To celebrate this year's Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, we've gathered a fantastic selection of LGBTIQ+ themed films from around the world (including Vietnam, Bolivia, Chile, France, Italy, USA and Australia) starting every weeknight at 9:30pm from Monday, May 1st on SBS World Movies (plus a few on SBS / SBS Viceland) with more titles available to stream any time at SBS On Demand. Check below for airdates and streaming availability.
NOTE: Closed Captions (CC) are available for Carol, Call Me By Your Name and Holding the Man.
Goodbye Mother Monday 1 March, 9:30pm on SBS World Movies
Vietnam, 2019
Language: Vietnamese
Director: Trinh Dinh Le Minh
Cast: Lanh Thanh, Vo Dien Gia Huy, Hong Dao
What's it about?
Van (Lanh Thanh), the heir of a Vietnamese clan, returns home from the US for the first time in nine years for the move of his father's tomb. The family is surprised to see him arrive with a Vietnamese-American man named Ian (Vo Dien Gia Huy). No one knows Ian is Van's boyfriend and they plan to come out to Van's widowed mother Mrs. Hanh, who expects him to get married and have kids to fulfil the heir's duties.
Van (Lanh Thanh), the heir of a Vietnamese clan, returns home from the US for the first time in nine years for the move of his father's tomb. The family is surprised to see him arrive with a Vietnamese-American man named Ian (Vo Dien Gia Huy). No one knows Ian is Van's boyfriend and they plan to come out to Van's widowed mother Mrs. Hanh, who expects him to get married and have kids to fulfil the heir's duties.
Streaming until January 31st, 2022 at SBS On Demand:
I Miss You Tuesday 2 March, 9:30pm on SBS World Movies
MA15+
Bolivia, USA, 2019
Genre: Drama
Language: English, Spanish
Director: Rodrigo Bellott
Starring: Oscar Martínez, Fernando Barbosa, Rossy de Palma, Rick Cosnett, Ana Asensio
What's it about?
Following his son Gabriel’s death, Jorge (Oscar Martínez of Wild Tales) travels from conservative Bolivia to New York City to confront Gabriel’s boyfriend Sebastian (Barbosa). While the two battle over Jorge’s inability to accept his son, Sebastian channels his grief into a bold new play in honor of his lost love, in which Gabriel’s inner turmoil is transformed into an eye-popping gay fantasia. Also starring Pedro Almodóvar regular Rossy de Palma.
Streaming after broadcast until February 28th, 2022 at SBS On Demand:
A Fantastic Woman Wednesday 3 March, 9:30pm on SBS World Movies
M
Chile, 2017
Genre: Drama
Language: Spanish
Director: Sebastián Lelio
Starring: Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes, Luis Gnecco, Aline Küppenheim
What's it about?
Marina's (Vega) life is thrown into turmoil following the death of her partner (Reyes). Mourning the loss of the man she loved, she finds herself under intense scrutiny from those with no regard for her privacy. The film won the 2018 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and its Oscar win became used as a point of discussion for Chilean LBGTQ activists in passing a gender identity bill, which then led to the country approving laws for transgender citizens to change their official details in 2018.
Streaming after broadcast for 12 months at SBS On Demand:
Carol Thursday 4 March, 9:30pm on SBS World Movies
M, CC
USA, UK, 2015
Genre: Drama, Romance
Language: English
Director: Todd Haynes
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Kyle Chandler
What's it about?
Based on Patricia Highsmith’s seminal novel 'The Price of Salt', the 1950s-set romantic drama from acclaimed director Todd Haynes (Safe, Far From Heaven, I'm Not There) follows Carol (Blanchett), a Manhattan socialite trapped in a loveless marriage of convenience with Harge (Chandler), whose life is forever changed when she meets a department store clerk (Mara). Nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Streaming after broadcast for 30 days at SBS On Demand:
Source: Transmission Films
Call Me By Your Name Friday 5 March, 9:30pm on SBS World Movies Saturday 6 March, 11:30pm on SBS
M, CC
Italy, France, 2017
Genre: Drama, Romance
Language: English, Italian
Director: Luca Guadagnino
Starring: Timothee Chalamet, Armie Hammer, Michael Stuhlbarg
What's it about?
Elio Perlman (Chalamet) is spending the summer with his family at their vacation home in Lombardy, Italy. When his father (Stuhlbarg) hires a handsome doctoral student (Hammer), the curious 17-year-old finds himself developing a growing attraction to the young man. Directed by Luca Guadagnino (I Am Love), from an Oscar-winning screenplay written by James Ivory (A Room With a View, Remains of the Day) and adapted from the novel by André Aciman.
Streaming after broadcast for 14 days at SBS On Demand:
Source: Movie still
Holding the Man Saturday 6 March on SBS VICELAND, 12:30am
M, CC
Australia, 2015
Genre: Drama
Language: English
Director: Neil Armfield
Starring: Anthony LaPaglia, Ryan Corr, Sarah Snook, Guy Pearce, Craig Stott
What's it about?
In the 1970s, young Timothy (Corr) finds himself confused when he falls for the captain of the football team (Stott). What follows shows all aspects of a relationship, regardless of gender or sexual preference. Conflict, temptation, and a huge burden which will affect every aspect of their lives. Based on the 1995 memoir by Australian writer, actor, and activist Timothy Conigrave, and directed by Neil Armfield (Candy).
Streaming after broadcast at SBS On Demand:
Source: SBS Movies
The Kids Are All Right Saturday 6 March, 8:30pm on SBS World Movies
MA15+
USA, 2010
USA, 2010
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Language: English
Director: Lisa Cholodenko
Starring: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska
What's it about?
Nic (Bening) and Jules (Moore) are a lesbian couple who have each given birth to a child using the same anonymous sperm donor. Nic, an obstetrician, is the primary breadwinner and the stricter parent, while Jules is more laid back and after previous failures to launch a career, is starting up a landscape design business. While the family functions well, their relationship has begun to go stale - until Paul (Ruffalo) enters the picture. Nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Picture.
Source: SBS Movies
Also streaming at SBS On Demand in the 'Rainbow Pride' collection:
The New Girlfriend
MA15+
France, 2014
France, 2014
Genre: Drama
Language: French
Director: François Ozon
Starring: Anaïs Demoustier, Romain Duris, Raphaël Personnaz, Isild Le Besco, Aurore Clement
What's it about?
Francois Ozon's humorous psychological drama stars Anais Demoustier as Claire, a young woman whose closest friend since childhood, Lea, passes away leaving behind a husband, David (Romain Duris) and a newborn baby. One day she drops by David's house unexpectedly, and finds him dressed in his dead wife's clothes. The two soon form a strong bond, and create a female persona for him named Virginia. But as David identifies more and more strongly as Virginia, Claire starts having conflicting feelings.
Cloudy River
M
Australia, 2019
Genre: Drama, Romance
Language: English
Australia, 2019
Genre: Drama, Romance
Language: English
Director: Charlie Ford, Sophie Hardcastle
Starring: Rebecca Robertson, Rowan Davie, Indigo Sparke, Caeley Wesson
What's it about?
Artist Emma (aka Cloudy) (Robertson) and musician River (Davie) have a relationship built on openness, freedom and fluidity, but the challenges of loving more than one person are put to the test when they move in together. When Emma is commissioned to exhibit at the gallery of her other lover, Zara (Wesson), she chooses to focus the show on her relationship with River, exploring the timeless bond they share, the messy situations they find themselves in, the joy and the pain of their boundary pushing relationship.
Ideal Home
M
UK, USA, 2018
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Language: English
Director: Andrew Fleming
Starring: Paul Rudd, Steve Coogan, Jack Gore, Alison Pill, Jake McDorman
What's it about?
Paul (Rudd) and celebrity chef Erasmus (Coogan) live an extravagant, self-indulgent lifestyle. Their lives are soon turned upside down when the grandson they never knew existed crashes their fancy dinner party. Written and directed by Andrew Fleming (The Craft, Dick).
Paul (Rudd) and celebrity chef Erasmus (Coogan) live an extravagant, self-indulgent lifestyle. Their lives are soon turned upside down when the grandson they never knew existed crashes their fancy dinner party. Written and directed by Andrew Fleming (The Craft, Dick).
Me, Myself and Mum
M
France, 2013
Genre: Comedy
Language: Spanish, French, English, German
Director: Guillaume Gallienne
Starring: Guillaume Gallienne, Françoise Fabian, André Marcon, Diane Kruger, Nanou Garcia
What's it about?
How to become a man when your mother and your closed circle have decided otherwise? This is the challenge Guillaume (Gallienne) took up. The film recounts Guillaume's tragicomic battle from the young age of eight, as he adopts the role of a girl then of a homosexual... until, aged 30, he meets the woman who, after his mother, will become the other woman in his life. Beyond this story of a heterosexual coming-out, the film tells the tale of an actor who never stopped loving women, maybe even a little too much.
Song Lang
M
Vietnam, 2018
Genre: Drama
Language: Vietnamese
Director: Leon Le
Starring: Isaac, Lien Binh Phat, Vu T. Le Thi, Phuong Minh
What's it about?
Set against a gloriously filmed backdrop of the distinctly jaded charm of mid-'90s Saigon, the lives of two men (Isaac, Lien Binh Phat) intertwine as they are both bound by traditions and honour. One to his mafia family, the other to the traveling troupe that performs elaborate classic operas. Yet they have much more in common than either wants to admit. Winner of the audience award at the New York Asian Film Festival and the Frameline San Francisco International LGBTQ Film Festival.
Summertime (La Belle Saison)
MA15+
Belgium, France, 2015
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Language: French
Director: Catherine Corsini
Starring: Izïa Higelin, Cecile de France, Noemie Lvovsky, Laetitia Dosch, Benjamin Bellecour
What's it about?
1971. Delphine (Higelin), the daughter of farmers, moves to Paris to break free from the shackles of her family and to gain her financial independence. Carole (de France) is a Parisian, living with Manuel (Bellecour), actively involved in the stirrings of the feminist movement. Their encounter turns their lives upside down. When Carole follows Delphine back to her family farm in Limousin, the two find lesbianism and feminism are not as easy in the countryside.
The String
M
France, Belgium, Tunisia, 2009
Genre: Romance, Drama
Language: French
Director: Mehdi Ben Attia
Starring: Claudia Cardinale, Antonin Stahly-Vishwanadan, Salim Kechiouche
What's it about?
Malik has a lot on his plate when he returns home to Tunisia after living in France. He's processing his father's death, he can't come out to his mother, and his childhood anxieties have resurfaced. But all of Malik's problems seem to fade away when he falls for Bilal, the dreamy houseboy at his mother's bourgeois estate. Winner of the audience award at the San Francisco International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival.
the entire Rainbow Pride collection at SBS On Demand
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