Oscar-Profitable LGBTQ Films Everybody Ought to See
Once upon a time, “Oscar-winning LGBTQ movies” sounded like an oxymoron. Then Hollywood started expanding the types of stories it produced. The Academy had no choice but to take notice.
From acting to editing, a large body of work has tackled topics around sexuality and gender, and picked up some Oscars along the way.
The following list captures the best of the best. Anyone looking to curate an emotionally involved binge session need look no further:
Cabaret (1972)
No list about Oscar-winning LGBTQ movies can go without mentioning the most iconic one of all: the iconic Cabaret. Starring Liza Minnelli, Michael York, and Helmut Griem, this sizzling musical follows the formation of an unexpected love triangle against the rise of the Hitler in 1930s Berlin.
Cabaret swept the 45th Academy Awards in 1973 with 8 out of 10 wins — including Minnelli for Best Actress and David Bretherton for Best Film Editing. Critics across the U.S. praised the film’s tenacity and willingness to tackle tough topics such like polyamory, political corruption, and the challenges of dancing in heels.
Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
When most people say they’ll do anything for love, they mean move across country or give up smoking. In the Oscar-winning LGBTQ movie Dog Day Afternoon, Al Pacino’s character Sonny Wortzik goes a lot further by robbing a bank to raise money for his partner’s gender-affirming surgery.
The film earned Frank Pierson a win for “Best Original Screenplay” at the 48th Academy Awards in 1976. Based on a true event, Dog Day Afternoon includes the iconic scene of Sonny confronting the police while passionately yelling “Attica! Attica” in reference to the infamous Attica Prison Rebellion.
Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)
Kiss of the Spider Woman joined the pantheon of Oscar-winning LGBTQ movies with its release. Also known as O Beijo da Mulher Aranha, two prison inmates, played by Raul Julia and William Hurt, interrogate societal gender expectations against the harrowing backdrop of political strife in Brazil.
Hurt’s performance earned him a win for Best Actor at the 58th Academy Awards in 1986. His character has a more explicit connection to trans identity in Manuel Puig’s book. Yet, the love between Luis and Julia’s Valentin Arregui forces the latter to confront uncomfortable truths about his masculinity.
The Crying Game (1992)
An unexpected bond turns into unforeseen deception in The Crying Game. A British soldier held captive by the Irish Republican Army becomes friends with one of its members. His request for the other man to watch over his girlfriend slowly transforms into a forbidden romance between the two.
The LGBTQ movie didn’t exactly sweep the 65th Academy Awards in 1993. Neil Jordan, however, walked away with the award for Best Original Screenplay statue. Jaye Davidson didn’t win for his portrayal of the transwoman who stole their hearts, but the impact of his role still resonates to this day.
Philadelphia (1993)
When young queer people begin looking for media representation, they eventually stumble upon Oscar-winning movies like Philadelphia. The film boldly tackles the terrifying realities of trying to hide one’s LGBTQ identity in the midst of the AIDS Crisis sweeping across the U.S. in the early 1990s.
Inspired by a true event, Philadelphia received five nominations at the 66th Academy Awards in 1994. Tom Hanks won for Best Actor and Bruce Springsteen won for Best Original Song. Queer generations afterward, though, got to see a little of their lives depicted on a critically-acclaimed stage.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of Desert (1994)
By the time The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert became an Oscar-winning movie, mainstream LGBTQ representation had lost its spark. So much of it centered around tragedy. In comparison, this Stephan Elliott-directed romp felt like a breath of fresh air in a windowless room.
No wonder Lizzie Gardiner and Tim Chappel took home awards for “Best Costume Design” at the 67th Academy Awards in 1995. The film contained a myriad of outfits befitting three drag queens boldly making their way across the Australian outback in search of bigger and better opportunities.
Todo Sobre Mi Madre (1999)
While most Oscar-winning LGBTQ movies have been in English, Todo Sobre mi Madre tells a story entirely in Spanish. The film explores sexuality, gender, and faith through its main character’s attempts to process her grief and channel her parental urges toward taking care of her new-found family.
Also known as All About My Mother, the film won Best Foreign Language Film at the 72nd Academy Awards in 2000. Roger Ebert, the notoriously tough critic with the Chicago Sun-Times, praised the film for its tremendous ability to strike a unique balance between serious drama and brightly-colored satire.
Boys Don’t Cry (1999)
Boys Don’t Cry tells the tragic, real-life story of Brandon Teena, a 21-year-old transman brutally assaulted and murdered in 1993. The Oscar-winning LGBTQ movie held back on the depravity of Teena’s death. But it accurately depicted the all-too-common dangers faced by transgender people worldwide.
Hilary Swank took home the award for Best Actress, one of two nominations received at the 72nd Academy Awards in 2000. While most critics loved the film, journalist Noelle Howey felt that many had missed its primary message, which warned of continuing violence against queer people in the U.S.
Monster (2003)
Monster has become of the most iconic Oscar-winning LGBTQ movies. Charlize Theron literally disappeared into her portrayal of real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos. Christina Ricci held her own as Wuornos’ girlfriend, but Theron’s performance remained on everyone’s mind for years.
Naturally, Theron won for Best Actress at the 76th Academy Awards in 2004. She later referenced the iconic role in a Saturday Night Live sketch and an episode of Arrested Development. The pop culture impact of Monster has since elevated the depts of immersion actors will dive into for a role.
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Brokeback Mountain follows the tragic romance between two closeted ranch hands in 1960s Wisconsin. With a memorable score and an even more unforgettable cast, this film has stood the test of time simply by showing the tumultuous highs and lows of an unexpected love story.
The film won most of the nominations it earned at the 78th Academy Awards in 2006 — including Ang Lee for Best Director. The commercial success of this Oscar-winning LGBTQ movie reminded studios of the viability of bold storytelling. Too bad the film’s poignant ending left audiences heartbroken.
Capote (2005)
Translating the lives of real LGBTQ people into movies can get very complicated. Sony Entertainment took a chance anyway with the Oscar-winning film Capote. Philip Seymour Hoffman’s portrayal of Truman Capote left critics in awe of his ability to immerse himself so completely into the role.
Capote received five nominations at the 78th Academy Awards in 2006. Hoffman took home one of the biggest with Best Actor in a Leading Role. Toby Jones (best known for playing Zola in the Captain America movies) also played his own version of Capote in Infamous, but lacked Hoffman’s charisma.
Milk (2008)
In 1977, Harvey Milk became the first openly gay official elected in the U.S. after a historic win in San Francisco. Sean Penn later shared Milk’s life with the world in the Oscar-winning LGBTQ movie Milk. The film follows his rise into politics and the assassination that took him away too soon.
Of the many nominations received at the 81st Academy Awards in 2009, Sean Penn won for Best Actor and Dustin Lance Black for Best Original Screenplay. Some agreed with the accolades received by Penn. Others had harsher opinions of his performance. Either way, he had all of Hollywood abuzz.
Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
Sometimes, the best cure for bigotry comes from walking in someone else’s struggle. Matthew McConaughey’s character learns the hard way in the film Dallas Buyers Club. His doctor diagnoses him with AIDS and it drives him to desperate measures to find medicine for himself and others.
McConaughey and Jared Leto made history at the 86th Academy Awards in 2014. They became the fifth set of actors to win Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor for the same movie. Based on a true story, Dallas Buyers Club has earned the label of “must-watch” in the category of Oscar-winning LGBTQ movies.
The Imitation Game (2014)
Most people don’t know the story of real-life cryptanalyst Alan Turing. Even less know the impact of his work as a gay man while enduring ramped homophobia in STEM. Oscar-winning movie The Imitation Game wowed viewers and taught them about one of the most influential LGBTQ people in history.
Graham Moore won Best Original Screenplay at the 87th Academy Awards in 2015. Still, not everyone walked away from the film with glowing praise. Turing’s niece accused the film of downplaying his gay identity and relationships in favor of playing up his brief affair with a woman.
The Danish Girl (2015)
Hollywood has always loved biographical LGBTQ movies — especially book adaptations. So, it seems kismet for The Danish Girl to gain Oscar-winning status for its portrayal of Danish painter Lili Elbe. Played by Eddie Redmayne, the film explains her vital role in 1930s gender-affirming surgery.
Alicia Vikander walked away from the 88th Academy Awards in 2016 with Best Supporting Actress. However, she had no choice but to weather the storm of negative public opinion surrounding her nomination. While some people felt she didn’t deserve it, she still took home the film’s only award that night.
Moonlight (2016)
Barry Jenkins had creative experience prior to directing Moonlight. Still, his work on one of the most prominent LGBTQ movies landed him with Oscar-winning street cred. The coming-of-age film follows Chiron through the chaotic phases of his life and coming to terms with his sexuality.
Moonlight made headlines for many reasons. One of which occurred at the 89th Academy Awards when Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty accidentally announced the wrong winner for Best Picture. It turned into one of the funniest award ceremony blunders of 2017 and has continued to live on in infamy.
Una Mujer Fantástica (2017)
Una Mujer Fantástica tells the heart-wrenching story of a transwoman mourning her boyfriend’s passing. Also known as A Fantastic Woman, the Oscar-winning LGBTQ movie highlights the grief she experiences while surrounded by transphobic characters who refuse to acknowledge her humanity.
A Fantastic Woman winning for Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards in 2018 had historic implications. Daniela Vega became the ceremony’s first transgender presenter. The film also paved the way for important legislation changes in Chile for transgender people.
Call Me by Your Name (2017)
Call Me By Your Name, like other Oscar-winning LGBTQ movies, explores the tragedy of self-exploration. Its fascination with uncovering how its main characters experience love and heartache borrows from its literary source and translates this moving love story for the silver screen.
James Ivory took home a win for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 90th Academy Awards in 2018. Funny enough, though, controversy around age gaps and questionable fruit usage took precedence. Rumors circulated for years of a sequel based on the follow-up novel, but it eventually died a quiet death.
The Favourite (2018)
Many people these days support women’s rights. But do they also support women’s wrongs? The Oscar-winning LGBTQ movie The Favourite asked that question and received a resounding “Yes!” Who knew that a period piece about a queer love triangle would turn into such a critically-acclaimed hit?
Of the film’s many nominations at the 91st Academy Awards in 2019, Olivia Colman took home one of the most prestigious awards: Best Actress. While Colman has plenty of her own talent, working off the chemistry of Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone gave every on-screen interaction a delicious bite.
Green Book (2018)
Like many Oscar-winning LGBTQ movies, Green Book studies characters through the lens of injustice. The film dives into the real-life friendship between gay Black pianist Don Shirley and his straight Italian-American driver Frank “Tony Lip” Vallelonga as they travel across the U.S. in the 1960s.
At the 91st Academy Awards, Mahershala Ali won for Best Supporting Actor and the film itself won for Best Original Screenplay. The drama around its win for Best Picture, however, caused many to seriously reconsider the types of Black stories celebrated by the Academy and its many prestigious voters.
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Bohemian Rhapsody tackles the trials and tribulations of the legendary band Queen. The film mostly follows the rise of its legendary lead singer, Freddie Mercury, and profiled the composing process of some of the band’s most iconic music.
Among its many wins at the 91st Academy Awards, Rami Malek made history as the first Egyptian-American actor to win for Best Actor.
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