With Pride Month in complete swing, there has been no superior time to celebrate the incredibly ideal in LGBTQ+ film and tv. Whether it really is your neighborhood broadcast network or a big streamer like Netflix, Pride Month has brought about a celebration of the ever-progressive nature of our existing media landscape. One such streamer that has gone above and beyond this month is Kanopy, with the platform teaming up with the non-profit LGBTQ advocacy organization GLAAD to choose a choice of the finest LGBTQ+ films, shows, documentaries, and quite a few extra.

An inspiring array of productions have been picked, like the likes of classics like The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and Paris is Burning, as effectively as extra contemporary favorites like Bodies Bodies Bodies and Everything Everywhere All at Once. There’s genuinely some thing for every person in this particular choice of the ideal Pride Month picks on Kanopy.

Want to attempt some thing else? Check out the ideal LGBTQ+ films on Netflix, or alternatively, you could verify out the ideal shows and films on Netflix across all genres.

‘The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ (1994)

Rotten Tomatoes: 94% | IMDb: 7.5/10

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

Release Date

August 10, 1994

Director

Stephan Elliott

Runtime

104 minutes

Drag queens are taking more than the globe. RuPaul’s Drag Race has brought the art of drag into mainstream pop culture. With that type of visibility, quite a few have been discovering the classic film, To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar. If you like To Wong Foo, then you will adore the lesser identified, but equally classic, The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert.

This Australian comedy stars Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce as two drag queens who, along with a transgender lady played by Terrance Stamp, travel across the Australian Outback to get to their subsequent show in Alice Springs. While Priscilla is not the most obscure film on this list, with it possessing won an Oscar for Best Costume Design and serving as the inspiration for a Broadway musical, it nevertheless does not get the adore it deserves, specially outdoors Australia. – Chance Morgan

Watch on Kanopy

‘The Aggressives’ (2005)

Rotten Tomatoes: 92% | IMDb: 6.7/10

The Aggressives

Release Date

June 3, 2005

Director

Daniel Peddle

Run Time

1 hr 15 min

Actors

Marquise, Rjai, Tiffany, Flo, Octavia, Kisha

Filmed more than seven years amongst 1997 and 2004, The Aggressives is a groundbreaking exposé that follows a group of masculine-identifying queer folks of colour who have been assigned female at birth. Attempting to unpack the guidelines and societal requirements of gender identification, the documentary appears at the intricate lives of its subjects, discovering their souls whilst discussing their identities. A poignant and progressive piece of cinema, The Aggressives provides a fascinating insight into a New York neighborhood that offers with bigotry and hatred on a every day basis. It’s heartbreaking to see just how regular it has turn out to be, with the sad truth that, even pretty much 20 years on, the exact same troubles nevertheless plague quite a few communities.

Watch on Kanopy

‘Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes: 88% | IMDb: 7.2/10

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Release Date

September 8, 2023

Director

Aitch Alberto

Runtime

98 minutes

Based on Benjamin Alire Sáenz‘s novel of the exact same name, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is set in 1987 in El Paso, Texas, and follows two Mexican-American teenagers, the titular Aristotle (Max Pelayo) and Dante (Reese Gonzales). Despite quite a few clear variations, the two turn out to be mates right after Dante aids to teach Aristotle to swim. What unfolds is the blossoming of a stunning friendship that quickly evolves into some thing extra. Despite becoming aimed at young adults, this film thrives when discussing deeper themes, with homophobia a distinct subject the story sets out to unpack. Considering its target audience, this is triumphantly accomplished, with the film bringing entertainment and education in abundance. Bolstered by two endearing lead performances from Pelayo and Gonzales, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe will basically place a smile on your face, as quite a few great films do.

Watch on Kanopy

‘The Blue Caftan (Le Bleu du Caftan)’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes: 96% | IMDb: 7.6/10

The Blue Caftan

Release Date

May 26, 2022

Director

Maryam Touzani

Cast

Lubna Azabal , Saleh Bakri , Ayoub Missioui

Runtime

2 hr 3 min

Directed and co-written by Maryam Touzani, The Blue Caftan follows the husband and wife duo of Halim (Saleh Bakri) and Mina (Lubna Azabal) who, with each other, run a caftan shop in an old Moroccan medina. With their life fitting a neat routine, their bubble is burst with the arrival of a new apprentice, Youssef (Ayoub Missioui), who starts to take the consideration of Halim — some thing that his wife notices. A deep, methodical drama that keeps viewers guessing, The Blue Caftan is an truthful and sensitive portrayal of adore beyond boundaries. Each of the 3 primary actors, Bakri, Azabal, and Missioui, delivers superbly mature and nuanced performances, highlighted by Azabal, who won several awards for her perform. A crucial accomplishment, The Blue Caftan became a hit at the Cannes Film Festival, even selecting up quite a few nominations at the filmmaking calendar’s largest occasion.

Watch on Kanopy

‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes: 86% | IMDb: 6.2/10

Bodies Bodies Bodies

Release Date

August 5, 2022

Runtime

95 minutes

Directed by Halina Reijn, Bodies Bodies Bodies is a comedy horror mystery film that follows a pal group playing a murder mystery game that requires a dark turn into slasher territory. Written by Sarah DeLappe from a story by Kristen Roupenian, the film stars Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Myha’la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders, Rachel Sennott, Lee Pace, and Pete Davidson. Bodies Bodies Bodies premiered at the 2022 South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, exactly where it received constructive critiques from critics. Theatrically released in the US by A24, the film has also established rather productive with audiences. The film has been praised for its humor and performances, as effectively as its sharp writing and path. Rachel Sennott, in distinct, delivers a brilliant efficiency that satirizes influencer culture. Though the movie’s attempts at Gen Z humor typically veer into stereotypes and cliches, the general tone and narrative make this an enjoyable whodunit with laughs and scares a-lots. – Remus Noronha

Watch on Kanopy

‘But I’m a Cheerleader’ (1999)

Rotten Tomatoes: 43% | IMDb: 6.8/10

But I’m a Cheerleader

Run Time

1 hr 25 min

Director

Jamie Babbit

Release Date

July 7, 2000

Actors

Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall, Melanie Lynskey, RuPaul Charles, Eddie Cibrian, Wesley Mann

Something that has turn out to be a staple of gay pop culture is an affinity for something that is campy and more than-the-top rated. You do not have to appear any additional than gay cult classics like What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? and The Rocky Horror Picture Show for proof. So, it really is kinda weird when some thing as hilarious and campy as But I’m A Cheerleader has flown seemingly below the radar for as extended as it has.

The film stars Natasha Lyonne as Megan, a higher college girl whose life is thrown into chaos right after her loved ones starts to suspect that she is certainly a lesbian. In response, they send her to a gay conversion camp run by Mike, an ex-gay played to perfection by the iconic RuPaul. While there, she meets a cavalcade of wacky homosexuals all attempting to deny who they seriously are. She also meets Graham (Clea DuVall), who shows Megan how to remain accurate to herself without having causing suspicion. – Chance Morgan

Watch on Kanopy

‘Call Her Ganda’ (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 6.5/10

Call Her Ganda

Run Time

1 hr 33 min

Director

PJ Raval

Release Date

April 19, 2018

Actors

Naomi Fontanos, Jennifer Laude, Julita Laude

Boasting a outstanding 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating, Call Her Ganda is a documentary that was produced in the wake of the death of Jennifer Laude, a Filipina transgender lady. Intent on uncovering the truth of what took spot, a transgender journalist, an activist lawyer, and Jennifer’s personal mother commence an investigation that uncovers the horrifying truth of Jennifer’s brutal murder at the hands of a US Marine. Often hard to watch but deftly poignant, Call Her Ganda shines a a lot-necessary spotlight on quite a few of the existing American attitude’s pitfalls. From white privilege to the terrifying violation of trans rights, this documentary pulls no punches in pointing the finger of blame for what occurred to Jennifer and, sadly, quite a few extra like her, with a subject of this gutwrenching energy deserving of such an unapologetic method. A tear-jerking get in touch with to action, Call Her Ganda is a masterpiece.

Watch on Kanopy

‘Changing the Game’ (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | 6.4/10

Changing the Game

Release Date

April 26, 2019

Director

Michael Barrett

Runtime

1 hr 28 min

A documentary film directed by Michael Barnett, Changing the Game focuses on 3 transgender teens who are also higher college athletes, each and every from distinctive backgrounds and at distinctive stages in their athletic careers. The film shows how these talented athletes face stiff opposition from the establishment, as effectively as outright discrimination and prejudice, regardless of all their difficult perform. The film explores an typically-ignored aspect of the sports globe, which is nevertheless rather gender-normative and has established exceptionally resistant to transform. As a outcome, transgender athletes, irrespective of their sport, need to perform tougher and face steeper hurdles than their cis-gendered counterparts — a reality that the documentary illustrates completely. Changing the Game received close to-universal acclaim from critics and won the 2022 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Documentary. Despite the accolades and the deeply moving narrative of the film, Changing the Game is nevertheless sorely below-watched, a effectively-crafted hidden gem with some thing vital to say. – Remus Noronha

Watch on Kanopy

‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes: 93% | IMDb: 7.8/10

Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert‘s Everything Everywhere All at Once has rightfully established to be a fan-favourite amongst basic audiences and critics alike. The revolutionary Best Picture winner focuses on a middle-aged Chinese immigrant — played by Michelle Yeoh in an Oscar-winning efficiency that produced history at the Awards show — who is swept up into an intense, otherworldly adventure in which she can save existence.

The absurdist action comedy is a genre-bending odyssey of all the ideal components of pretty much every single film category, some thing that could only outcome in an unforgettable viewing expertise. Despite its goofy bits, Everything Everywhere All at Once is an existentialist function that holds huge which means and explores delicate subjects, such as generational trauma, the clash of distinctive cultures, and complicated mother-daughter relationships. – Daniela Gama

Watch on Kanopy

‘Framing Agnes’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes: 81% | IMDb: 6.7/10

Framing Agnes

Run Time

1 hr 15 min

Director

Chase Joynt

Release Date

January 22, 2022

Actors

Angelica Ross, Zackary Drucker, Jen Richards, Max Wolf Valerio, Silas Howard, Stephen Ira

This one of a kind documentary, directed and co-written by Chase Joynt, requires the preferred speak show format and flips it on its head, all in the name of unpacking the media’s existing fascination with trans iconography. By applying reenactments, the documentary uncovers the stories of quite a few folks who have been portion of Harold Garfinkel’s perform with transgender consumers at UCLA in the 1950s. A fascinating, ever-moving dive into a globe that deserves superior representation, Joynt’s documentary feels equal components emotionally poignant and academic, with the blend of scholarly evaluation and dramatic reenactments generating for an expertise like no other. After premiering at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, the film won each the Audience Award and the Innovator Prize in the Subsequent system — a showcase of its brilliance.

Watch on Kanopy

‘Gossamer Folds’ (2020)

IMDb: 7.4/10

Gossamer Folds

Run Time

1 hr 36 min

Director

Lisa Donato

Release Date

August 1, 2020

Actors

Jackson Robert Scott, Alexandra Grey, Shane West, Sprague Grayden, Ethan Suplee

Set in 1986, Gossamer Folds follows ten-year-old Tate (Jackson Robert Scott), whose life is all of a sudden uprooted as he is forced to move to the suburbs of Kansas City. With his loved ones life starting to unravel, Tate finds solace with his subsequent-door neighbor, building a bond with a retired professor and his transgender daughter, Gossamer (Alexandra Grey). Knitting a superb parallel amongst the issues of young childhood and becoming trans in an unaccepting globe, Gossamer Folds took quite a few by surprise upon its 2020 release. Not a single character falls into a stereotype, with each and every efficiency, no matter how smaller, woven with nuance. A superb instance of the powers of filmmaking, no matter the price range or background, this is a welcome addition to Kanopy’s Pride Month picks.

Watch on Kanopy

‘Hearts Beat Loud’ (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes: 92% | IMDb: 6.9/10

Hearts Beat Loud

Release Date

June 8, 2018

Director

Brett Haley

Runtime

97

See also  In A Violent Nature Review

This heartwarming tale follows Frank (Nick Offerman), a record shop owner and single dad who just desires to do suitable by his daughter, Sam (Kiersey Clemons). Looking for a way to strengthen their bond as Sam is about to leave for college, Frank encourages his daughter to make a musical duo, with their reside performances unexpectedly going viral. Sometimes, a film basically requires to be the medicine to ease the soul. Hearts Beat Loud is specifically that, showcasing a tale of discovery, adore, and all the things in amongst, led by two brilliant performers who clearly get pleasure from every single second on-screen with each other. With humanity at its heart, Hearts Beat Loud will bring boundless joy to even the saddest of days, with this the sort of film to place on when you happen to be in dire require of cheering up.

Watch on Kanopy

‘How to Blow Up a Pipeline’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 95% | IMDb: 7./10

Director Daniel Goldhaber explores environmental justice by way of the use of house harm in the gripping drama How to Blow Up a Pipeline. Centering on eight young folks who unite to take intense actions to fight the climate crisis, How to Blow Up a Pipeline is an intensely thrilling, heart-pumping action film. Starring Ariela Barer (Runaways), who co-wrote the screenplay with Goldhaber and Jordan Sjol, the film options a genuinely amazing cast alongside Barer, like Lukas Gage, Sasha Lane, Jayme Lawson, Marcus Scribner (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power), Jake Weary, and Forrest Goodluck.

Highlighted by powerhouse performances and a fascinatingly raw investigation into social justice and activism, How to Blow Up a Pipeline showcases talent without having neglecting an unapologetically genuine story confronting harsh realities. – Yael Tygiel

Watch on Kanopy

‘The Inspection’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes: 88% | IMDb: 6.7/10

The Inspection

Release Date

November 18, 2022

Director

Elegance Bratton

Cast

Jeremy Pope , Raul Castillo , McCaul Lombardi , Aaron Dominguez

Runtime

1 hr 35 min

Written and directed by Elegance Bratton, The Inspection unpacks the life of Ellis French (Jeremy Pope), a gay Black man whose identity has been rejected by his mother. Feeling there is nowhere else to turn, Ellis joins the US Marines, seeking for each an identity and a cause to fight for justice, as effectively as a sense of neighborhood that accepts him no matter what. Not without having its critics, The Inspection is a wonderfully detailed retelling of its writer-director’s personal story, bringing lots of emotion and drama. Not intent on pushing cinematic boundaries or breaking technical molds, The Inspection alternatively feels like a therapeutic stroll by way of the life of one particular man, with each and every pivotal turning point offered the weight it deserves. Beyond its central story, The Inspection is worth a watch basically for Pope’s lead efficiency, which remains captivating for the whole runtime.

Watch on Kanopy

‘Joyland’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes: 98% | IMDb: 7.6/10

Joyland

Run Time

2 hr 7 min

Director

Saim Sadiq

Release Date

November 18, 2022

Actors

Ali Junejo, Rasti Farooq, Alina Khan, Sarwat Gilani, Salmaan Peerzada

The character most closely followed in Joyland is Haider Rana (Ali Junejo), who lives below his father’s cramped roof with his wife, Mumtaz (Rasti Farooq), along with his older brother and his loved ones. In his late twenties, an unemployed Haider receives continual stress from his father and brother to get a job so that Mumtaz can quit her profession and take on the domestic duties that come along with customary womanhood in their culture. Haider ultimately gets a gig as a backup dancer for Biba (Alina Khan), a transgender lady with a Bollywood-esque show, and opens up to a portion of himself lain dormant his entire life. Slowly falling for Biba, Haider starts to ignore his personal loved ones responsibilities to delve into a globe of individuality and passion that has been unlocked by Biba’s magnetic essence. Oscillating amongst wonderful person freedom and the constraints of a rigid society, Joyland delves with astonishing nuance into a tale of private want stifled by traditional expectations. – Colton Peregoy

Watch on Kanopy

‘L’Immensità’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes: 83% | IMDb: 6.4/10

L’Immensità

Run Time

1 hr 39 min

Director

Emanuele Crialese

Release Date

September 4, 2022

Actors

Penélope Cruz, Luana Giuliani, Vincenzo Amato, Patrizio Francioni, Maria Chiara Goretti, Penelope Nieto Conti, Alvia Reale, India Santella, Mariangela Granelli

The ever-brilliant Penélope Cruz stars in L’Immensità, the story of Clara, a lady who feels trapped in her marriage and disenfranchised from the 1970s Roman neighborhood about her. Not only that, but her loved ones life is extra unconventional than quite a few about her, with her eldest youngster experiencing gender dysphoria, a subject pretty much unheard of in this setting and time period. To take a contemporary subject and spot it in a lesser-identified space tends to make for a fascinating film, specially when one particular leaves the film understanding that what has taken spot is just as relevant these days as it might have been then. A stunning examination of the dysfunction of loved ones, L’Immensità is buoyed by hope, with its central themes refreshingly soaked in a sense of positivity. L’Immensità is surely effectively worth a watch.

Watch on Kanopy

‘Paris is Burning’ (1990)

Rotten Tomatoes: 98% | IMDb: 8.2/10

Paris is Burning

Run Time

1 hr 28 min

Director

Jennie Livingston

Release Date

September 13, 1990

Actors

Dorian Corey, Pepper LaBeija, Venus Xtravaganza, Octavia St. Laurent, Carmen Xtravaganza, Willi Ninja, Angie Xtravaganza

Possibly the ideal identified documentary on this list, Paris is Burning chronicles the ball culture of Black and Latinx queer communities in New York City. The film came out one particular year right after the virality of Madonna’s hit song “Vogue,” and was directed by Jennie Livingston. The film follows quite a few Ball homes, specially the House of Xtravaganza, which also options prominently in the FX Show Pose.

Paris is Burning Is a critically acclaimed film, possessing won film festival and critic association awards across the nation, like Sundance. In 2016, the film was chosen for preservation in the National Film Registry in the Library of Congress for its cultural and aesthetic worth. The film was not without having controversy, nevertheless — from inside and outdoors the LGBTQ neighborhood. The homophobic motives are apparent adequate, but the extra controversial criticism of the film centers about the reality that the director, Jennie Livingston, is a white queer particular person generating a film for other white queer folks about Black and brown queer folks. Despite this consideration, the film is a foundation of queer storytelling and an enduring celebration of the Ball subculture.

Watch on Kanopy

‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes: 97% | IMDb: 8.1/10

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Release Date

May 29, 2019

Director

Céline Sciamma

Cast

Noemie Merlant

Runtime

120

Written and directed by Céline Sciamma, Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a French historical romantic drama set in the late 18th century. The film stars Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel and follows the romance amongst two young females, one particular an aristocrat and the other a painter commissioned to paint her. An acclaimed film that is won several awards, Portrait of a Lady on Fire competed for the Palme d’Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, winning the Queer Palm and the Best Screenplay award. The film was also nominated for Independent Spirit Awards, Critics’ Choice Awards, and Golden Globe Awards and declared one particular of the top rated 5 foreign language films of 2019 by the National Board of Review. In the years considering that its release, the film has continued to obtain wonderful praise from critics, who have hailed it as one particular of the greatest films of all time.​ – Remus Noronha

Watch on Kanopy

‘Rafiki’ (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes: 94% | IMDb: 8.6/10

Rafiki

Run Time

1 hr 22 min

Director

Wanuri Kahiu

Release Date

May 9, 2018

Actors

Samantha Mugatsia, Sheila Munyiva

Although tales of struggle are vital for acknowledging the sociopolitical crucible in which queer liberation was and is nevertheless becoming forged, one particular of the quite a few positive aspects of expanding queer visibility in modern cinema is an emphasis on the joy of private expression and romantic connection in queer life. Through her use of kaleidoscopic colors and examination of vibrant alternate spaces for social connection, Kenyan filmmaker Wanuri Kahiu’s coming-of-age romance Rafiki offers a refreshingly light viewpoint into the highs and lows of queer adore. Centered on the romantic interest amongst Kena (Samantha Mugatsia) and Ziki (Sheila Munyiva) that buds in the midst of their fathers’ opposing bids for a County Assembly in Nairobi, Rafiki elegantly interweaves the sociopolitical complexities and postcolonial traumas of Kenya’s basic method to homosexuality without having slipping into dour didacticism. Instead, Rafiki boldly demonstrates the possibility of queer joy and delighted endings in the midst of the ambiguities of cultural progression. – Benjamin Crabtree

Watch on Kanopy

‘Shiva Baby’ (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes: 96% | IMDb: 7.1/10

Shiva Baby

Release Date

April 2, 2021

Director

Emma Seligman

Runtime

77 minutes

Written and directed by Emma Seligman, Shiva Baby is a comedy primarily based on a New York Jewish expertise. Rachel Sennott (Bodies Bodies Bodies) stars in Shiva Baby as Danielle, a senior in college attending a shiva with her parents when she is confronted with the realities of her life in disarray as she finds herself on the verge of adulthood. Featuring a hilarious efficiency from Sennott, as effectively as Fred Melamed (Barry) and Molly Gordon (The Bear), Shiva Baby is a laugh-out-loud time regardless of its morbid setting. – Yael Tygiel

Watch on Kanopy

‘Tangerine’ (2015)

Rotten Tomatoes: 96% | IMDb: 7.1/10

Tangerine

Run Time

1 hr 28 min

Director

Sean Baker

Release Date

January 23, 2015

Actors

Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O’Hagan, Alla Tumanian, James Ransone

One of the most revolutionary films of the 2010s, Tangerine follows Sin-Dee (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez), a lady returning to Tinseltown right after 28 days away. With Christmas on the horizon, her vacation spirit is crushed right after understanding that the adore of her life has cheated on her, which sets Sin-Dee on a mission to track him down at any price. On its surface, Tangerine is currently an immersive and beautiful flick that oozes style and substance. However, when understanding that the whole project was shot on the iPhone 5s, it becomes a masterpiece. Indulgent and inventive, Tangerine is early proof of the genius of its creator, Sean Baker, with the most current Cannes Film Festival seeing the filmmaker choose up the Palm d’Or for his film Anora. – Jake Hodges

Watch on Kanopy

‘Tongues Untied’ (1989)

Rotten Tomatoes: 100% | IMDb: 7.1/10

Tongues United

Run Time

55 min

Director

Marlon T. Riggs

Release Date

October 26, 1989

Actors

Marlon T. Riggs, Essex Hemphill, Brian Freeman

In 1989, the fight for each gay and civil rights was in complete swing, with social inequality against each race and sexuality a difficulty rife all through the globe. So for a documentary to be produced about the lived experiences of Black homosexual guys in America, it showed that occasions have been, or at least need to be, altering. Intercut with poetry from Essex Hemphill, the film showcases the deep adore that can be identified everywhere, with this film an act of activism that basically desires to really feel free of charge. Featuring moments of light and darkness, Tongues Untied genuinely grasps the desperate hope but tragic sadness that came with these lives lived, exploring themes of identity, bigotry, inequality, and the AIDs crisis. There genuinely is no other documentary rather like this.

Watch on Kanopy

‘Watermelon Woman’ (1997)

Rotten Tomatoes: 92% | IMDb: 7.1/10

The Watermelon Woman

Run Time

1 hr 30 min

Director

Cheryl Dunye

Release Date

March 5, 1997

Actors

Cheryl Dunye, Guinevere Turner, Camille Paglia

The wry, incisive debut function by Cheryl Dunye gave cinema some thing bracingly new and groundbreaking: a vibrant representation of Black lesbian identity by a Black lesbian filmmaker. Dunye stars as Cheryl, a video-shop clerk and aspiring director whose interest in forgotten Black actresses leads her to investigate an obscure 1930s performer identified as the Watermelon Woman, whose story proves to have surprising resonances with Cheryl’s personal life as she navigates a new partnership with a white girlfriend (Guinevere Turner). Balancing breezy romantic comedy with a critical inquiry into the history of Black and queer females in Hollywood, The Watermelon Woman slyly rewrites extended-standing constructions of race and sexuality on-screen, introducing an vital voice in American cinema. – Julia Humphrey

Watch on Kanopy