Celebrate Pride Month with GLAAD Media Award Nominated Films

In 2022, GLAAD, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, noted over 140 incidents of anti-LGBTQ protests and threats targeting drag events alone. This grim statistic showcases the importance of representation in media – and in programming – to foster acceptance.

Recently, GLAAD announced their nominees for the 34th annual GLAAD Media Awards, including feature films. “With violence, harmful legislation, false rhetoric, and other attacks on the LGBTQ community continuing to escalate, it’s more crucial than ever that our community remains visible and included in the stories that the world sees in film, television, music, journalism, and other forms of media,” said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “This year we have more nominees than ever before to represent immensely impactful projects that entertain, educate, and grow the acceptance of LGBTQ people. From new stories that debunk lies about transgender youth to kids and family programming which allows all families to be represented, this year’s nominated media images are beloved by audiences and are creating real change.” Learn more about the films below, and why you should program them this Pride Month and beyond.

In the Outstanding Film – Wide Release, ten films were nominated. All ten films are available for licensing from Swank. They include a mix of indie films, horror films, dramas, and family-friendly titles – which means it’s easy to program a film for every patron at your library. They are

Bros
This film made history as the first R-rated gay rom-com from a major Hollywood studio, and the first with an all openly gay cast. The movie features LGBTQ role models alongside entertaining and sentimental commentary about the state of the modern LGBTQ community.

A Man Called Otto
This touching drama about a depressed widow who’s lost his will to live features a trans character, Malcolm. Otto lets Malcolm live with him after his father throws him out. Through that, and other acts of kindness, Otto builds connections and finds reason to keep on living.

Nope
Jordan Peele’s latest film features a queer character played by Keke Palmer, who is queer herself.

Lightyear
Pixar has had a handful of unambiguous LGBTQ characters in its animated films, but “Lightyear” marks the first time a Disney film includes a same-sex kiss. Alisha Hawthorne, a female space ranger, is in a “meaningful” relationship with another woman and a kiss occurs between them on screen.
 
Scream
The fifth chapter in the longstanding horror franchise includes an overt queer character Mindy, played by queer Black actress Jasmin Savoy Brown. “The directors and the writers have done a beautiful job of making characters that aren’t tropes and aren’t caricatures,” Brown told Logo. “They’re just people existing in this world. When they asked for collaboration, they were just asking me to be my full self. So there wasn’t a lot of tweaking to do. I felt I could just fully exist just as myself, which is a person who happens to be queer, and the writing reflects that.”

Spoiler Alert
Starring Jim Parsons, Ben Aldridge and Sally Field, this gay-centered love story is based on TV journalist Michael Ausiello’s heartbreaking and hilarious 2017 memoir of the same name. The film documents the ups and downs of his 13-year relationship Kit Cowan, including Kit’s cancer diagnosis and untimely death in 2015.

Strange World
This animated film features Disney’s first out, queer character in a lead role, Ethan Clade. Not only is he accepted and loved by his family, but his queerness isn’t a plot point or used as a teachable moment.

Tar
Starring Cate Blanchett, Nina Hoss and Noémie Merlant, the film’s titular character – Lydia Tár, is a fictional and renowned orchestra conductor with a penchant for power trips and younger women. 

Tar
Starring Cate Blanchett, Nina Hoss and Noémie Merlant, the film’s titular character – Lydia Tár, is a fictional and renowned orchestra conductor with a penchant for power trips and younger women. 

Everything Everywhere All at Once
This multiverse, kung fu comedy is also an emotional story of queer acceptance and identity. The family dramedy centers on the relationships between stressed laundromat owner Evelyn, her amiable husband and their lesbian daughter Joy.

Bodies Bodies Bodies
The central characters in this Gen Z whodunnit horror comedy are queer, yet there’s no overt commentary around it. Plus, the movie wasn’t marketed as a queer-horror movie, yet the plot hinges on a queer relationship.

Drag Story Hour
Get even the tiniest patrons involved in the festivities by including a Drag Story Hour before or after your screening of “Lightyear” or “Strange World.”

Teen Pride Series
Give LGBTQ teens and allies a safe space to meet and engage with one another with a monthly meetup series. Ideas include crafts, book discussions featuring queer characters or by queer authors, and relevant movie screenings. For teens, “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” “Nope” and “A Man Called Otto” are all great picks.

Speakers & Panels
Identify relevant partners to help you lead discussions around issues and change within the LGBTQIA+ community. Ideas include legal issues, identity affirmation, or how to be an ally and advocate. Cap off your discussions with a new, relevant film like “Bros.”

All films mentioned are available through our public performance license.

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