English title: With Every Heartbeat
Year: 2011
Country: Sweden
Language: Swedish
Mia is planning on marrying Tim, but when Mia's father presents her his new wife, the wife's daughter catches Mia's attention. As Mia and Frida learn more about each other, their relationship develops and they discover things about themselves in the process.
A surprisingly interesting and beautiful film. The chemistry between the two actresses pulls this movie through.
English title: Spider Lilies
Year: 2007
Country: Taiwan
Language: Mandarin
Jade becomes obsessed with an image of a Spider Lily at Takeko's tattoo shop. Soon, the two of them become friends.
Another strongly symbolic LGBT movie by Zero Chou, author of Piao lang qing chun / Drifting Flowers (2008).
Original title: Circumstance
English title: Circumstance
Year: 2011
Country: Lebanon (filling for Tehran, Iran)
Language: Persian
Atafeh and Shireen are party girls in the dangerously repressive Iranian regime, Atafeh's brother Mehran sets his eyes on Shireen. There is more than meets the eyes behind the veils...
A surprisingly daring film by Iranians/Persians in exile.
English title: Priest
Year: 1994
Country: UK
Language: English
Father Greg has troubles adjusting to his new parish because of the liberal, political Father Matthew with whom he has to share office. When it turns out that Greg lives a double life and meets Graham, his lover, on the side, the dilemmas of the faith set in.
Having met the director, Antonia Bird, through Ravenous (1999), I was quite surprised to see him direct an LGBT movie. It is a daring take on faith and religion, perhaps a necessary milestone.
English title: The Journey
Year: 2004
Country: India
Language: Malayalam
Kiran loves Delilah, but the rumors of arranged marriages are present and it is not a love you can speak up about, in a mountainous village down in Kerala.
An interesting look at rural India where, not surprisingly, LGBT love also blooms. Beautiful landscapes and the main actresses are charming.
English title: The Chinese Botanist's Daughters
Year: 2006
Country: Vietnam (filling for mainland China)
Language: Mandarin
The botanist's daughter falls in love with the apprentice. Beautiful scenery, as often in Asian movies. Symbolism and flowers flourish.
English title: The World Unseen
Year: 2007
Country: South Africa
Language: English
The Apartheid rages in South Africa, but for Miriam and Amina, both of Indian heritage, there are even more prejudices to face.
Uniting Lisa Ray and Sheetal Sheth of I Can't Think Straight (2008) fame, this outlook on the South African society of the 60's is quite surprising but works very well.
English title: Bent
Year: 1997
Country: UK (filling in for World War 2 - Germany)
Language: English
Homosexuality was not a shame in Germany in the 20's and early 30's, but things rapidly changed and Max ends up in a concentration camp.
Very powerful and historical movie, this is definitely not an LGBT comedy. The mix of shame and dignity in the face of horror stands out and this movie will not leave you unstained.
English title: The Fish Child
Year: 2009
Country: Argentina
Language: Spanish
A painful story of forbidden love and separation.
Carried by Inés Efron and directed by Lucía Puenzo, both of XXY (2007) fame. Some powerful scenes but some downtempo at times.
English title: Summer Storm
Year: 2004
Country: Germany
Language: German
Tobi and Achim are best friends and in the same rowing team. The film follows them on a trip on a lake shore for a competition, but one of the opponents team is a proudly gay and out team which makes Tobi question his own friendship with Achim.
A sweet coming of age story, the clash between the openly out team and the others helps the movie forward. Hopeful movie.
English title: Fire
Year: 1996
Country: India
Language: Hindi / English
A story of forbidden love between middle-aged women in conservative India. Part of a trilogy with Water (2005) and Earth (1998).
Publicized as "taboo breaking" it does just that, and it does it well. A strong romance, never blunt and never falling into clichés.
English title: When Night Is Falling
Year: 1995
Country: Canada
Language: English
The clash between a literacy professor and a circus artist as they fall in love. Very powerful imagery, mostly around the circus. One of the best of its kind.
English title: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Year: 1994
Country: Australia
Language: English
A bisexual man, a gay man and a transsexual, all part of a dance show crew go on a trip to perform in the middle of (desert) Australia.
Plays on the stereotypes perfectly with a large dose of humor, starring some of the most famous Australian actors nowadays. Priscilla is the bus and to see it, in the desert with those men (and lady) in costumes is breathtaking.
English title: Saving Face
Year: 2004
Country: USA
Language: English / Mandarin / Shanghainese
A Chinese-American mother and her daughter are both troubled by their relationships as they try to speak out and be accepted in a close-knit community.
A glimpse at the Chinese-American community with an LGBT point of view. I often mistake Saving Face with Red Doors (2005) for that exact reason. Joan Chen is absolutely amazing.
English title: Water Lilies
Year: 2007
Country: France
Language: French
Floriane and Marie are complete opposites. One is the attractive captain of the swimming team and the other is a skinny misfit. They will still end up being friends as prejudices fall and hopes rise.
Impressive work by such young actresses. Sometimes blunt, but always top notch on the visual side. A tale of suburban forbidden love around the swimming pools.
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