Summer is the perfect time to curl up indoors away from the sweltering heat and take in some great new films. And there are many truly worthwhile films coming out this summer, like "Bros" and "Fire Island." But here are a few LGBTQ films that may not yet be on your radar screen.
Neptune Frost - Watching this sci-fi punk, Afrofuturist musical is like entering another dimension. When an intersex runaway and an escaped miner find each other, powerful reverberations are unleashed. This film is a wake-up call to the urgent need to reclaim technology for good lest it be used to enslave us all. Directed by Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman, it opens June 3 in NYC, at Laemmle Theatres in Los Angeles on June 10, with a national rollout to follow.
Tahara - Set in Rochester, the film begins with the suicide of a Hebrew school classmate whose funeral proves to be the perfect setting for a romantic encounter. The soundtrack brilliantly punctuates the uniquely Yiddish humor that runs throughout the film. Winner of the Award for Best Directorial Feature Debut of a Black LGBTQ+ Filmmaker at NewFest 2020, directed by Olivia Peace, opens June 19.
Wildhood - This is a poignant film that stays with you. When Link finds out his mother, long presumed dead, could actually be alive, he and his younger half-brother leave their abusive father. On the road, they meet a pow-wow dancer who persists in befriending him despite his reluctance, allowing the boys to find community, love, and belonging. Directed by Bretten Hannam, it begins streaming on Hulu on June 24.
What's In a Name? - What makes a person worth loving? This is one of many fascinating questions posed by phenomenal singer Lady Zen in her introspective film about her extraordinary life. In a hypnotically beautiful speaking voice, she confides in us. Watching the film is like being in an irreverent confessional with her.
an orphan in 'What's In a Name?'
She was born in Brazil, given away by an abused teen mother, and adopted by Arkansas missionaries. In retrospect, a major life's trauma occurred when she was 11 or 12 when her born-again father told her she looks like dyke and to stop it. This particular form of child abuse is yet to be recognized by the far-too-new field of psychology. But through the power of her art, she manages to heal her life. Directed by Jon Tracy in Guanajuato, Mexico, it begins streaming on www.theatrefirst.com on July 23.
My Policeman - A bisexual policeman marries a woman even though he's in love with a man. Set in the 1950s and filmed in the U.K., the film fast-forwards to the gay '90s when the love of his life at last returns, with life-changing consequences. Directed by Michael Grandage, the release date is not yet set.
Thor: Love and Thunder - Is Thor gay? Fans want to know. He is, after all, an archetype of manhood itself, so it wouldn't be a stretch. And the film's trailer features a brief moment where Chris Hemsworth is stripped naked. Beyond that, this much-anticipated sequel delves deeper into the sexuality of queer superhero Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson). Directed by Taika Waititi, it'll be in theaters July 8.
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