From tossing tropes like the gay best friend, murderous bisexual, and the straight male lesbian fantasy into a poor representation salad, we’ve come a long way with queer representation in media. As the whirlwind of exams dies down and you’re finally free to breathe in the beginnings of the long vacation, why not take the chance to celebrate with a good bottle of wine and a movie? Featuring an array of directors from all over the world, here is a curated menu list of movies that Pride Month is sure to be proud of:

Amuse-Bouche: Happy Together (1997)

Happy Together won director Wong Kar-Wai a Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival and it shows; featuring household names Tony Leung and bisexual icon Leslie Cheung, it tells the story of an on-again, off-again couple from Hong Kong who take a spontaneous trip to Argentina together but break up halfway through the journey, leaving both stranded literally and emotionally. The film balances moments of flirty banter that makes you kick your feet, with visceral arguments that punch you hard in the gut. Happy Together is a poignant study of loneliness and longing, the hazy melancholy made palpable through Wong’s patented cinematography; it poses the difficult question of when loving becomes synonymous with letting someone go.

“Queer is an implicit critique of how society actively silences anything other than heteronormativity”

Appetizer: Queer (2024)

You might know him as James Bond or Detective Benoit Blanc, but Daniel Craig never ceases to amaze with his versatile range; he plays American expat William Lee in 1950s Mexico City, desperate to find companionship through bar hopping and one night stands. He soon becomes infatuated with a G.I. named Eugene, following him to Ecuador on a journey of self-discovery where he might get more than what he bargained for. When considering the queer experience alongside centuries of bigotry and prejudice, it inexplicably connotes estrangement, an alienation from even one’s own existence; “I’m not queer, I’m disembodied”, remarks Eugene. Queer is an implicit critique of how society actively silences anything other than heteronormativity, those caught in the crossfire forced to either ostracise the soul from their body, or be ostracised as a consequence.

Main Course: Farewell My Concubine (1992)

Haven’t had enough of Leslie Cheung? Here’s another one for you. Born at the turn of the 20th century, Cheng Dieyi is sent to a traditional Peking opera troupe where he flourishes into a celebrated hua-dan (a man that plays feminine roles). However, theatre and reality begin to coalesce when he falls for his best friend and co-star Duan Xiaolou, culminating in tragedy. This epic historical drama is set against the backdrop of tumultuous socio-political changes in China, where the traditional clashes with the new and cultural preservation becomes collateral damage. It also deals with sensitive topics like gender confusion, art censorship, and bloody politics. Although this film is culturally specific and requires quite a bit of context, it is also brutally and stunningly honest in its storytelling, winning the Palme d’Or at the 1993 Cannes.

Add-On: The Handmaiden (2016)

If you’re interested in a bit of a trip, look no further than psychological thriller The Handmaiden. Set in Japanese-occupied Korea, a con-man hires a young pickpocket Sookhee to infiltrate a rich heiress’s house as her maid so that he can marry her, inherit her fortunes, and discard her in a mental asylum.

“For your final bite, a sweet fruity finish”

His plans go awry when Sookhee falls for heiress Hideko in the process, falling deeper into a convoluted scheme rife with betrayal and desire. Park Chanwook is a genius when it comes to plot twists – emphasis on ‘twist’, because they are often sadistically twisted – and The Handmaiden is no exception. Yet the story doesn’t rely solely on suspense and erotica, following a deliberate pattern in withholding and revealing information that indicates masterful control over the art of storytelling.

Dessert: Tangerine (2015)

For your final bite, a sweet fruity finish! Before Sean Baker rose to critical acclaim with Anora this year, he shot Tangerine through the gritty lens of an iPhone 5S. It follows the Christmas Eve of two sex workers, Sin-Dee and Alexandra, the former hunting down her cheating pimp boyfriend while the latter prepares for a night-time gig. Worn down by the struggles poverty brings, the weary Los Angeles streets are perpetually saturated by an orange hue, like a long day that never really comes to an end. Yet amidst insults and confrontations, what rises to the forefront are communal ties within marginalised groups, a bond so strong that the tension bleeds quietly into the setting sun. Tangerine is by no means a light-hearted watch, but it is a tender story of solidarity and friendship that blossoms even in the most difficult of circumstances.

In our current hostile, irony-poisoned world, it’s important to remember that every identity is valid and to never be ashamed of who you are. It is only through compassion that we can open our hearts to the stories of those we have once so callously shut out, celebrating their lived experience and creating something beautiful in the process. Happy watching, and more importantly, happy pride!