30 Wonderful LGBTQ+ Movies To Watch For Every Day Of Pride Month

Pride Month is upon us!

Ahh, June. Not just the one month of the year where every logo on Earth is rainbow-colored, but LGBTQ+ Pride Month!

While a lot of queer events will go on, you actually don't have to leave your house to experience the joys of queerness! For the homebodies, introverts, those who think June is too hot to go outside, or simply those looking for something gay to watch, here are 30 fantastic movies to watch. One for every day of Pride Month!

Watch some, or all, in whatever order you like! Just be queer!

1.To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995)

A queer classic like no other, this comedy about a trio of drag queens lived on past its critical reviews to become a mainstay in the LGBTQ+ canon.

Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze, and John Leguizamo star as the main trio in this campy film about the celebration of being yourself and fighting for yourself, even if no one else will. Despite an adverse reaction because of the queerness when the film released, it was one of the few '90s films that resonated with LGBTQ+ audiences.

The movie is available to rent on Amazon.

2.The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)

In Australia, two drag queens and a trans woman travel across the Outback in their bus, Priscilla, and the rest is queer history!

While this movie probably inspired the previous film, another camp classic about three queer performers traveling across the country should always be added to the list. This film has long been regarded as a queer classic, making this a wonderful addition to your watch list.

The film is free to stream on Pluto TV.

3.Carol (2015)

When this film was released, the girls, gays, and theys were never the same!

Based on Patricia Highsmith's 1952 novel The Price of Salt, notable for being one of the few queer novels to feature a happy ending (something that was taboo in publishing at the time), this 2015 adaptation by director Todd Haynes is an unequivocal queer masterpiece.

When shop-girl Therese meets a soon-to-be-divorced Carol, her life is flung out of order, and what follows is one of the best queer romance films of all time. Cate Blanchett as Carol alongside Rooney Mara's Therese dominates every moment of this carefully crafted work of art that is considered one of the best films ever made. Period.

The film can be streamed for free on Pluto TV.

4.Paris Is Burning (1990)

Few documentaries hold such a treasure trove of a look into the queer existence. While queerness and LGBTQ+ figures in history are often erased, this 1990 documentary by Jennie Livingston provides a beautiful snapshot into the vogueing ballroom scene at its height, highlighting a time that has defined and shaped modern queer culture.

Providing an unfiltered look into queer life in a New York still reeling from AIDS, this film not only shows how much of today's queer culture comes from the Black and brown people who fought to be themselves, but how queerness in all its beauty will survive no matter what.

The film is available to stream on the Criterion Channel.

5.Tangerine (2015)

While this film caught public attention for being filmed on an iPhone 5S, what has kept it alive in the LGBTQ+ canon are the exceptional trans leads at the front of this story that is a celebration of friendship.

Fresh from a stint in prison, Sin-Dee Rella meets her bestie Alexandra on Christmas Eve, only to learn that her boyfriend has been cheating on her, sending the duo across Los Angeles in an unforgettable fashion! Hilarious, heart-wrenching, and beautiful, this film is one of the best queer indie films ever!

The film is available to stream on Pluto TV, Amazon Prime, Netflix, and more.

6.Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)

This rock musical cult-classic is the type of story that you rarely see in theaters. Based on a 1998 musical, John Cameron Mitchell directs and stars in this queer classic that has become a theater staple all over the world.

After a botched sex change, Hedwig Robinson meets Tommy, becoming his musical mentor and friend until he steals their music. Forced to tour in the shadow of her stolen music, Hedwig and her band, the Angry Inch, go through a journey of queer expression and overcoming trauma.

The film is available to rent.

7.A Fantastic Woman (2017)

The film made history multiple times during its initial run, becoming the first Chilean movie to win an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and one of the first movies with a transgender lead to get this kind of recognition.

When singer and server Marina, played by standout Daniela Vega, loses her boyfriend to a sudden illness, his family pries into her life with no regard for her wishes or her privacy.

The film handles discrimination with a sensitive touch, making sure that Marina's queerness doesn't fall victim to problematic tropes, which made the film stand out on the international LGBTQ+ stage.

The film is available to watch on Kanopy.

8.Call Me by Your Name (2017)

Few love stories captured people's hearts and attention like Call Me by Your Name. Based on a 2007 novel by André Aciman, it tells the story of Elio, the son of a professor, who falls for one of his students in the Italian countryside.

This film took the queers by storm when it released, causing some valid debates over the film's creation and queerness. However, it still is undeniably one of the best queer films from the last decade, telling an unforgettably beautiful story of adolescent love.

The film is available to rent.

9.Imagine Me & You (2005)

This 2005 British rom-com with Lena Headey and Piper Perabo as two sapphic lovers who make it against all the rom-com trope odds is definitely a standout in the queer film canon.

While most representations of LGBTQ+ people in mainstream films aren't very positive, this 2005 rom-com told a worthwhile, meaningful queer story that didn't end with tears or death, which has kept its legacy alive in the queer canon.

While critics did not enjoy the film upon its release for following other rom-com formulas, LGBTQ+ audiences have loved the film since its release because even though it may have been a little cliché, the queers do not have a lot of LGBTQ+ films centered toward them at all, and even queer people need cheesy rom-coms.

The film is available to rent.

10.But I'm a Cheerleader (1999)

One of the few movies about conversion therapy that won't make you want to hide in bed and cry, But I'm a Cheerleader is a hilarious satire, heartwarming romance, and cult classic that has become a very important film in the LGBTQ+ canon despite its initial box office failure.

Natasha Lyonne stars as the titular cheerleader, Megan, who is apparently the only one unaware of her sapphic yearnings after her family confronts her and sends her to conversion therapy. Upon arrival, she meets Graham, played by Clea DuVall, the unapologetic bad girl of the program who takes Megan under her wing and into her heart.

RuPaul, Melanie Lynskey, Michelle Williams, and Mink Stole star in this wonderfully campy comedy that takes a serious issue and puts it on queer people's terms. It's so beloved that Autostraddle named it their number one lesbian movie of all time. 

The film is available to watch for free on YouTube and Pluto TV.

11.Booksmart (2019)

While this movie didn't perform as well as it should have upon release, it stands out for being one of the best teen films released in the last decade, with its queer storyline being a vital part of its success.

On the last day of high school, besties Amy and Molly, played by Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein, respectively, learn that they have essentially wasted their high school experience studying, while everyone else had the time of their life.

With one day before graduation, the two decide to have the night of their lives. Which includes queer icon Feldstein absolutely dominating the screen and Dever's Amy finding romance with a girl at a party.

At its core, this film is a celebration of friendship that includes queerness in an honest and thoughtful way.

The film is available to watch on Hulu.

12.Moonlight (2016)

To call this film one of the best films of all time may seem strange if all you know about it is the mix-up that happened when it won Best Picture, however, its tale of a young Black boy growing up in the harshest conditions remains masterful.

Telling the story of Chiron, a young Black boy in Florida, at three different points in his life, the film beautiful weaves searing tales of family trauma with the beauty of queerness and how you grow up when you have to learn how to survive against all odds.

Few films on any film list on Earth even come close to capturing the magic of Moonlight, singularly raw with grace and beauty. No doubt one of the greatest films of all time, this film is necessary viewing.

The film is available to watch on Showtime.

13.The Handmaiden (2016)

On paper, Park Chan-wook’s adaptation of Sarah Waters’ Fingersmith, a sapphic Victorian thriller, shouldn't work, but few directors can create such a captivating and thrilling tale like Chan-wook.

In Japanese-occupied Korea, a con-man and pickpocket scheme to marry an heiress for her fortune, which works until the pickpocket falls for the heiress, creating a thrilling game of gender politics, romance, and betrayal.

While the film was critiqued during its release for its erotic sex scenes, its queerness has kept the film alive in the queer canon.

This film is available to rent.

14.The Old Guard (2020)

This film is a little different from most of the other films on the list, with this film being more about the power of positive representation, especially in the superhero/action-adventure genre.

Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, The Old Guard follows Charlize Theron as the leader of a group of immortal mercenaries on a thrilling adventure that subverts a lot of modern film tropes. The film's queerness, bold and unapologetic, made it a standout movie in a genre that often ignores queerness and queer people entirely.

For those looking for an exciting film to watch with your family, this is a great pick.

The film is available to stream on Netflix.

15.God's Own Country (2017)

This slow-burn romance about a young English farmer and a Romanian farmhand became an instant classic for its moving performances and story.

Josh O'Connor plays Johnny, a young man frustrated with life and unsure of his future working on his family farm, until he meets Gheorghe, whose relationship changes the young man's outlook on life.

A film that tackles the loneliness of queer life, and the joys that queer intimacy can bring, has made this slow-burn romance one of the most talked about LGBTQ+ films in the last decade.

The film is available to stream on Hulu.   

16.Weekend (2011)

While some of the best love stories are grand, sweeping epics, Weekend takes a simpler and shorter approach to love.

When a hook-up becomes a weekend fling, two gay men find a deep connection at a time when they both needed it the most. Honest in its portrayal of modern queer love, the film puts the smaller moments over the bigger ones.

Heartfelt in ways that few films achieve, this queer romance stands out for all the right reasons.

The film is available to watch on Amazon Prime, Roku, Sling TV, and PLEX.

17.Pariah (2011)

Queer director Dee Rees made her mark on the film world with her outstanding debut Pariah, about a Black lesbian teen trying to find her place in the world.

Beautifully crafted with an outstanding lead performance by Adepero Oduye, this film was just the first of Rees' amazing film catalogue, but is still one of her most important.

Seventeen-year-old Lee is finding comfort in her identity as a butch lesbian while her relationship with her homophobic mother worsens, leading her down a path of self-discovery and young queerness.

The film isn't light-hearted, but is a must-see, with the heavy weight of the subject being conveyed effortlessly through Rees' direction and Oduye's performance.

The film is available to watch on HBO Max.

18.Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Few films have caused as much conversation as Brokeback Mountain.

Straight culture has poked and prodded this love story between two cowboys for years. However, the respect by its two leads and the rawness of their love has kept this film in the queer canon.

Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal's portrayal as two cowboys who find love is no doubt one of the most recognizable pieces of LGBTQ+ cinema on Earth, with the film helping show the world that queer films and stories deserve to be in the spotlight like every other great film.

No matter what you've heard or think about this movie, Brokeback Mountain is an undeniably important part of queer cinema.

The film is available to rent.

19.The Favourite (2018)

When the poor cousin of Queen Anne's closest advisor arrives to work for them, a twisted love triangle forms with one of the world's most powerful rulers at the center. Darkly hilarious, cuttingly raw, this film is one that refuses to follow any rule book and paves its own way toward success.

Based on the true story of Queen Anne, the ruler of 18th-century Britain, who potentially had female lovers and definitely had a lot of drama, this film by Yorgos Lanthimos is a wild and unforgettable ride of a film.

The film tied for the most Academy Award nominations after its release, with Olivia Colman winning the Best Actress Oscar, with Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz being nominated in the Supporting Actress category.

The film is available to rent.

20.Appropriate Behavior (2014)

When bisexual Shirin's breakup sends her down a chaotic path, a tale of queer greatness begins.

Few people can make films like Desiree Akhavan, the star and director of this film that balances the sadness of a breakup with the humor of trying to be a queer person in this awful world in masterful fashion.

While a lot of films try to make sense of our world, few do it like Akhavan, who shows through this film that she is a queer filmmaking force to be reckoned with.

The film is available to stream on Tubi.

21.Geography Club (2013)

This teen film set a new standard during its release for being one of the few teen films centered on queerness that doesn't make it

When 16-year-old Russell falls for the quarterback over the girls in his class, he finds a club of other LGBTQ+ students using "geography club" as a cover to meet and be open about their identity.

While most high school films focus on the seemingly world-ending struggles of their teens, this one dares to show a world with queer people right alongside every one else.

The film is available to watch on Amazon Prime, Roku, and Peacock.

22.Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

An instant sapphic classic upon release, Céline Sciamma's latest feature about a slow-burn romance between an 18th-century aristocrat and a painter in the French countryside took the world by storm for the film's mastery.

In magnificent fashion, the film examines female queerness in a thrilling tale about the reality of being a woman at the end of the 18th century. This slow-burn tale of love doesn't fit the mold of most movies that capture the public's attention, instead daring to tell a beautifully complicated story of queer love.

The film is available to watch on Hulu.

23.The Times of Harvey Milk (1984)

Few politicians have impacted the LGBTQ+ world like Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay men to be elected to public office. While his time was short, his impact has long informed LGBTQ+ politics and the push for queer equality in America.

When he was assassinated by another politician, his death created a nationwide discussion about LGBTQ+ equality and helped reinvigorate the queer equality movement. While he isn't the only queer politician of his time, his impact and the fight for his dream of LGBTQ+ equality still live on.

The film is available to stream on HBO Max and the Criterion Channel.

24.Saving Face (2004)

Sixteen years before Alice Wu took the directing world by storm with The Half of It, she made her debut with another queer classic in Saving Face.

Wil, played by Michelle Krusiec, finds herself in a struggle with her conservative and suddenly pregnant mom who comes to stay with her while she deals with a new love interest.

Another rom-com that takes queerness and uses it to tell a meaningful story, this film is an undeniable classic for its funny, heartwarming love story with its queer Asian American representation front and center.

This film is available to watch on Hulu and Amazon Prime.

25.Jennifer's Body (2009)

Few films get to live the life that Jennifer's Body has lived.

Initially, a box office bomb that was marketed as a teen slasher film, rather than the feminist, queer horror film that it is, led to this film being nearly forgotten, until the #MeToo movement garnered a new look at the film.

Watching with fresh eyes, it's clear to see this film is a smart send-up of sexist horror tropes with a queer love story at its center. Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried's performances at the center of this smart horror comedy have made it a cult classic.

The film is available to rent.

26.The Way He Looks (2014)

This Brazilian film took the internet by storm for its adorable representation of queer love, but has stayed in the queer canon for its loving story of a young blind teen falling in love.

When new student Gabriel comes into Leonardo's life, the blind teen refuses to believe he'd have a shot at love, despite the signs. What follows is one of the most heartwarming and sweet tales of young queer love ever.

The film is available to watch on Kanopy.

27.Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen (2020)

For transgender people, the way they are portrayed onscreen has boundless effects on their lives, even putting them in danger and hampering their prospects of a good future. In today's world, where hundreds of anti-trans bills are being filed and passed daily, films like Disclosure are of the utmost importance.

In this wonderful Netflix doc, trans icons like Laverne Cox and Alexandra Billings join a host of experts and trans people who break down how transgender people's lives have been impacted by their representation in film and television.

Even queer people who are not transgender should try to understand the problems trans and gender non-conforming people face, as all LGBTQ+ people need to be in the fight for any of us to win.

The film is available to watch on Netflix.

28.The Watermelon Woman (1996)

This film is a documentary, comedy, romance, and so much more all at once, and yet something completely different.

The first feature film by a Black lesbian ever, The Watermelon Woman is a landmark film that remains one of the most important works of the New Queer Movement during the '90s.

Director, writer, and star Cheryl Dunye stars as Cheryl, a Black lesbian working at a video store, who after watching a film called Plantation Memories with an unnamed Black actor only referred to as "The Watermelon Woman" decides to make a movie searching for her true identity.

While a lot of queer movies on this list are pretty well known, this one tends to fall out of the picture, making it even more important to stream.

The film is available to watch on Showtime and Fubo.

29.My Own Private Idaho (1991)

New Queer Cinema legend Gus Van Sant combined Shakespeare, Keanu Reeves, and River Phoenix to make an unforgettable experimental queer film about two rent boys that go on a cross-country trip in search of self-discovery in a film that refuses to follow traditional plot lines.

Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix give two of the best performances of their lives in this surreal film about loneliness, friendship, and self-meaning. It's funny, sexy, dark, and mystifying in ways that will stick with you long after the credits roll.

The film is available to watch on Hoopla.

30.Pride (2014)

A British comedy about a group of LGBTQ+ people raising money for the 1984 British mining strike may not be the first queer film you think of, but this acclaimed historical drama sheds some light on a more unknown piece of queer history.

Taking place during the AIDS epidemic, this story of a local group organizing for queer rights is uplifting without being too cheesy, with a host of honest performances and a dry, but hopeful look at a time of queer struggle.

Ultimately, this film showcases the bonds of the LGBTQ+ rights movement that have been fought in different ways since the beginning of time, with the shared goal of queer happiness at the forefront of all of it.

The film is available to watch on Amazon Prime.

Looking for more ways to get involved? Check out all of BuzzFeed's posts celebrating Pride 2022.

My Fake Boyfriend, a new LGBTQ+ rom-com from BuzzFeed Studios starring Keiynan Lonsdale, Dylan Sprouse, and Sarah Hyland, is out June 17 in the US — just in time for Pride! Sign up for Prime Video now so you're ready to watch.