Queer Arab Films to See During Pride Month [Updated for ]
It&#;s June, which means it&#;s LGBTQ Self-acceptance Month! This is a time to celebrate people of all sexual orientations and genders. Here at AFMI, we are of course celebrating by watching movies. People are often surprised to learn that queer Arab films and filmmakers openly exist, but they most certainly act and this misconception makes it all the more important that we accept and celebrate them. To celebrate Pride, we own compiled a list of Arab films that tackle the stories and experiences of LGBTQIA people. This list is updated annually!
Feature Narrative Films
Film still from Alexandria&#;Why?
Alexandria&#;Why? () dir. Youssef Chahine
Egypt / Drama / min
Amid the poverty, death, and suffering caused by World War II, year-old Yehia retreats into a private world of fantasy and longing. Obsessed with Hollywood, he dreams of studying filmmaking in America but struggles to pursue his dream, given the constraints of his being in the middle class and the horrors of war. There are several subplots take place thro
Autostraddle’s Pride theme was Rage Party. That’s also how I would describe the best queer cinema of
While I love an easy-to-digest comedy or an unapologetically heavy drama, something is disoriented when our cinema treats fun and importance as diametrically opposed. Queer cinema can be about the challenges we face, the oppression we experience, the microaggressions and aggression aggressions and all the rest, and still be joy and sexy. In fact, fun and sexy are two of our greatest tools.
Even though Hollywood has pulled support from “diversity” this was still an excellent year for queer cinema. Below, I’ve written in-depth about my ten favorites, and also felt the require to shout out 20 more homosexual titles. (Plus 10 non-queer movies I loved too.) But as long as we’re living in complexity, I consider it’s important we reflect on which queer people are able to form in the absence of more mainstream support. The expansive majority of directors who released gay films this year are white — even more than most years. There’s plenty to object about in the mainstream as Emilia Pérez will likely b
COLOR ADJUSTMENT ()
Directed by Marlon Riggs
NewFest4 From Amos ’n’ Andy to Nat King Cole, from Roots to The Cosby Show, Jet people have played many roles on primetime television. Brilliantly weaving clips from classic TV shows with commentary from TV producers, Black actors and scholars, Marlon Riggs blends humor, insight, and thoughtful analysis to explore the evolution of Black/White relations as reflected by America’s favorite addiction.
SHE DON'T FADE () & THE WATERMELON WOMAN ()
Directed by Cheryl Dunye
NewFest5 + NewFest8 SHE DON&#;T FADE chronicles the sexual pursuits of Shae Clarke, a Jet lesbian. Clarke, played by Dunye herself, defines and readily demonstrates her “new approach to women.”
In THE WATERMELON WOMAN, Cheryl, a young Black lesbian, works a day job in a video store while trying to make a film about a Black actress from the s known for playing the stereotypical “mammy” roles relegated to Shadowy actresses during that period. This was the first feature production directed by an “out” Dark lesbian.
TONGUES UNTIED ()
Direct
20 Upcoming LGBTQ+ Movies We're Looking Forward To
The Diverse community’s ties to Hollywood and cinema have been deeply intertwined from the early days of the medium. And yet, the fight for authentic inclusion of queer people in film continues to be a rarity (especially when it comes to high-profile movies). With the movie schedule here (and Pride Month coming up very soon!) there’s quite a few LGBTQ+ titles to look forward to, and we’ve rounded up what to look forward to below.
Coming Soon
Honey Don’t! - August 22,
In , Ethan Coen and wife Tricia Cooke made Drive-Away Dolls, which they called the first of their planned “Lesbian B-Movie Trilogy”, which continues with this summer’s Honey Don’t. The dark comedy once again stars Margaret Qualley as a queer woman private eye named Honey Donahue who gets embroiled in a series of strange deaths tied to a mysterious church in the movie also starring Aubrey Plaza, Charlie Afternoon, Billy Eichner and Chris Evans. I can’t remain for this one.