Pride Month is here, and so begins the season of embracing queerness full-stop, with parades, parties, and continuing to build community. In fact, just existing through this month feels radical and necessary. And even a movie night, being chismoses and sharing an unapologetically queer movie or show with friends can be a respite.
There are plenty of great movies or TV shows to catch that highlight the delights, strengths, and joys of the LGBTQ+ Latine community. From classic 1990s camp to biopics and documentaries highlighting queer Latine icons and subcultures, here are some recommendations for what to watch this Pride!
This post is part of Remezcla Pride 2023: The Joy Edition. Read more posts like this here.
1
To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar (1995)
When drag queens Noxeema Jackson (Wesley Snipes) and Vida Boheme (Patrick Swayze) win a trip to Hollywood to compete in a national drag pageant, they decide to bring newcomer Chi-Chi Rodriguez (John Leguizamo) along for the ride. Their trip gets derailed, but the queens just might save a small town during their detour. Parts of the movie haven’t aged well, but it’s still a part of the queer canon because of its lessons of self-love and expression. With thoughtful performances and Leguizamo in particular stealing the show as Chi-Chi, it’s a must watch.
2
One Day at a Time (2017 - 2020)
This lovely re-imagining of the 1975 sitcom of the same name features a Cuban-American family living their day-to-day lives. While the show was beloved for its depiction of a tight-knit Latine household, its first season showcases Elena’s (Isabella Gomez) realization that she’s queer, and her coming out to her family. It’s a character arc that doesn’t end at the first season, with Elena finding a love interest in Syd (Sheridan Pierce), a nonbinary character, and coming into her own at school by starting a GSA club.
3
Y tu mamá también (2001)
Alfonso Cuarón’s bittersweet, sexually charged coming-of-age story is an essential watch. Another road trip movie following teenage friends Tenoch (Diego Luna) and Julio (Gael García Bernal) as they traverse Mexico with Luisa (Maribel Verdú), who’s just ended her marriage to Tenoch’s cousin. On their journey, the trio share stories, sleep with each other, and the boys eventually uncover unspoken truths they’ll have to reckon with years later. It’s a movie that examines class, desire, and machismo. But it’s funny, visually stunning, and sincerely heartfelt, too.
4
Los Espookys (2019 - 2022)
The surreal humor of Julio Torres takes center stage in Los Espookys, a short-lived but beloved half-hour comedy show from HBO. The sitcom follows friends in Latin America who take their love of horror and special effects work and turn it into a unique business. The characters’ queerness is matter-of-fact and treated as normal, which is its own delight worth celebrating. Come for the brilliant work of Torres and company, and stay for a big, spooky, queer family.
5
Frida (2002)
The life of Frida Kahlo, Mexican artist and queer icon, is brought to life in this lush, surreal take from director Julie Taymor. We follow Frida (Salma Hayek) through the seasons of her life, from her start as a student through her tumultuous relationship with Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina), but it never shies away from her queerness or the way that she embraces who she is. In an iconic scene, Frida wins a drinking contest and a dance with Tina Modotti (Ashley Judd). There’s even a cameo from Frida’s real-life friend, lover, and icon in her own right, singer Chavela Vargas.
6
La flor más bella (2022)
The story of Mich (Esmeralda Soto), a plus-sized high-schooler who loves herself despite her school’s colorist, sexist, and fatphobic ideals is also a story of queer self-discovery. Colorful, enchanting, and a love letter to femme Latines who are “too much,” La flor más bella is a great spin on the teen coming-of-age story that’s worth watching this Pride.
7
Chavela (2017)
Speaking of Vargas, it would be a major oversight to exclude the 2017 documentary all about her life and work from this list. A celebration and examination of the enigmatic singer, Chavela examines the singer’s radical life from her birth in Costa Rica to her passing in Mexico. The film also highlights Vargas’s androgynous, playful gender presentation through candid interviews with the singer. “I wore pants and the public was stunned,” she says in one interview. “Both men and women were into me. Everyone!”
Don’t forget that this post is part of Remezcla Pride 2023: The Joy Edition. Read more posts like this here.