7 Latin American LGBTQIA+ Films to Watch For Pride Month
Happy Pride Month! Remember movies? No, remember going to the movies? Neither do we. Luckily, the country’s successful vaccination campaign means that movie theaters are opening up again and it’s once again safe to head back to one of those big, over-air conditioned rooms. However, while we love going to movie theaters, they do typically lack in foreign language films. Watching movies is a great way to practice your target language, especially practicing listening to multiple speakers at the same time. So what’s a Spanish learner to do? Check out one of these 7 fantastic Spanish-language LGBTQIA+ films for a pride-filled language learning adventure!
Fuera de Carta (Spain 2008)
Fuera de Carta (Chef’s Special— literally ‘outside of the menu’) is a comedy about a chef who is running a busy restaurant. Disruptions to his already hectic life come to him in the form of being reunited with his estranged children, a new same-sex romantic interest, and the Michelin Guide food critic is coming to review his restaurant. Can he(name?) have it all? Watch on (streaming platform) to find out!
You can rent Fuera de Carta on Apple TV.
2. Joven y Alocada (Chile 2012)
Have you ever seen the show Awkward? Or perhaps Gossip Girl? Right in line with the late 2000s, early 2010s “Precocious Blogger” aesthetic, Joven y Alocada (Young and Wild) follows (name), a typical Chilean teenager who expounds the details of her personal life on a blog with an audience of zero. As her life becomes tangled in bisexual romance and religious conservatism, her blog gains notoriety as the hottest webpage in town. In addition to being heartwarming and funny, this juicy coming-of-age story is based on a real blog!
You can rent Joven y Alocada on YouTube and Google Play.
3. Plata Quemada (Spain 2001)
Plata Quemada (Burnt Money) isn’t your classic queer romance flick. It’s no Brokeback Mountain, and it certainly isn’t Call Me By Your Name. This film is a gay Bonnie and Clyde. The story’s got action, crime, and romantic passion and it’s not afraid to play with your favorite movie trops along the way.
You can watch Plata Quemada on Amazon Prime Video.
4. Viva (Ireland):
Although its director is Irish (Paddy Breathnach), Viva is a Spanish-language film. The drama centers on Jesus (Héctor Medina), a young gay Cuban man who dreams of becoming a drag queen. These dreams are put on hold when Jesus’s estranged father (name) returns. Throughout the movie, our protagonist must make a painful choice between living his truth and being with his family.
You can rent Viva on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube.
5. Contracorriente
Contracorriente (Undertow) is a film that follows Miguel as he sneaks around his small Peruvian fishing village to be with his secret lover Santiago. Without giving too much away, the film quickly takes a turn and weaves a coming out narrative into a story about ghosts and the rumor mill that is inevitable in small-town life
You can rent Contracorriente on Apple TV.
6. Todo Sobre Mi Madre (Spain 1999)
¡Penelope Cruz Alert! Todo Sobre Mi Madre (All About My Mother) is a complex trans-positive story that was ahead of its time. The film follows Manuela as she travels from Madrid to Barcelona after the death of her son Esteban in search of Lola, her son’s biological father. Manuela reunites with her self-actualized and transitioned ex-lover as she learns about an entire new world of queer Spaniards.
You can watch Todo Sobre Mi Madre on Amazon Prime Video and YouTube.
7. Elisa y Marcela
This film is based on the true story of the first gay marriage in Spain. Taking place in 1901, the film follows Elisa and Marcela as they try to get their love solidified under the power of Holy Matrimony. While Elisa y Marcela hasn’t received the best reviews from critics, it is still an in depth look at some of the events surrounding the notorious marriage and provides a great way to practice your Spanish.
You can watch Elisa y Marcela on Netflix.
8. Bonus: Gun Hill Road
While this film isn’t in Spanish, it is a fantastic glimpse into Bronx Latinx life. The film follows Enrique as he adjusts back to life after prison and living with his trans daughter, Vanessa. Its storyline has been critiqued as being a touch cliche at times, but the film is praised for providing a slice of life on what it’s like to live in the Bronx, using Vanessa to shed light on the experiences of trans women of color.
You can rent Gun Hill Road on Amazon Prime Video.
Some Spanish Vocab to Help You Talk About Movies
La película - Film
El cine - Movie theater (Also “film” informally in the US)
El argumento - Plot
El personaje - Character
El escenario - Setting
Thanks for Reading!
Have any other LGBTQIA+ Spanish-Language films that you love? Comment their names below!
Thumbnail photo by Photo by Corina Rainer