Films or TV shows serve as an important medium in influencing people's self-expression and identities. In order to realistically reflect the society we live in, representation through forms of popular culture and art becomes somewhat important. For years, LGBTQ+ people exist on screens largely to act as the butt of a joke, misinterpreted, and stereotyped, with its character's significance ever only being acknowledged by the audience merely as the gay best friend or the repulsive trans woman.
From this fact alone, an accurate representation of the LGBTQ+ community needed to be executed in a proper way to give the community recognition, as well as validation to normalize queerness. Thus, in honor of Pride Month, here are some queer film recommendations, freshly picked by our editorial team. Happy watching!
 The Handmaiden/ Foto: IMP Awards |
Hani, Writer
The Handmaiden (2016)
I remember watching this masterpiece with my brother not knowing anything about the plot at all because he was the one who picked which movie to watch. It is also the first time I saw Kim Tae Ri's performance as an actor before her astounding character delivery of Na Hee Do in Twenty Five, Twenty One. More about the movie, it showcases an engaging adventure, tension, romance, and empowerment, with all the beautiful scoring and cinematography that made my eyes glued to the screen for 145 minutes. One lesson learned; be gay, do crimes.
 Arisan!/ Foto: Wikipedia |
Dian, Editor
Arisan! (2003)
Arisan! is one of the 'strange' genre movies I watched as a teenager. This film by Nia Dinata opened my view of a new world in which the fellow man could fall in love and be together. Although it was a little bland at first, the story that was epically written left me lost in the movie without any judging whatsoever. Moreover, the kissing scene between Tora Sudiro and Surya Saputra made me unconsciously flutter. To me, this movie has what it takes to break down the normality of Indonesian movies in the modern era!
 The Danish Girl/ Foto: IMP Awards |
Dinar, Writer
The Danish Girl (2015)
A very heartwarming movie to watch about finding one's identity and the struggles within. Starring Eddie Redmayne who plays the role of Einar Wegener, a husband who was asked to stand in for a female model for his wife--Gerda Wegener, a portrait artist--that later brought him to Einar's life-long gender identity as a woman, who then named herself Lili Elbe.
 Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku/ Foto: IMDb |
Tasya, Writer
Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku (2018)
Ketika Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku tayang di bioskop, muncul sebuah petisi untuk memboikot film tersebut karena dituduh mendukung LGBT. Padahal, Kucumbu Tubuh Indahku adalah sebuah karya yang membicarakan tema-tema penting seperti gender, seksualitas, dan trauma yang membentuk pengalaman tubuh. Film ini bercerita tentang Juno, seorang pemuda desa yang memilih untuk menjadi penari Lengger Lanang. Karakter Juno pun diperankan dengan sangat apik oleh Muhammad Khan.
 The Prom/ Foto: IMP Awards |
Natasya, Social Media Strategist
The Prom (2020)
"Some hearts can conform, fitting the norm, flaunting their love for all to see. I tried to change thinking about how easy life could be." The Prom may not be the 'best' movie on the list and there is a lot of controversy surrounding the cast. But one thing's for sure, The Prom is about celebrating love, in all its shapes and forms. This movie-musical adapted from a Broadway show tells the story of Emma, a small-town girl in Indiana who wanted to bring her girlfriend to prom but got refused by the Parent-Teacher Association. The lively music and witty lyrics also help the movie to be more enjoyable and make you feel warm and fuzzy by the end of it.
 Bohemian Rhapsody/ Foto: IMP Awards |
Tasya, Graphic Designer
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Film ini sebenarnya tidak spesifik menceritakan tentang LGBTQ+. Namun, perjalanan Queen dalam membentuk band mereka tidak lepas dari sosok Freddie Mercury yang pada masa mudanya mempertanyakan orientasi seksual dirinya. Beberapa bagian di film ini secara gamblang menceritakan saat tahun 1980-an pengetahuan mengenai kesehatan seksual masih rendah, terlebih kepada pemakaian kondom, sehingga pada saat HIV dan Aids sedang dalam puncaknya, ada stigma negatif masyarakat bahwa Aids hanya menyebar pada LGBTQ+. Dalam film ini, penonton tidak hanya diajak kembali bernostalgia pada kisah dan lagu Queen yang epic, tetapi terdapat perjuangan LGBTQ+ dalam menentang stigma negatif yang melekat di Amerika saat itu.
