Watch the best LGBTQ movies and series on Netflix
Halfway through the Pride month, all the major streaming services are highlighting their queer content now more than ever. Streaming giant Netflix has always been at the top of the game with a wide range of queer content across different countries and languages. Here’s our recommendation for the 15 best LGBTQ movies and series on Netflix.
While streaming services have been around for a while now, it was actually during the pandemic that the entire world got hooked to these OTT platforms to surf and stream through endless content. While the rest of the world is still debating about inclusivity and LGBTQ rights, filmmakers and production houses have taken to Netflix and other platforms to feature LGBTQ movies and series.
Not only has Netflix included commercial and indie movies and TV series based on the LGBTQ community, but it has also made and produced several of its own original content around the theme, if not as the main plot, then as a subplot. Netflix has consistently championed the cause of the LGBTQ community across all genres, from light-hearted rom-coms to more serious and dark genres. It is impossible to list all of them, so here are the top 15, some of which are personal favourites as well.
LGBTQ movies and series on Netflix
Directed by: Ashim Ahluwalia; Gul Dharmani, Kabir Mehta
Cast: Anjali Sivaraman, Ayesha Kanga, Naina Bhan, Gurfateh Pirzada,
Synopsis: The Indian remake of the French show Elite, Class is based on three lower-class youths who join a posh, upscale international school in Delhi. The series follows them through the dramatic events with their counterparts in school. This series gained a lot of attention for showcasing teenage issues that exist today.
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Directed by: Andrew Cividino
Cast: Dan Levy, Eugene Levy, Annie Murphy, Catherine O’Hara
Synopsis: The absolute benchmark of how free-flowing and non judgemental an ideal world would be, Schitt’s Creek hits all the right notes. It follows the Rose family who suddenly go bankrupt and the only remaining asset they have is a small town named Schitt’s Creek, where they move to live. As they keep planning their escape, fate has something else in store for them.
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Created by: Laurie Nunn
Cast: Asa Butterfield, Emma Mackey, Ncuti Gatwa, Gillian Anderson, Mimi Keene, Aimee Lou Wood
Synopsis: Netflix’s flagship queer series, this British sitcom touches upon the lives of several high-school students, and their parents. At the core of it are students who are dealing with their lives, sexuality, budding romances, heartbreaks and teachers.
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Directed by: Vetrimaaran, Sudha Kongara Prasad, Vignesh Shivan, Gautham Vasudev Menon
Cast: Kalidas Jayaram, Anjali, Jaffer Sadiq, Sai Pallavi, Kalki Koechlin
Synopsis: This is a Tamil anthology drama that features four short films directed by Sudha Kongara, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Vetrimaaran and Vignesh Shivan. The realistic stories are emotionally intense and explore how love can get affected by a bunch of external factors and personality traits, such as pride and honour.
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Directed by: Neeraj Ghaywan, Kayoze Irani, Raj Mehta, Shashank Khaitan
Cast: Fatima Sana Shaikh, Nushrratt Bharuccha, Jaideep Ahlawat, Shefali Shah, Manav Kaul, Aditi Rao Hydari, Konkona Sen Sharma
Synopsis: Another anthology film, this features four short films, each different from anoto tther. But the one that grabbed everyone’s attention for its portrayal of lesbian relationships in India is the Konkona Sen Sharma-Aditi Rao Hydari starrer Geeli Pucchi. How societal and marital ties restrict a woman from being her true self and thus, her freedom is what this short film is about.
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Directed by: Harshavardhan Kulkarni
Cast: Chum Darang, Rajkummar Rao, Bhumi Pednekar, Gulshan Devaiah
Synopsis: This is the story of Shardul, a gay police officer, and Suman, a lesbian woman, who have to hide their sexual identities because of society. They get married to each other to take the edge off their families. However, when Suman’s girlfriend moves in with them, they start spinning lies about her identity. In the process, they get entangled in a mess.
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Directed by: Sachin Kundalkar
Cast: Anjali Sivaraman, Prateik Babbar, Dr. Neelay Mehendale
Synopsis: Based on a book by the same name, Cobalt Blue is an endearing, aesthetic and heartbreaking tale of how a paying guest changes the lives of a traditional family. He comes to their home and the aspiring author brother and his free-spirited sister both fall for him. How they both navigate their feelings of love and betrayal is beautifully portrayed in this film.
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Created by: Mae Martin
Cast: Mae Martin, Charlotte Ritchie, Lisa Kudrow
Synopsis: Mae Martin, a queer comedian is also a recovering drug addict, who has a lot of issues in life. She makes honest efforts to get a hold of her life but as she starts dating her girlfriend, things start to complicate further. To add on to that, her relationship with her parents keep getting worse.
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Directed by: Shonali Bose
Cast: Kalki Koechlin, Sayani Gupta, Revathi
Synopsis: A rebellious young woman who is battling cerebral palsy goes to New York for her studies. After having been looked after and taken care of by her mother all her life, she finds a life away from her disease in the US. As she embarks upon a journey to know herself better, she unexpectedly falls in love and discovers her bi-sexual orientation.
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Directed by: Thiagarajan Kumararaja
Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Fahadh Faasil, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Ramya Krishnan
Synopsis: This much-acclaimed Tamil film was praised for all the right reasons. Special mention to Vijay Sethupathi, whose portrayal of Manickam set a new benchmark in the Indian film industry. The film chronicles four individuals who find themselves in unexpected situations, all on the same day. But each of them are destined to meet their fate.
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Directed by: Shelly Chopra Dhar
Cast: Anil Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, Juhi Chawla
Synopsis: Sweety, an introvert and shy girl from a traditional family, hides a secret about being in love with a woman. Instead she decides to marry a writer to please her father. But, their lives turn upside down when she decides to fight back to win her love. This film portrays the true reality of how sexuality is perceived in small towns in India.
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Directed by: Luca Guadagnino
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Armie Hammer
Synopsis: Based on the book with the same name, this is a story set somewhere in northern Italy. Elio, a teenager, develops feelings for Oliver, who visits their home over a summer to assist his father. This temporary, short-term relationship blossoms over time and Elio becomes aware of his sexual orientation.
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Directed by: Alice Wu
Cast: Leah Lewis, Alexxis Lemire, Daniel Diemer
Synopsis: A shy, but academically brilliant Chinese-American student helps the school-popular woo a girl. But the twist is that she secretly desires her too. It doesn’t take them much time to connect and soon they find themselves discovering a lot about what love feels like. The film ends on a beautiful note, something that yu must watch to find out.
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Directed by: Marta Kauffman, Sam Waterston, Craig T. Nelson
Cast: Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sam Waterston, June Diane Raphael, Martin Sheen
Synopsis: Grace and Frankie have been at loggerheads all their lives and they have always maintained the rivalry. However, their worlds come crashing down when their husbands announce that they are in love with each other and want to get married. Shattered by this news, the ladies only have each other to turn to.
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Created by: Jenny Han
Cast: Anna Cathcart, Gia Kim, Choi Min-young
Synopsis: An American rom-com series, this is a spin-off of the Netflix film, To All the Boys. The series is based on the youngest Kovey sister, Kitty Song Covey, who is of the impression that she has decoded love. What happens when she moves to South Korea to be with her long distance boyfriend? You need to watch to find that out.
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