQuiston. The story follows Alex Claremont-Diaz, the first son of the United States, and Prince Henry as they embark on a secret love affair.

Matthew López brings the screenplay to life, co-written with Ted Malawer, adapting McQuiston's novel from 2019. The film explores the challenges faced by the protagonists in their high-profile lives as they try to conceal their love. Starring Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine, this American romantic comedy promises humour, heart, and a fresh perspective on love.

 13. Drive-Away Dolls

In Drive-Away Dolls, Margaret Qualley plays Jamie, a free-spirited character who embarks on a spontaneous road trip to Tallahassee with her uptight friend Marian, portrayed by Geraldine Viswanathan. Along the way, they encounter a group of bumbling criminals.

Directed by Ethan Cohen, who also co-wrote the screenplay with his wife, Tricia Cooke, the film boasts a star-studded cast. Supporting performances include Pedro Pascal, known as the 'internet's boyfriend,' Colman Domingo from Euphoria, and Beanie Feldstein from Booksmart. Matt Damon also makes an appearance in the film.