The Academy’s history with rewarding LGBTQIA+ stories has always been grim. Since the prestigious awards ceremony debuted in 1929 – almost a century ago – cis-het films have reigned supreme, and those with LGBTQIA+ narratives have been widely snubbed.
In the rare case that an LGBTQIA+ film has been recognised, it’s to award a cis-het actor for embodying a character whose sexuality and/or gender identity they don’t personally align with: Rami Malek in Bohemian Rhapsody, Sean Penn in Milk, Jared Leto in Dallas Buyers Club, Hilary Swank in Boys Don’t Cry and so forth.
While it’s important to recognise that strides have been made in recent years – such as Barry Jenkins’ lauded 2016 drama Moonlight winning the coveted Best Picture and Ariana DeBose making history as the first queer woman of colour to win an Oscar in an acting category – it’s still rare for the Academy to honour authentic LGBTQIA+ stories.
Ahead of the 96th Academy Awards, we’re reflecting on the iconic – and groundbreaking – LGBTQIA+ films that deserved more, from Jennie Livingston’s trailblazing 1990 documentary Paris is Burning and Saim Sadiq’s commended debut Joyland.
120 BPM (Beats per Minute) (2017)
Cast: Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, Arnaud Valois, Adèle Haenel, Antoine Reinartz, Felix Marituad, Médhi Touré, Aloïse Sauvage
Directed by Robin Campillo, 120 BPM (Beats Per Minute) was one of the most lauded and decorated films of 2018, winning six César Awards – including Best Film – and the Grand Prix, yet it failed to garner a single Academy Award nomination. Chronicling the members of ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) in 1990s France to spectacular – and heart-wrenching – effect, with powerhouse leading performances from Nahuel Pérez Biscayart and Arnaud Valois, the drama at least deserved a nod for Best Foreign Language Film.
Blue is the Warmest Color (2013)
Cast: Léa Seydoux, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Salim Kechiouche, Aurélien Recoing, Catherine Salée, Benjamin Siksou
Based on the 2010 graphic novel of the same name from Jul Maroh, Blue is the Warmest Color follows the relationship between French teenager Adèle (Adèle Exarchopoulos) and the blue-haired art student Emma (Léa Seydoux). With its unanimously positive critical reception and success at awards ceremonies – it made history as the first film to win the Palme d’Or for both the director and lead actresses – it seemed like a sure-fire nominee for Best Foreign Language Film. Like 120 BPM, however, it was entirely snubbed.
Carol (2015)
Cast: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Jake Lacy, Kyle Chandler, John Magaro, Cory Michael Smith
Unlike the above entries – and most entries on this list, actually – the Oscars recognised the existence of Carol, bequeathing the iconic romance with six nominations including Best Actress for Cate Blanchett and Best Supporting Actress for Rooney Mara. The Academy were widely criticised, though, when they omitted Carol from Best Picture and Best Director, which many critics attributed to the LGBTQIA+ themes and its trailblazing portrayal of, not just queer women, but women in general. The Todd Haynes-directed drama follows an older woman (Blanchett) navigating a difficult divorce who embarks on a forbidden love affair with an aspiring female photographer (Mara).
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson (2017)
Netflix’s documentary about Marsha P. Johnson, directed by David France, explores the trans trailblazer’s inspiring journey as a founding member of the Gay Liberation Front and her part in the Stonewall Uprising of 1969, as well as the mysterious circumstances surrounding her death in 1992. The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson was amongst the most acclaimed films of 2017 and has since been hailed as groundbreaking for LGBTQIA+ and trans visibility, yet the story didn’t make much of an impact with any major awarding bodies, let alone the Academy.
Disclosure (2020)
Exploring how transgender people are depicted in the mainstream and the impact of their stories on transgender lives and U.S. culture, Disclosure features interviews with prominent LGBTQIA+ stars such as Laverne Cox, Trace Lysette, Angelica Ross, Candis Cayne and Brian Michael Smith. In similar vein to some of the aforementioned films, Disclosure was met with universal critical praise, yet it didn’t translate into awards galore. At the 93rd Academy Awards, Best Documentary Feature was awarded to My Octopus Teacher.