Coming-of-Age Gay Films - Gay Films Matter

SHORT FILM

True Colours

2016 Drama

An increasingly desolate teenage schoolboy creates a coded language using paint colour sample cards to express his secret desires and feelings for the object of his affection.

SHORT FILM

Testing

2022 Comedy

A young gay man visits a clinic for an STI test, anxious about a recent encounter. His nerves quickly escalate when he realizes the doctor on duty is the older man he just spent the night with.

Anderson’s Cross

2010 Comedy, Drama, Romance

Explores the lifelong bond and evolving dynamics among three friends in their journey through life's challenges and their own unique paths.

BARE – The Beginning

2023 Romance

While his parents separate, Peter is sent to St. Cecilia Catholic Boarding School. There, he meets Jason, a fellow student and his new roommate. Their initial encounters are fraught with friction, but over time, they develop a deep bond.

SHORT FILM

Adam

2013 Drama

Tackles teenage bullying in a high school setting, exploring the consequences when a student's declaration of love for another boy triggers hostility and solidarity among classmates.

SHORT FILM

Just Friends

2025 Drama

A tender story of unrequited love between a young gay man and his straight best friend, set in the summer of New York City.

SHORT FILM

What We Don’t Tell

2020 Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Jeremy, a twenty-two-year-old drifter, goes on a search for the man who abused him as a child. When he finally finds him in his luxurious office tower, now living comfortably as a successful businessman, Jeremy decides to sneak into his life and enact a slow yet devastating vengeance.

SHORT FILM

The Kiss on the Cliff

1993 Drama, Romance

In 1980s Wyoming, Steve navigates unrequited love for his best friend Mark.

School’s Out

2018 Drama, Mystery, Thriller

A substitute teacher is put in charge of a class of future geniuses after their teacher commits suicide.

Beginners

2010 Comedy, Drama, Romance

Oliver, a graphic designer, is captivated by the free-spirited and unpredictable Anna. His father's memories push him to embrace the possibility of a real, lasting relationship.

SHORT FILM

Notti bianche

2021 Drama, Romance

Inspired by Dostoyevsky's 'White Nights', two young men are thrust together by chance when one must vacate his apartment and the other desires to move in, testing their boundaries.

SHORT FILM

Water

2014 Drama

Carlos, a young Mexican swimmer, encounters Daniel one day at the pool. Could this be love at first sight?

Heartbeats

2010 Drama, Romance

Three close friends find themselves entangled in a love triangle that challenges their loyalties, friendships, and understanding of romantic dynamics.

SHORT FILM

Beautiful Alexander

2019 Romance

Insecure teenager Alexander confronts his feelings for a boy on a diving board, embarking on a cautious dance towards each other's hearts.

Jitters

2010 Drama, Romance

A 16-year-old Icelandic boy experiences "jitters" after his first kiss with another boy, navigating adolescence amidst familial challenges and peer dynamics.

SHORT FILM

Hand Off

2019 Drama, Fantasy, Romance

A rugby player's confession of love for his teammate strains their friendship, leading him into a fantasy world with an imaginary friend as he navigates the macho culture of rugby.

Waterberry Tears

2010 Drama

Goyo, a gay teenager in an immigrant Mexican family, navigates identity and acceptance in California's Coachella Valley, portraying a poignant coming-of-age tale.

SHORT FILM

A World for Raúl

2012 Drama

When Raul is tasked with entertaining the local landowner's son, a game of power and pride ensues between the boys.

This Is What Love in Action Looks Like

2011 Documentary

A documentary follows a 16-year-old in 2005 Memphis sent to a "Fundamentalist Christian" program, with his local community protesting daily at the facility, featuring former clients' stories.

SHORT FILM

Between the Sheets

2020 Comedy

A peculiar shirt on the communal clothesline catches a young man's attention, stirring his curiosity about the stranger who hangs it out to dry.

Playdurizm

2020 Fantasy, Horror

When a teenager finds himself caught in a glitchy-glitzy reality with his onscreen male idol, he does all he can to be possessed by this man and ignore the violent clues of how he got there.

SHORT FILM

Truth or Dare

1995 Comedy, Drama

Two girls and two boys, play a game of truth or dare. It's innocent and harmless, but at each turn, each youth tries to raise the ante.

Judas Kiss

2011 Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi

A failed filmmaker revisits his alma mater, rewriting his destiny and seeking second chances.

SHORT FILM

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

2022 Drama, Romance

On a sweltering summer morning, Arnau heads to his mother’s workplace—a lavish home. There, he encounters Javier and feels an immediate spark. Assuming he has no chance with Javier, Arnau tries to dismiss his feelings, convinced their paths won’t cross again. But fate has other plans.

Private Romeo

2011 Drama, Romance

A modern retelling of Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' set in an isolated all-boys military academy, following the forbidden romance between two cadets.

Close to Leo

2002 Drama, Romance

When 21-year-old Leo tells his rural French family that he’s HIV positive, their relationships are pushed to the limit. His brother Marcel senses something is wrong, and during a trip to Paris, he finally confronts Leo about what he suspects.

That’s What I Am

2011 Comedy, Drama, Romance

In 1965, 13-year-old paperboy Andy is paired with a geek for a school project, revealing lessons of friendship and personal growth in the backdrop of junior high dynamics.