Gay documentaries and short films that tell true stories from around the world. Explore the lives, struggles and triumphs of real people in gay documentary films.
Gaetan Dugas, openly gay during the early 1980s AIDS crisis, faces demonization and misidentification as "patient zero," challenging perceptions of promiscuity and disease origins.
Cured
2020
Documentary
Delves into the 1973 movement to declassify homosexuality as a mental illness, blending archival footage and personal stories.
49 Pulses
2017
Documentary
This documentary pieces together the events of the Orlando Night Club shooting, weaving together survivor interviews, re-enactments, and footage from police body cameras to dissect one of the most devastating mass shootings in U.S. history.
Tab Hunter Confidential
2015
Documentary
Explore the journey of matinee idol Tab Hunter from teenage stable boy to becoming a closeted Hollywood star in the conformist 1950s, navigating fame, identity, and personal relationships.
The Sunday Sessions
2019
Documentary, Drama
A devout young man's sense of self is challenged when he seeks guidance from a conversion therapist.
SHORT FILM
Little Potato
2017
Documentary
Wes Hurley's autobiographical tale follows his journey from growing up gay in Soviet Russia to escaping to Seattle with his mother, facing new challenges under his Christian fundamentalist American stepfather.
Be Like Others
2008
Documentary
An intimate look at life in Iran through the eyes of young men undergoing gender-change surgery, challenging societal norms and exploring personal identity amidst cultural expectations.
Gay Cuba
1996
Documentary
Explores the struggles and transformations of gay and lesbian Cubans over three decades, highlighting personal stories amidst societal and political shifts in post-revolutionary Cuba.
The Dog
2013
Documentary
A documentary portrait of John Wojtowicz, whose life inspired the film 'Dog Day Afternoon', explores his daring robbery for love.
Stonewall Uprising
2010
Documentary
This film recounts the events of a historic police raid at Stonewall in June 1969, exploring the personal stories and struggles of those involved in the LGBTQ+ rights movement.
We Were Here
2011
Documentary
Delve into a deep reflection on the impact of AIDS in San Francisco, exploring how individuals rose to the challenge during the early years of the crisis, reshaping the community in unimaginable ways.
SHORT FILM
Virginity
2015
Documentary
If I could, I would be young again - just to be able to do more than I did when I was little.
Three Chords and a Lie
2020
Documentary
Country star Brandon Stansell returns home to confront his Southern Baptist roots after coming out a decade earlier.
An Honest Liar
2014
Comedy, Documentary
Explore the life and journey of James Randi, a renowned stage magician who becomes a skeptic of the paranormal.
SHORT FILM
The Bareback Issue
2011
Documentary
Frank interviews with men who practice unsafe intimacy, their actual experiences, habits, thoughts and feelings
SHORT FILM
Mbodiment
2015
Documentary
Let's change the conversation in the changing room.
Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed
2023
Documentary
Delves into the biography of renowned actor Rock Hudson, exploring Hollywood and LGBTQ+ identity. It examines his public persona as a "ladies' man" and contrasts it with his private life as a gay man.
Dick: The Documentary
2013
Documentary
Explores men's relationships with their penises through anonymous living room interviews.
Dream Boat
2017
Documentary
Follows five men from different countries on a gay cruise, promising sunshine, love, and freedom while delving into personal stories, doubts, and the quest for dreams amidst familial and societal pressures.
Oriented
2015
Documentary
Follows three gay Palestinian friends navigating their national and sexual identity in Tel-Aviv during the Israel-Gaza conflict of 2014.
Welcome to Chechnya
2020
Documentary
Activists risk everything to fight for LGBTQ+ rights amidst persecution in Chechnya.
Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures
2016
Documentary
Delve into the complex life and controversial artistry of the celebrated photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, exploring both his genius and the societal debates he ignited.
Paris Is Burning
1990
Documentary
A chronicle of New York's vibrant drag scene in the 1980s, highlighting balls, voguing, and dreams of its participants.
The Gift
2003
Documentary
A controversial documentary sheds light on intentional AIDS virus contraction among gay men.
How We Got Gay
2013
Documentary
The story of how gay men and women went from being the ultimate outsiders to occupying the halls of power, with a profound influence on our cultural, political and social lives.
The Times of Harvey Milk
1984
Documentary
A documentary on San Francisco's first openly gay city supervisor, examining his career and tragic assassination.
Before Stonewall
1984
Documentary
The history of the Gay and Lesbian community before the Stonewall riots sets the stage for the early struggles and triumphs of the gay rights movement.