Gay Films about Activism - Gay Films Matter

Philadelphia

1993 Drama

A man with HIV seeks justice after being wrongfully dismissed by his law firm, finding an unlikely ally in a small-time, homophobic lawyer.

Pride

2014 Comedy, Drama, Romance

In 1984, UK gay activists unite to support miners during their prolonged strike, bridging two communities.

Rent

2005 Drama, Musical, Romance

In New York City's East Village, bohemians navigate poverty, illness, and the AIDS epidemic in pursuit of success and acceptance.

Milk

2008 Drama

The life and activism of Harvey Milk, California's first openly gay elected official.

Holding the Man

2015 Drama, Romance

A poignant and humorous tale of a 15-year love affair between Timothy and John, starting from their high school days.

Another Country

1984 Drama, Romance

The early life of Guy Burgess, later a notorious spy, is explored.

Prayers for Bobby

2009 Drama, Romance

True story of Mary Griffith, gay rights crusader, whose teenage son's suicide prompts her reflection on religious intolerance.

Dallas Buyers Club

2013 Drama

Ron Woodroof's fight against the system to help AIDS patients in 1985 Dallas challenges societal norms and medical bureaucracy.

The Normal Heart

2014 Drama

In the early 1980s, the onset of the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York led to an emergence of homosexual activists. With support from the medical community, they try to raise awareness about the disease.

Get Real

1998 Comedy, Drama, Romance

Two boys in a British school experience a tenderly romantic coming-of-age journey as they navigate their evolving feelings for each other.

Bros

2022 Comedy, Romance

Bobby thrives on no-strings dates and embraces his non-committal lifestyle, until he meets Aaron who turns his world upside down.

Love, Simon

2018 Comedy, Drama

Simon Spier navigates the challenges of concealing his gay identity from friends and family until a threat to his secret forces him to confront his true self and those around him.

Red, White & Royal Blue

2023 Comedy, Romance

The son of the US President develops a secret romance with a British Prince.

Being 17

2016 Drama, Romance

Damien and Thomas, brought together by family circumstances, navigate a complex relationship amidst personal and familial challenges.

NEW

Heartstopper Forever

2026 Drama, Romance

Nick and Charlie are in love, but new challenges lay ahead with Nick getting ready to leave for university and Charlie taking on new responsibilities at school.

120 BPM (Beats Per Minute)

2017 Drama

In the early 1990s, members of ACT UP Paris rallied for government and pharmaceutical company intervention to fight the AIDS epidemic.

Out in the Dark

2012 Drama, Romance, Thriller

A dramatic love story unfolds between Palestinian student Nimer and Israeli lawyer Roy amid the Middle-East conflict.

Any Day Now

2012 Drama

A gay couple in the 1970s battles a biased legal system to keep custody of a mentally handicapped teenager.

Ekaj

2015 Drama

Ekaj, a naive teen, navigates New York City with cynical night worker Mecca, finding love amidst challenges of illness and survival.

Blood-Red Ox

2021 Horror

Amir's trip to Bolivia with his boyfriend turns nightmarish with hallucinations, testing their trust and sanity.

Cured

2020 Documentary

Delves into the 1973 movement to declassify homosexuality as a mental illness, blending archival footage and personal stories.

The String

2009 Drama, Romance

Malik returns to Tunisia from France to face his father's death, his unspoken sexuality, and childhood anxieties. His world brightens when he falls for Bilal, the charming houseboy at his mother's estate, navigating love amidst personal turmoil and societal expectations.

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.

Jeffrey

1995 Comedy, Drama

A touching romantic comedy about a thirty-something gay actor/waiter, who decides to become celibate as the AIDS crisis makes intimacy seem too risky. He searches for love in a new way.

Billy Elliot

2000 Drama, Musical

A talented young boy becomes torn between his unexpected love of dance and the disintegration of his family.

Stonewall

1995 Comedy, Drama, Romance

A group of LGBTQ+ individuals strive for dignity and respect as they navigate the early battles of the gay rights movement.

Those People

2015 Drama, Romance

On Manhattan's Upper East Side, a young gay painter must choose between his infatuation with a socialite friend and a promising romance with an older pianist.