Maudern Movies, a weekly series that curates films for your viewing pleasure. The following flicks were curated by Ryan Fitzgibbon.
Pride month is a moment for both pause and celebration—a time of remembrance for the brave who have won past battles and those that are leading the fight on the road ahead. In honor of this month, we asked Ryan Fitzgibbon, the founder of Hello Mr., a serial entrepreneur, and activist living in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to give us his favorite LGBTQ films.
From Orlando (based on Virginia Woolf’s novel) to Laurence Anyways, these pioneering films depict the breadth of identity and the fight for equality through their intimate portrayal of queer individuals and relationships as characters trail blaze to drive to change while receiving backlash from their peers. Cult-classic director John Cameron Mitchell depicts the sexual relationships of New Yorkers in the wild comedy Shortbus. The Adventure of Priscilla Queen of the Desert is an energetic drag heroine journey through the Australian desert. The others center around the relationships of young couples trying to change the conversation around sexuality. Here are six films to round out your Pride.
Orlando, 1992
Directed by: Sally Potter
Starring: Tilda Swinton, Billy Zane, Quentin Crisp
Set in 17th century England, a young nobleman Orlando (Swinton) falls in favor with Queen Elizabeth I (Crisp) and is instructed by her to always remain the stately gentleman he is. After an affair with the princess of Russia, he joins the ranks of the military in a wartorn Constantinople. While he is there, he wakes up as a woman and must face the prejudices as he returns home.
Where to watch: Amazon
The Adventure of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, 1994
Directed by: Stephan Elliot
Starring: Guy Pearce, Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving
Drag Queens Anthony (Weaving) and Adam (Pearce) with trans friend Bernadette (Stamp) go on tour through the Australian desert in their van named Priscilla. The performers learn of Anthony’s true reason for the trip as their travels continue.
Where to watch: Amazon, Vudu
Shortbus, 2006
Directed by: John Cameron Mitchell
Starring: Sook-Yin Lee, Paul Dawson, PJ DeBoy
John Cameron Mitchell’s first film after his cult classic film Hedwig and the Angry Inch follows New York sex therapist Sofia (Lee) and her husband Rob whose own sex life is lackluster. When clients of hers suggest she spice things up by attending their weekly mixer called the Shortbus. It is there she is exposed to a range of characters that begin to reinvigorate her sex lfie.
Where to watch: Amazon
The Weekend, 2011
Directed by: Andrew Haigh
Starring: Tom Cullen, Chris New
The film follows a would-be brief one nightstand turned more as Russell (Cullen) and Glen (New) quickly develop feelings for one another after an evening out. It’s an honest depiction of a growing passion and love as the pair must grapple with the realities of their lives.
Where to watch: Amazon
Laurence Anyways, 2012
Directed by: Xavier Dolan
Starring: Suzanne Clément, Mevil Poupaud, Monia Chokri
Highly revered author and professor Laurence’s life seems perfectly put together—he is in a relationship with his girlfriend Fréderique and continues to be successful in his literary career. As the film progresses, Laurence tells his girlfriend his desire to be a woman and grapples with beginning to change as he faces judgment from his school and family. The film flashes forward and shows the duo reunite after nearly 5 years apart.
Where to watch: Amazon, Netflix
Beats Per Minute, 2017
Directed by: Robin Campillo
Starring: Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, Arnaud Valois, Adele Haenel
Centered in Paris amongst the AIDS Act Up activists, a young man Nathan (Valois) joins the weekly meetings and encounters the groups’ leader Sean (Biscayart). Sean is a HIV positive man whose views on activism and reform Nathan finds extremist. The two enter into a relationship, soon Sean’s health begins to decline, as they continue to find ways to fight for LGBTQ rights.
Where to watch: Hulu, Vudu, Amazon