Biographical Gay Films - Gay Films Matter

SHORT FILM

Law and Order

2012 Documentary

Two naked elderly gay men talking about their relationship and the good old days, and chatting in a refreshingly candid manner about their fetishes, sadomasochistic predilections and bondage.

The Gay Agenda 34

2025 Compilation

A collection of gay short films exploring love, desire, relationships and vulnerability, with stories that offer different perspectives on attraction, connection and gay experiences.

SHORT FILM

Coming Out

2011 Drama

Joel prepares to come out to his parents, grappling with the right moment and the words to use, uncertain of their reaction to his revelation.

Blue

1993 Drama

Against a plain, unchanging blue screen, a densely interwoven soundtrack of voices, sound effects and music attempt to convey a portrait of Derek Jarman’s experiences with AIDS, both literally and allegorically, together with an exploration of the meanings associated with the colour blue.

SHORT FILM

Talk Straight, Duda

2024 Documentary

A gay filmmaker seeks advice from the queer community before coming face to face with his father about their painful past, grappling with the question: why is it so hard for us to connect?

SHORT FILM

A Moffie Called Simon

1987 Documentary

A collage of found footage from different media presenting the case of Simon Nkodi, a black gay activist and student leader in South Africa, who had been in jail for two years when the film was produced. Exploring the connections between anti-apartheid struggles and gay liberation, A Moffie Called Simon is based on letters from Nkodi to his lover, Ray, a Canadian gay journalist.

SHORT FILM

Bi the Way

2022 Animation

An intimate animation about the difficulties of being a non-binary person in a binary world. The film follows Amir's personal life story plus interviews with world renowned researchers in the field of gender studies.

SHORT FILM

A Fine Girl

2020 Documentary

An optimistic portrait of Brandi, a thriving Black transgender woman in the Deep South. As she works to open a luxury salon, her various communities support her in inspiring ways.

SHORT FILM

My New Friend

1987 Drama

An older man meets and becomes fascinated by a younger man in this somewhat autobiographical tale.

SHORT FILM

Beakman & Jok

2021 Documentary

Explores the complex and fascinating life of Bay Area artist, leather man, AIDS activist, and renowned children's science educator Jok Church. Church revolutionized children's science education through his internationally syndicated comic strip, bestselling children's books, and the hit TV show Beakman's World.

The Fall of ’55

2006 Documentary

In 1955 and 1956, Boise, Idaho was swept up in a moral panic after three men were arrested for having sex with teenage boys. Although investigators claimed a vast child sex ring existed, none was ever found. The investigation charged 16 men, drew national attention, and left lasting scars on the community.

SHORT FILM

The Leaf

2021 Documentary

Director Will Zang chronicles his experience as both a filmmaker and a gay, Chinese immigrant during the COVID-19 pandemic.

SHORT FILM

Small Town Secrets

2005 Documentary

Katherine Leggett's home movies and webcam conversations with her gay parents, who live in a small Midwestern town.

SHORT FILM

XY Anatomy of a Boy

2009 Documentary

Can you be a virgin, gay and into girls? An intimate study of six homosexual boys. In the changing room some of the uncertainties and embarrassment’s of youth emerge, such as the tale of hunky Peter, romance and the naff value of losing your virginity during a Disney movie.

Lord Montagu

2013 Documentary

The inside story of Lord Edward Montagu, one of England's most controversial and iconic aristocrats of the Twentieth Century.

Lonely Child

2005 Drama

After celebrating his boyfriend's birthday, a man goes camping with him and another gay couple.

Miwa: A Japanese Icon

2010 Documentary

Looks back at the 50-year career of Akihiro Miwa, a celebrated Japanese entertainer who captured attention playing the glamorous female lead of the 1968 cult classic 'Black Lizard.' Performing as a female while living off-stage as a man, Miwa has used glitter, wit, evening gowns and enchanting storytelling as a vessel for gay activism and more.

SHORT FILM

The Night Belongs to Children

2017 Documentary

A filmmaker reflects on his lifelong struggle with anorexia nervosa, from childhood through adolescence, and explores his complex relationship with food as an adult.

Pine Cone

2023 Romance

Filmmaker Sid Mehra falls in love for the first time and over two decades becoming cynical about love and the changing landscape of queer rights in India in the year 1999.

SHORT FILM

Young Man at the Bar Masturbating with Rage and Nerve

2015 Comedy, Documentary

Dance and night work intersect in Jonathan's body, exploring themes of physical expression and societal taboos through a provocative lens.

SHORT FILM

Desert Cruising

2024 Drama

Inspired by filmmaker Charles Lum’s own cruising diaries, an anonymous voice recounts a string of sexual encounters in the desert, where desire, intimacy and fleeting moments of connection unfold beneath the open sky.

SHORT FILM

The Battle of Amfar

2013 Documentary

When AIDS struck in the early 1980s, a scientist and a movie star did not have to respond - but they did. Dr. Mathilde Krim and Elizabeth Taylor joined forces to create amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research. The fight against HIV has never been the same.

COMING SOON

Willie and Jimmy Dean

2027 Drama, Romance

1950s Hollywood becomes the backdrop for a secret relationship between a young writer and his roommate, James Dean. As both men pursue recognition and suppress their desires, their bond intensifies, shadowed by consequences neither can escape.

Nelson Sullivan’s World of Wonder

1994 Documentary

Explores the life and legacy of Nelson Sullivan, whose home videos captured the energy, creativity, and everyday moments of New York City's late-1980s downtown and LGBTQ+ communities from an intimate insider's perspective.

SHORT FILM

Homecoming

2017 Documentary, Drama

From his upbringing in a deeply religious Jewish settlement in the West Bank to becoming an EU citizen and a speechwriter for the Vice President of the European Commission, Dan's extraordinary transformation is examined through the eyes of his brother, who sets out to understand the journey that changed him.

Bottom

2012 Documentary

A man living in New York City is determined to have intimacy with as many men as possible in a year.

Question One

2012 Documentary

A film chronicling the 2009 Maine state referendum campaign on same-sex marriage on both sides.