Pride On Film: 15 Movies That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy

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Pride On Film: 15 Movies That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy
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For a long time, movies about the LGBTQ+ community primarily featured heartbreaking, tragic or controversial themes, underscoring the unique challenges and hardships that can come with living and loving differently. Yet life is, of course, a tapestry of emotions – including joy – and over the last few years, we’ve seen a boom in films that explore the happiness one can feel from taking on the world as your unapologetically authentic self. Join us for a look at the best films that celebrate LGBTQ+ joy and tell stories with a happy ending!

By Victoria Luxford

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Pride On Film: 15 Movies That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy.
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The Birdcage (1996) – Robin Williams and Nathan Lane play loving fathers who must hide who they are when their son becomes engaged to the daughter of a conservative politician. A comedic farce that celebrates the glory of being shamelessly yourself, Williams and Lane portray a couple whose lives are enriched by each other. Few gay characters in the ‘90s were given this kind of fulfilment, and the film remains fabulous and freeing nearly 30 years on.

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Pride On Film: 15 Movies That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy.
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Love, Simon (2018) – Celebrated as the first film by a major Hollywood studio to focus on gay teenage romance, this light-hearted high school comedy is very much like the countless teen movies that came before it, with one major difference: it focuses on a young gay man. Nick Robinson plays Simon, a closeted teen who navigates hiding his sexuality from his family and friends, while trying to figure out the identity of a blackmailer who’s threatening to out him. The coming-out process can be fraught, but this teen drama puts the human heart at the centre of its story, normalising the conversations between generations and honouring love of all kinds.

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Pride On Film: 15 Movies That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy.
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Booksmart (2019) – Olivia Wilde’s racy comedy is, on the surface, not too different from other teen movies of its type. Two studious friends, played by Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever, realise just before graduation that they’ve missed out on all the fun of high school, so they commit to having a wild final week of partying. Dever’s character, Amy, is openly gay, a fact that is normalised and celebrated by her peers as she clumsily finds love in all the wrong places. Still today, stories of growing up LGBTQ+ are not commonplace, and even fewer films portray their characters as normal teenagers facing challenges equal to those of their straight peers – making this a big step in representation.

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Pride On Film: 15 Movies That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy.
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The Prom (2020) – Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and James Corden play Broadway stars attempting to revive their image by visiting a small town, in support of a lesbian high schooler who wants to take her girlfriend to prom. Studded with big musical numbers, as well as more than a couple heartfelt moments, The Prom is an uplifting comedy that addresses the fight to show up for those you love. The fact that this was loosely based on real events from a US school in 2010 shows that stories of LGBTQ+ joy are not the stuff of fiction, but rather an urgent real-life need.

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Pride On Film: 15 Movies That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy.
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Red, White & Royal Blue (2023) – The glare of the spotlight is once again an issue for two young men coming out in this romantic fantasy, but their backgrounds are very different. Based on the book of the same name, Red, White & Royal Blue imagines a fictional British prince falling for the son of the US president. Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine have electric chemistry as the lead couple, while Uma Thurman is terrific as the president tasked with balancing opinion polls and being a mother. The queer-affirmative film was so popular, a sequel is already in the works.

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Pride On Film: 15 Movies That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy.
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But I’m a Cheerleader (1999) – A lurid, off-the-wall satire about a teenage cheerleader (Natasha Lyonne) who is sent to a conversion therapy camp after her parents suspect her of being gay, only for her to meet the love of her life. A witty and daring comedy, the harrowing subject of conversion therapy is mocked by a cast of future breakthrough stars, including drag royalty RuPaul (playing a macho gym teacher), Michelle Williams and The Last of Us actor Melanie Lynskey. It was rare at the time for queer stories to be told by the LGBTQ+ community, and gay filmmaker Jamie Babbit gave authenticity to this cult classic.

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Pride On Film: 15 Movies That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy.
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The Handmaiden (2016) – If you like your liberation on the darker side, check out this beloved thriller from South Korea. Centring around a plot to defraud an heiress from her fortune, the film takes many twists and turns, but ultimately grows the love between the heiress and her handmaiden – who is initially part of the plan. Considered one of the best films of the year by many critics, it remains an incredibly intricate work that isn’t afraid to show the depth and power of queer love.

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Pride On Film: 15 Movies That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy.
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In a Heartbeat (2017) – You can’t fight what your heart wants, and this gorgeous animated short film was the result of a lot of love. Made independently through crowdfunding, In a Heartbeat follows a boy who has a crush on another boy in his class, and his heart literally jumps out of his body to make sure the two can be together. A touching tribute to young love, the film became a viral sensation on YouTube and was shortlisted for an Oscar. It was initially intended to feature a boy and girl, but the change to a same-sex couple lent the story extra layers. In the words of directors Esteban Bravo and Beth David: “it was the kind of story we wish we had seen as kids.”

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Pride On Film: 15 Movies That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy.
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Out (2020) – The second of our animated shorts is not independent, but rather comes from the biggest animation studio in the world! This heartwarming story is about a gay man who has yet to come out to his parents, despite having a loving relationship. When his parents unexpectedly turn up to help him move, a magical cat and dog arrive and cause chaos. Charming, heartfelt and very funny, there’s something about Pixar animation that can handle very big subjects in a gentle way. Whether for those who are out and proud or still building up to it, this film emphasises the importance of unconditional love.

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Pride On Film: 15 Movies That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy.
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To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995) – In the mid-1990s, Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo were best known for tough-guy roles in action adventures. It was shocking, then, that all three were cast as New York drag queens who embark on a road trip. While the idea of three straight actors playing drag performers is concerning now, all three were deeply committed to their roles, studying the drag scene and employing mentors to make sure they achieved an authentic portrayel. The result is a brilliant comedy about three people who are unapologetically themselves.

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Pride On Film: 15 Movies That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy.
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Pain and Glory (2019) – While the title may not seem like it features a lot of happiness, Pedro Almodovar’s semi-autobiographical drama is a love letter to his own passions. A winner at Cannes and a two-time Oscar nominee, Antonio Banderas plays a celebrated film director at a low point in his life, who is forced to confront moments from his past that brought him happiness – in particular, a relationship with a man he knew years ago. While it has its tough moments, this is ultimately a film about how the experiences of life, both painful and glorious, make us the person we are today.

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Pride On Film: 15 Movies That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy.
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Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (2021) – Based on the hit stage musical, this story is inspired by real life: Jamie (Max Harwood) is a teenager in the north of England, who dreams of being queen, overcoming prejudice to attend his school prom as a more authentic version of himself. It’s hard to imagine a film this celebratory being released in previous generations, and its glitter-soaked joy is conveyed through many classic musical numbers. If you want to see the strength it takes to be yourself, check this film out!

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Pride On Film: 15 Movies That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy.
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Nyad (2023) – Everyone has goals and dreams, regardless of where they come from. And it’s often the people we love who are the driving force behind achieving those dreams. This Oscar-nominated biopic tells the story of Diana Nyad (Annette Bening), a 64-year-old woman who calls upon grit, determination and her loved ones to achieve the unlikely feat of swimming 110 miles nonstop from Florida to Cuba. Oscar-winner Jodie Foster plays her coach and former partner, Bonnie Stoll, and their deep connection is one of the most joyful elements of this drama.

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Pride On Film: 15 Movies That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy.
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Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado (2020) – A cultural icon is given a long-overdue homage in this inspiring documentary. Walter Mercado was a legend in Latin communities across South and North America, finding decades-long fame as a TV astrologer. His flamboyance and androgyny were an inspiration for generations of LGBTQ+ people, despite Mercado never addressing his private life; that influence spread beyond the community, with Hamilton writer Lin-Manuel Miranda appearing as a self-proclaimed fan. Despite never being open about who he was, what Mercado meant to the world is celebrated in this unique and affectionate portrait that shows how being yourself can strike a chord with people from all backgrounds.

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Pride On Film: 15 Movies That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy.
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Princess Cyd (2017) – We end with a very sweet, loving story set over the course of a dreamy summer in Chicago. Grieving teen Cyd (Jessie Pinnick) comes to live with her reclusive aunt (Rebecca Spence), with whom she has little in common. Over the following weeks, they grow close, and Cyd escapes past trauma to explore herself, including a romance with local girl Katie. Rite-of-passage films are relatively common when told with straight characters, but recounted in this way, it reveals the possibilities of joy for all people, regardless of whom they love.

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Pride On Film: 15 Movies That Celebrate LGBTQ+ Joy

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