The best British LGBTQ films - The UK has a long history of films exploring LGBTQ issues. The first film to feature the word “homosexual” was ‘Victim’, a British film starring Dirk Bogarde. Since the 1930s, British filmmakers have told stories of forbidden love and broached taboo topics. Here’s a rundown of the best British films about LGBTQ issues, according to the British Film Institute.

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‘Borderline’ - This is perhaps the boldest film from the Classical Hollywood period. It starred Paul Robeson (pictured) in the daring lead role.

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‘Borderline’ - The film follows a heterosexual interracial love triangle but hints at gay romance through the cinematography.

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‘Borderline’ - In one scene, a male pianist longingly stares at Robeson’s character. The camera also pays close attention to Robeson’s torso throughout the film.

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‘First a Girl’ - ‘First a Girl’ is a whip-smart comedy from 1933. It stars Jessie Matthews as Elizabeth, a woman who becomes a hit performer by pretending to be a man doing female impersonations.

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‘First a Girl’ - Sonnie Hale stars and has been recognised as “one of the first spottings of the GBF (Gay Best Friend)”, by the British Film Institute.

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‘First a Girl’ - Directed by Victor Saville (left), ‘First a Girl’ is a smart take on sexuality and gender dynamics in Hollywood.

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‘Victim’ - Dirk Bogarde denied being gay, yet rumours about his personal life followed him until his death in 1999. ‘Victim’ was a bold move for Bogarde. The film focuses on gay themes at a time when it was illegal and taboo.

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‘Victim’ - Bogarde plays barrister Melville Farr, who gets blackmailed after being photographed with romantic partner “Boy Barrett”, played by Peter McEnery.

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‘Victim’ - ‘Victim’ was the first English-language film to feature the word “homosexual” and it has been recognised as important in the normalisation of gay culture.

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‘The Leather Boys’ - ‘The Leather Boys’ was a bold drama that starred Rita Tushingham, Colin Campbell, and Dudley Sutton.

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‘The Leather Boys’ - The film follows Reggie (Campbell) as he disconnects with his wife (Tushingham). He moves in with Pete (Sutton), a gay biker with a passion for racing.

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‘The Leather Boys’ - Despite violating the Hollywood production code, ‘The Leather Boys’ was screened in the US.

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‘Sebastiane’ - ‘Sebastiane’ is one of the more raunchy inclusions on this list. It’s a historical thriller that follows Saint Sebastian from his exile to martyrdom.

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‘Sebastiane’ - Featuring heavy nudity and an all-Latin script, ‘Sebastiane’ was “successfully aimed at a very specialized homosexual audience”, according to author Margaret Walters.

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‘Sebastiane’ - The film was directed by Derek Jarman and Paul Humfress. Jarman would go on to address gay sexuality in films ‘Blue’ and ‘The Angelic Conversation’.

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'My Beautiful Laundrette' - This gritty drama follows a Pakistani immigrant (Gordon Warnecke) as he falls in love with an ex-National Front member (Daniel Day-Lewis).

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'My Beautiful Laundrette' - Directed by Stephen Frears, ‘My Beautiful Laundrette’ also tackles issues of racism, culture clash, and Britain under Margaret Thatcher's leadership.

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'My Beautiful Laundrette' - The film was a hit with both critics and audiences alike. It was even nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay but lost out to Woody Allen’s ‘Hannah and Her Sisters’.

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‘Young Soul Rebels’ - Directed by Isaac Julien, ‘Young Soul Rebels’ tells interconnecting stories of youth culture in London.

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‘Young Soul Rebels’ - White, gay punk Billibud (played by Jason Durr) falls in love with a black man, Caz, and the pair both face homophobia in their respective communities.

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‘Young Soul Rebels’ - ‘Young Soul Rebels’ received the critics prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1991. Isaac Julien went on to direct great films including ‘Derek’, a documentary about Derek Jarman.

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‘Orlando’ - This film stars Tilda Swinton as the titular star. It’s based on Virginia Woolf’s book of the same name.

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‘Orlando’ - Orlando is a male character, tasked by Queen Elizabeth I to stay young forever. Along the way, he transforms into a woman, and the world around him feels completely new.

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‘Orlando’ - Directed by Sally Potter, ‘Orlando’ is a subtle film that deals with historical approaches to gender and sexuality.

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‘Beautiful Thing’ - This coming-of-age drama follows two victimized teens who discover feelings for each other.

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‘Beautiful Thing’ - Linda Henry stole the screen as teenage Ste’s single mother, Sandra.

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‘Beautiful Thing’ - The film was widely praised by critics. Roger Ebert wrote “the boys' lives contain few surprises… but from the other characters there is one astonishment after another”.

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‘Weekend’ - Written and directed by Andrew Haigh, ‘Weekend’ is a low-budget romantic drama that grossed over a million dollars worldwide.

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‘Weekend’ - Tom Cullen (pictured) and Chris New star as Russell and Glen, a couple that have a blossoming relationship after a one-night stand.

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‘Weekend’ - ‘Weekend’ was lauded by critics. Writer Bret Easton Ellis called it “the greatest film about gay men ever made”.

(Photo: CC BY 2.0)

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