2016 was a particularly golden year for the number of LGBTQ documentaries that found their way onto our screens. From movies that looked back at our history and iconic cultural figures in our past, to the ones that focused on the everyday struggles of queer youth coming to terms with their identity and fitting in within our community, to others who discovered larger-than-life activists that are making such a difference. For every one of the excellent films that made our list, we had to leave dozens out that so deserved both our attention and acknowledgement. Queer cinema has never been stronger.
Here then our TOP TEN PICKS of the BEST LGBTQ DOCUMENTARIES of 2016 (and all but No 10 are available on streaming platforms everywhere) filmed for P.T.V.
When the credits roll on respected Haitian filmmaker Raul Peck’s powerful new documentary you will notice that the screenwriter listed is in fact the late author and social critic James Baldwin himself. This memoir/semi-biography of this great African/American man of letters which links the ideas of three assassinated leaders uses only prose lifted from directly from Baldwin’s texts or letters which are read with a mixture of passion and dignity by the actor Samuel L Jackson.
queerguru reviews for P.T.V. the documentary that the NY Times declared was one of the best movies of the year, and we kind of agree.
This is one of those hard-to-believe it’s true stories that never really grabbed the attention of the media so when you come to it in ignorance and it unfolds on the screen and you hear the horrifying incredulous details, you cannot fail to be stunned into a combination of shock and anger. The latter particularly if you identify as LGBT as this outrageous case of mis-justice is deeply rooted in intransigent homophobia.
Brit trans activist and filmmaker Jake Graf talked to queergurufor P.T.V. on the day of the launch of his latest movie Headspace. He released it to mark LGBT History month, and it is a powerful and somewhat disturbing insight into the daily trials and tribulations that trans people have to deal with that most other people do not give a second thought.
Since its release, and this interview, the film has clocked up over 1 million views in the space of a little over 24 hours . It so deserves to be seen by as many people as possible, but before you check it out, see what Jake has to say about it all in our exclusive interview.
The wonderful astonishing opening sequence of a full scale choreographed musical number on a flyover in the middle of an L.A. traffic jam sets the pace for what is clearly one of the most exhilarating movie musicals for years. La La Land is only the third film helmed by 31 year old Damien Chazelle (he picked up an Oscar nomination for Whiplash his last movie) and he successfully creates a contemporary musical that is obviously inspired by all the classic ones of the genre with it’s romantic story full of hope and love.
queerguru reviews La La Land for P.T.V. as the movie arrives at the Waters Edge Cinema in P.Town.
Author queerguruPosted on Categories queerguru.tv
