Just as families enjoy watching a classic holiday rom-com come Christmas time, Mardi Gras season tends to bring with it an urge to embrace the vibrancy of queer cinema.
But it can be tricky to know how, or where, to watch these films - thankfully has you covered.
With well-known blockbusters including Call Me By Your Name, Carol and A Single Man, the team at SBS On Demand has curated the ultimate of movies and short films, including some older and more obscure selections just waiting to be discovered.
Some of our favourites include:
Call Me By Your Name
Peaches are in season! In the summer of 1983, in the north of Italy, Elio Perlman, (Timothée Chalamet) a 17- year-old American spends his days in his family’s 17th century villa lazily transcribing music and flirting with his friend Marzia (Esther Garrel). One day, Oliver (Armie Hammer), a 24-year-old graduate student working on his doctorate, arrives as the annual summer intern tasked with helping Elio’s father (Michael Stuhlbarg), an eminent professor specialising in Greco-Roman culture. Soon, Elio and Oliver discover a summer that will alter their lives forever.
Carol
An instant classic. Based on Patricia Highsmith’s seminal novel 'The Price of Salt', the 1950s-set drama follows Carol (Cate Blanchett), a Manhattan socialite trapped in a loveless marriage of convenience with Kyle Chandler, whose life is forever changed when she meets a department store clerk (Rooney Mara). As conventional norms of the time challenge their undeniable attraction, an honest story emerges to reveal the resilience of the heart in the face of change.
Queen of the Desert
Not only has she got pink extensions, painted on eyebrows, glitter stockings and superman hotpants. Starlady’s a youth worker in some of Australia’s most remote and challenging places. Her tools are unique - scissors, bleach and hair colour. Like a real life Priscilla, Starlady takes us on a Queen of the Desert journey to Areyonga, an Indigenous community in Central Australia, where she’ll work with a group of curious and cheeky young people.
Room in Rome
When Alba seduces Natasha in a bar, the two women agree to limit their passionate affair to a one-night encounter. However, as they begin to slowly reveal their true selves to each other, their lust is met with deeper emotions that open the door for what evolves into a poignant character study.
Joy Boy
Based on a true story, Joy Boy revisits pivotal moments in the life of Jonny, a young man caught between his conservative family, an evangelical church and his emergent sexuality. Joy Boy follows his journey to fully embracing his inner self, his sexuality, and his joy.
Quinceanera
As Magdalena's 15th birthday approaches, her simple, blissful life is complicated by the discovery that she's pregnant. Kicked out of her house, she finds a new family with her great-granduncle and gay cousin.
If none of these tickle your fancy, don't fret! There are plenty more to choose from over at .
The Sydney Gay And Lesbian Mardi Gras 2020: Live Stream will be available to watch from Saturday, 29th February 2020 at 07:30 PM.
