This list includes 10 of the most remarkable films concerning queer life today, and while there’s no one-size-fits-all stereotype that defines each character, there is a common theme that connects each movie - the exploration of identity. Some movies sparked protests in their hometowns others won Academy Awards. There have been drag performers, drug dealers, filthy rich high schoolers, and dirt-poor adults. In the past five years, queer cinema has portrayed LGBTQ life around the world as dangerous, droll, sinful, and sexy. Be it rural South Africa, a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, or a ballet class in Antwerp, the best movies about queer life take us on transformative trips into the cultural soul of not only its characters but also the places in which they live.
On the silver screen, viewers visit far-flung destinations and stand in the shoes of someone else for a few hours. Travel is an excellent antidote used to dispel these myths, but even the most experienced traveler can’t adequately capture the essence of LGBTQ life in all corners of the world.