Queer Cinema Challenge (Official, June 2023)

[sacmersault]

Spoiler

1. Patrik 1.5 (2008) Gay, Sweden, Rainbow Mafia
2. Joyland (2022) +Pansexual, Pakistan
3. Funeral Parade of Roses (1969) Trans, Japan
4. Desert Hearts (1985) Lesbian, Rainbow Mafia
5. The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972) Bisexual, Germany

6. The Wedding Banquet (1993) Gay, Taiwan, Rainbow Mafia


Very 90s, but endearing. Love how Chinese culture was depicted: complicated, but would give their all for their family.

7. Joel Creasey: Fame Whore (2020) Australia


Nothing special. Needed something to make me laugh; sort of succeeded.

[Fergenaprido]

6. Born in Flames (1983 L USA) - 7ish
I can appreciate the audacity of the film, but I feel like I'm not familiar with the context and references of the time it was made to really get it. One review I saw mentioned it's largely influenced by a book from 1980, so maybe I need to read that first to understand it more. I also wasn't clear if it's supposed to be set 10 years in the future, or if it was contemporary and the revolution of 10 years earlier was just like it was an alternate timeline. And while I suppose it technically could be considered scifi since it's speculative fiction about the future/alternate reality, there's no actual technology in the film that didn't already exist, so it's hard for me to consider it as such. Incidentally, this gave me a bronze on the BFI Sci Fi list, even though my primary motivation for watching it was I'm aiming for Gold on the BFI Flare list (4 more after this). Either way, even if I don't get the film, I'm glad it hasn't been overlooked and it got a restoration so that folks could (re)discover it. The acting is pretty wooden, and the plot wasn't always coherent to me, but it was still a pretty groovy ride and definitely a landmark in independent filmmaking.

Taste the Rainbow

1. Chuck & Buck (2000 B USA) - 7.5ish
2. Gun Hill Road (2011 T USA Personal) - 6.5ish
3. Lan se da men [Blue Gate Crossing] (2002 L TWN) - 8ish
x. Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015) - 6ish
4. Hustler White (1996 Q GER) - 7ish
5. Fake (1996 G JAP) - 6.5 ish

[sol]

14. Fake (1996) Gay Japan

Secretly in love with each other, two closeted detectives take a vacation together where they both hope to express their true feelings.

One more thing I forgot to mention before, but I was surprised that a mid-90s movie had no homophobia at all, and there was no big coming out or big deal about the two detectives (or any of the other characters) being gay. I didn't get the impression that either one of them was closeted, but that the only thing that was hidden was their attraction to each other (or at least for one of them). It seemed pretty clear to me that the Chief knew exactly why Dee wanted to go on vacation with Ryo and his younger brother and the girl both knew for sure based on the bet they made.

I don't know, as you've mentioned, quite a bit of the film was unclear (and I am just assuming that Biki was a younger brother; could be cousin also, dunno). I thought the part where they were sitting down with the two girls at the hotel is what made me think closeted, especially since one of them walks off with Ryo who she "likes" (I think that was the term her friend used). But you're probably right.

[sol]

Spoiler

1. My Summer of Love (2004) Lesbian United Kingdom
2. The Retreat (2021) Lesbian Canada
3. The Triple Echo (1972) Trans United Kingdom REVISION
4. Death in Venice (1971) Gay Italy REVISION
5. Call Me Kuchu (2012) Gay Uganda [Rainbow Mafia]
6. Eating Raoul (1982) Asexual United States [Rainbow Mafia] REVISION
7. Taxi zum Klo (1980) Gay Germany
8. Chaos Theory (2008) Intersex United States
9. The Lobster (2015) Bisexual Ireland REVISION
10. The String (2009) Gay Tunisia
11. Rent (2005) Trans United States [Rainbow Mafia]
12. Rope (1948) Gay United States [Rainbow Mafia] REVISION
13. Fangs (1981) Trans Egypt
14. Fake (1996) Gay Japan
15. XXY (2007) Intersex Argentina REVISION
16. Bad (1977) Lesbian United States
17. Bit (2019) Trans United States

18. Bent (1997) Gay United Kingdom



Given how seldom homosexuals persecuted by the Nazis have been portrayed on screen, this is always engaging content-wise, but it is only around halfway in as the protagonist arrives at Dachau that the movie really takes off. I found the opening quarter-hour quite confusing as we are plummeted into the cabaret scene of 1930s Berlin. The filmmakers make Dachau seem cold and uninviting though without resorting to clichés. There is also a lot to like in how the protagonist manages to achieve intimacy with his partner simply through the two of them talking to one another, describing what they imagine doing.

[sol]

Spoiler

1. My Summer of Love (2004) Lesbian United Kingdom
2. The Retreat (2021) Lesbian Canada
3. The Triple Echo (1972) Trans United Kingdom REVISION
4. Death in Venice (1971) Gay Italy REVISION
5. Call Me Kuchu (2012) Gay Uganda [Rainbow Mafia]
6. Eating Raoul (1982) Asexual United States [Rainbow Mafia] REVISION
7. Taxi zum Klo (1980) Gay Germany
8. Chaos Theory (2008) Intersex United States
9. The Lobster (2015) Bisexual Ireland REVISION
10. The String (2009) Gay Tunisia
11. Rent (2005) Trans United States [Rainbow Mafia]
12. Rope (1948) Gay United States [Rainbow Mafia] REVISION
13. Fangs (1981) Trans Egypt
14. Fake (1996) Gay Japan
15. XXY (2007) Intersex Argentina REVISION
16. Bad (1977) Lesbian United States
17. Bit (2019) Trans United States
18. Bent (1997) Gay United Kingdom

19. Boys (2014) Gay Netherlands



As blocho mentioned above, the down-to-earth performances are probably the best thing about this film, though some of the high camera angles and overhead shots were neat too. The connection between the leads is constantly felt, especially during their dialogue-free interactions. Their jealousy was also well conveyed at several points, such as the pointed reaction shots in the scene above when a girl kisses one of the two leads - and it seemed a shame to me that these characters were not given a juicier story with more to it than realising that they are gay. A decent film overall but not great one for me.

[sacmersault]

Spoiler

1. Patrik 1.5 (2008) Gay, Sweden, Rainbow Mafia
2. Joyland (2022) +Pansexual, Pakistan
3. Funeral Parade of Roses (1969) Trans, Japan
4. Desert Hearts (1985) Lesbian, Rainbow Mafia
5. The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972) Bisexual, Germany
6. The Wedding Banquet (1993) Gay, Taiwan, Rainbow Mafia
7. Joel Creasey: Fame Whore (2020) Australia

8. Mädchen in Uniform (1931) lesbian, Germany


Really interesting film. Strong narrative, photography, and acting. Still resonates today.

[Fergenaprido]

7. Girl (2018 T BEL Personal) - 7.5ish
I didn't like this as much as I thought/hoped I would, but I'm still going to give Close a go and hope for the best later this month. I think the acting was superb, but I had some issues with the storyline, and the camerawork for the dance scenes didn't do it for me - it was hyperfocused on Lara, leading to some quick camera movements that were hard on the eyes and didn't really convey what she was doing/how she was dancing, which is a shame since they spent so much time finding good background dancers and yet you don't get to see any of their work/skill.

Minor thematic/plot spoilers

I like the premise of the story, but I felt that the film, and especially the camera, was too focused on Lara's genitalia rather than on her wellbeing, emotional state, or general thoughts and feelings on her transition. It was borderline creepy at parts, and I don't think any of the penis shots needed to be in the film; the same message could have been conveyed without getting a 16-year-old to expose his penis on camera. I know Europe tends to be more lax about nudity than us uptight North Americans, but this felt exploitative and voyeuristic at times. That being said, I think the lead actor did an amazing job in the film, and I think they really did find someone well-suited for the role, both in mannerisms and in features. I read that the casting call for the lead role was not gender-specific, which I find interesting.

I also think Lara's relationships with the people around her (father, brother, Lewis, other dancers) could have been explored more. It's not all that long of a film (1h40 or so), so I think it could have breathed more life into those. Also, the actor who plays the father was only 32/33 at the time, yet he looks at least a decade older to me - perhaps a sign of a hard life for his character - but I thought it was a very good portrayal of a protective father trying to do right by his child.

Major plot spoiler, DO NOT READ unless you've seen the film

I thought the ear-piercing scene at the very beginning was an excellent use of foreshadowing. It's so insignificant and realistic and almost feels unnecessary to have been included, but AS SOON as Lara got the bowl of ice at the end I immediately knew what she was intending to do, and I also instantly drew the connection with that first scene (since she used ice cubes to numb the pain for when she pierced her ears). I was dreading how much of it they were going to show on camera, so I'm glad that they didn't.

Taste the Rainbow

1. Chuck & Buck (2000 B USA) - 7.5ish
2. Gun Hill Road (2011 T USA Personal) - 6.5ish
3. Lan se da men [Blue Gate Crossing] (2002 L TWN) - 8ish
x. Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015) - 6ish
4. Hustler White (1996 Q GER) - 7ish
5. Fake (1996 G JAP) - 6.5 ish
6. Born in Flames (1983 L USA) - 7ish

[xianjiro]

7. Girl (2018 T BEL Personal) - 7.5ish
... and the camerawork for the dance scenes didn't do it for me - it was hyperfocused on Lara, leading to some quick camera movements that were hard on the eyes and didn't really convey what she was doing/how she was dancing, which is a shame since they spent so much time finding good background dancers and yet you don't get to see any of their work/skill.

I wonder if this is a modern cinema sort of thing. Don't think I've seen a recent movie that featured dance that didn't do a horrible job with it. It's always too focused on one or two characters even when there's clearly a ensemble, also they seem to want to edit like it's a music video. I've often wondered if this has to do with actors trying to dance, not being able to hit marks/cues consistently enough, or just not being able to capture the whole sequence in a take. After all, one can hide a lot of imperfection with clever editing, sad/annoying as it might be.

Okay, maybe La La Land did okay with the dance sequences, but I can't think of anything else that I didn't find annoying. Been too long since I saw that Georgian dance picture -- which, btw, would fit for this challenge, but someone will have to help me with the name. Old age and all ...

[Tngy]

4. Les Lèvres Rouges (1971) 6.0 - Lesbian - - 1970s - Minkin

Spoiler

1. Girl (2018) 6.5 - Transgender - - 2010s - xianjiro
2. Fucking Åmål (1998) 7.5 - Lesbian - - 1990s - /
3. Dog Day Afternoon (1975) 8.0 - Bisexual - - 1970s - /
4. Les Lèvres Rouges (1971) 6.0 - Lesbian - - 1970s - Minkin

[sol]

Spoiler

1. My Summer of Love (2004) Lesbian United Kingdom
2. The Retreat (2021) Lesbian Canada
3. The Triple Echo (1972) Trans United Kingdom REVISION
4. Death in Venice (1971) Gay Italy REVISION
5. Call Me Kuchu (2012) Gay Uganda [Rainbow Mafia]
6. Eating Raoul (1982) Asexual United States [Rainbow Mafia] REVISION
7. Taxi zum Klo (1980) Gay Germany
8. Chaos Theory (2008) Intersex United States
9. The Lobster (2015) Bisexual Ireland REVISION
10. The String (2009) Gay Tunisia
11. Rent (2005) Trans United States [Rainbow Mafia]
12. Rope (1948) Gay United States [Rainbow Mafia] REVISION
13. Fangs (1981) Trans Egypt
14. Fake (1996) Gay Japan
15. XXY (2007) Intersex Argentina REVISION
16. Bad (1977) Lesbian United States
17. Bit (2019) Trans United States
18. Bent (1997) Gay United Kingdom
19. Boys (2014) Gay Netherlands

20. Luca (2021) Allies United States [Rainbow Mafia]



I had put this one off for a while because I didn't think I would like it, and I was unfortunately correct. Sure, there are some funny moments as they have to keep drying themselves off, but mm, I don't want to be overly negative about these personal recs, so I'll just leave it at that. LGBT content? Sure, the film could read as about acceptance of being gay or trans, but it could also be read as a film for acceptance of refugees or any foreigners really. I'm going for the "Allies" tag because the film seems very LGBT friendly overall and all of the characters are pro-acceptance in the end, but nobody is overtly queer.

[sol]

Spoiler

1. My Summer of Love (2004) Lesbian United Kingdom
2. The Retreat (2021) Lesbian Canada
3. The Triple Echo (1972) Trans United Kingdom REVISION
4. Death in Venice (1971) Gay Italy REVISION
5. Call Me Kuchu (2012) Gay Uganda [Rainbow Mafia]
6. Eating Raoul (1982) Asexual United States [Rainbow Mafia] REVISION
7. Taxi zum Klo (1980) Gay Germany
8. Chaos Theory (2008) Intersex United States
9. The Lobster (2015) Bisexual Ireland REVISION
10. The String (2009) Gay Tunisia
11. Rent (2005) Trans United States [Rainbow Mafia]
12. Rope (1948) Gay United States [Rainbow Mafia] REVISION
13. Fangs (1981) Trans Egypt
14. Fake (1996) Gay Japan
15. XXY (2007) Intersex Argentina REVISION
16. Bad (1977) Lesbian United States
17. Bit (2019) Trans United States
18. Bent (1997) Gay United Kingdom
19. Boys (2014) Gay Netherlands
20. Luca (2021) Allies United States [Rainbow Mafia]

21. Thirst (2019) Gay Iceland



Friendship blossoms between a homeless woman and a gay vampire who she saves from being beaten up in this horror comedy from Iceland. The film opens with a jaw-dropping murder by oral sex and the aforementioned rescue scene is incredible with an insane amount of bloodletting as the vampire gets the upper hand after she distracts his assailants. Alas, the movie is only ever half about their strange friendship with around 50% of the movie dedicated to a dull group of religious fanatics who may also be vampire hunters and devil worshippers. Plus there are some meh incompetent cops. Nice climax though.

22. Close (2022) Questioning Belgium



Surprised when a group of girls query whether he and his best friend are "a couple", a teenager gradually begins to distance himself from his long-time friend here. With wide and expressive eyes, Eden Dambrine is excellent in the lead role and the film is full of great small touches like the way he keeps repositioning his body every time his friend tries to lie next to him on the grass. The filmmakers also leave it mostly up to us to interpret the friendship. Certainly flawed but compelling stuff while it lasts with a bitterly ironic choice of title giving that the film about two friends growing further apart.

[xianjiro]

So, finally saw D.E.B.S. today. Okay, campy, silly. It sort of works as a send up of the spy genre though probably not as funny as Austin Powers. I can see how it ends up on some people's favorites films listings though I can't say I'd care to see it again.

Not worried about points, but will be watching some queer film just because.

[ororama]

1. The Birdcage (1996) * 119 min.
A remake that may outdo the original, although it may be that as an American it was simply easier for me to understand more of the social and cultural background and references. I may need to rewatch the original this month.

*First time viewing

[Fergenaprido]

8. Le fil [The String] (2009 G TUN) - 7.5ish
I consider this a French film, but there is a Tunisian executive producer and his company contributed a bit, and it's set in Tunisia, and sol counted it as Tunisia, and I need enough African countries for the bonus challenge, so I'm counting it as Tunisia too since it meets the bare minimum requirement for me.

10. The String (2009) Gay Tunisia
Educated overseas, a closeted Tunisian student returns home when his father is diagnosed with a terminal illness and develops a steamy relationship with his parents' houseboy in this decent drama. The central relationship is very sweet and tender and his scenes with his ailing father are striking, but the the second half of the film is far more dynamic with his mother suddenly cottoning onto the affair. There is a French/Arabic cultural divide angle too.

A small correction to the plot: The son returns a few months after his father's death - there's a flashback scene at the funeral with his mother telling her he's going away and she tells him he can come back whenever - not before, and all the scenes with him are flashbacks. I liked that they used a muted colour palette to help indicate the time jumps. I felt a few things were rushed (like the central relationship getting started, it almost felt like a scene or two had been cut), and the music was an interesting choice (was that a Bond theme I heard playing in one mundane driving scene?), but overall I quite liked this one, and could have watched another half hour exploring the relationships and interpersonal dynamics. I also liked the unspoken depictions of class and social status running throughout the film, especially in relation to the mother (who is white) and the two young people who live on her estate, and the plight of French-born/raised Tunisians who have returned to Tunisia but don't speak Arab was also an interesting subplot that could have been developed more, but I guess it's good that the film didn't try to cover too many things and instead stayed focused on the central relationship(s). This also came out two years before the Arab Spring, which got me thinking about how each of these characters would have fared during that turbulent time and what they would have done (the final "a few years later" scene could be seen as taking place in 2009, or the main action could have been then and the end scene some time in the unforeseen future).

Taste the Rainbow

1. Chuck & Buck (2000 B USA) - 7.5ish
2. Gun Hill Road (2011 T USA Personal) - 6.5ish
3. Lan se da men [Blue Gate Crossing] (2002 L TWN) - 8ish
x. Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015) - 6ish
4. Hustler White (1996 Q GER) - 7ish
5. Fake (1996 G JAP) - 6.5 ish
6. Born in Flames (1983 L USA) - 7ish
7. Girl (2018 T BEL Personal) - 7.5ish

20. Luca (2021) Allies United States [Rainbow Mafia]

I had put this one off for a while because I didn't think I would like it, and I was unfortunately correct. Sure, there are some funny moments as they have to keep drying themselves off, but mm, I don't want to be overly negative about these personal recs, so I'll just leave it at that. LGBT content? Sure, the film could read as about acceptance of being gay or trans, but it could also be read as a film for acceptance of refugees or any foreigners really. I'm going for the "Allies" tag because the film seems very LGBT friendly overall and all of the characters are pro-acceptance in the end, but nobody is overtly queer.

I'm in the "not a queer film" camp on this one, though I do love it so. A byproduct of there being so few mainstream queer films is that we as a community clutch at straws for representation. I completely get why some folks see it as queer-coded, though. I just personally don't want every story of two boys/two girls who have close relationships to automatically be queer... I want to live in a world were straight friends can form close and affectionate platonic relationships too, as I think it makes the world a safer and more hospitable place.

1. The Birdcage (1996) * 119 min.
A remake that may outdo the original, although it may be that as an American it was simply easier for me to understand more of the social and cultural background and references. I may need to rewatch the original this month.

This is also a rare case for me where I like the remake better than the original, perhaps because it being made 20 years later in a time when it was a bit easier to make a gay film, and the Williams-Lane pairing was just too perfect.

- - - - -

I'll update the OP and post a week 1 summary tomorrow, but I'm really pleased with the participation so far.

[sol]

10. The String (2009) Gay Tunisia
Educated overseas, a closeted Tunisian student returns home when his father is diagnosed with a terminal illness and develops a steamy relationship with his parents' houseboy in this decent drama. The central relationship is very sweet and tender and his scenes with his ailing father are striking, but the the second half of the film is far more dynamic with his mother suddenly cottoning onto the affair. There is a French/Arabic cultural divide angle too.

A small correction to the plot: The son returns a few months after his father's death - there's a flashback scene at the funeral with his mother telling her he's going away and she tells him he can come back whenever - not before, and all the scenes with him are flashbacks. I liked that they used a muted colour palette to help indicate the time jumps.

Oh, right - that makes more sense. I do recall some reviews talking about him returning after the death of his father, which I couldn't understand since he seemed to be alive for most of the film. Quite curious if the colour palette was the only thing indicating what scenes were flashbacks. I didn't pick up on that, but maybe the transfer that I watched simply wasn't that great (I don't think it was a hi-def version).

[quote=sol post_id=813569 time=1685875623 user_id=1343

20. Luca (2021) Allies United States [Rainbow Mafia]

I had put this one off for a while because I didn't think I would like it, and I was unfortunately correct. Sure, there are some funny moments as they have to keep drying themselves off, but mm, I don't want to be overly negative about these personal recs, so I'll just leave it at that. LGBT content? Sure, the film could read as about acceptance of being gay or trans, but it could also be read as a film for acceptance of refugees or any foreigners really. I'm going for the "Allies" tag because the film seems very LGBT friendly overall and all of the characters are pro-acceptance in the end, but nobody is overtly queer.

I'm in the "not a queer film" camp on this one, though I do love it so. A byproduct of there being so few mainstream queer films is that we as a community clutch at straws for representation. I completely get why some folks see it as queer-coded, though.

So to be clear (because you know that I really get stuck into bonus challenges), am I able to claim the Q+ point for the film under the "Allies" column?

I'll update the OP and post a week 1 summary tomorrow

[sol]

Spoiler

1. My Summer of Love (2004) Lesbian United Kingdom
2. The Retreat (2021) Lesbian Canada
3. The Triple Echo (1972) Trans United Kingdom REVISION
4. Death in Venice (1971) Gay Italy REVISION
5. Call Me Kuchu (2012) Gay Uganda [Rainbow Mafia]
6. Eating Raoul (1982) Asexual United States [Rainbow Mafia] REVISION
7. Taxi zum Klo (1980) Gay Germany
8. Chaos Theory (2008) Intersex United States
9. The Lobster (2015) Bisexual Ireland REVISION
10. The String (2009) Gay Tunisia
11. Rent (2005) Trans United States [Rainbow Mafia]
12. Rope (1948) Gay United States [Rainbow Mafia] REVISION
13. Fangs (1981) Trans Egypt
14. Fake (1996) Gay Japan
15. XXY (2007) Intersex Argentina REVISION
16. Bad (1977) Lesbian United States
17. Bit (2019) Trans United States
18. Bent (1997) Gay United Kingdom
19. Boys (2014) Gay Netherlands
20. Luca (2021) Allies United States [Rainbow Mafia]
21. Thirst (2019) Gay Iceland
22. Close (2022) Questioning Belgium

23. Cabaret (1972) Bisexual United States REVISION



Having two foreigners at the forefront of the film who are grappling with their sexual preferences (and are unsure about where they are heading in life) is a remarkable narrative choice here. Sally and Brian feel like a microcosm of German society in the 1930s, which was of course completely shaken up and fractured by the Nazis' ascent to power, and both Liza Minnelli and an often-dismissed Michael York excel in their individual roles; for all of the memorable song and dance routines, York's utterance of "So do I" stands out as the key phrase of the film. But the songs and stage performances are excellent too.

[PopperTheKungFu-Dragon]

2. Boys in the Sand (1971, Wakefield Poole) FTV #Gay #1970s

Supposedly first mainstream gay porno. Interestingly there is no dialogue or sound, only music.

[sol]

Spoiler

1. My Summer of Love (2004) Lesbian United Kingdom
2. The Retreat (2021) Lesbian Canada
3. The Triple Echo (1972) Trans United Kingdom REVISION
4. Death in Venice (1971) Gay Italy REVISION
5. Call Me Kuchu (2012) Gay Uganda [Rainbow Mafia]
6. Eating Raoul (1982) Asexual United States [Rainbow Mafia] REVISION
7. Taxi zum Klo (1980) Gay Germany
8. Chaos Theory (2008) Intersex United States
9. The Lobster (2015) Bisexual Ireland REVISION
10. The String (2009) Gay Tunisia
11. Rent (2005) Trans United States [Rainbow Mafia]
12. Rope (1948) Gay United States [Rainbow Mafia] REVISION
13. Fangs (1981) Trans Egypt
14. Fake (1996) Gay Japan
15. XXY (2007) Intersex Argentina REVISION
16. Bad (1977) Lesbian United States
17. Bit (2019) Trans United States
18. Bent (1997) Gay United Kingdom
19. Boys (2014) Gay Netherlands
20. Luca (2021) Allies United States [Rainbow Mafia]
21. Thirst (2019) Gay Iceland
22. Close (2022) Questioning Belgium
23. Cabaret (1972) Bisexual United States REVISION

24. Caramel (2007) Lesbian Lebanon



The directional debut of Capernaum's Nadine Labaki, this drama follows various women who are either customers or staff members of a beauty salon. There are a couple of lesbian relationships, but the majority of the movie is dedicated to the women discussing the men in their lives, preparations for marriage and the difficulty of telling your fiancé that you are not a virgin. In fact, this often feels halfway between a soap opera episode and a sitcom. Certain moments resonate though (video dating woes; a police officer asking a couple to prove that they are engaged) and the setting was interesting.

[sol]

Spoiler

1. My Summer of Love (2004) Lesbian United Kingdom
2. The Retreat (2021) Lesbian Canada
3. The Triple Echo (1972) Trans United Kingdom REVISION
4. Death in Venice (1971) Gay Italy REVISION
5. Call Me Kuchu (2012) Gay Uganda [Rainbow Mafia]
6. Eating Raoul (1982) Asexual United States [Rainbow Mafia] REVISION
7. Taxi zum Klo (1980) Gay Germany
8. Chaos Theory (2008) Intersex United States
9. The Lobster (2015) Bisexual Ireland REVISION
10. The String (2009) Gay Tunisia
11. Rent (2005) Trans United States [Rainbow Mafia]
12. Rope (1948) Gay United States [Rainbow Mafia] REVISION
13. Fangs (1981) Trans Egypt
14. Fake (1996) Gay Japan
15. XXY (2007) Intersex Argentina REVISION
16. Bad (1977) Lesbian United States
17. Bit (2019) Trans United States
18. Bent (1997) Gay United Kingdom
19. Boys (2014) Gay Netherlands
20. Luca (2021) Allies United States [Rainbow Mafia]
21. Thirst (2019) Gay Iceland
22. Close (2022) Questioning Belgium
23. Cabaret (1972) Bisexual United States REVISION
24. Caramel (2007) Lesbian Lebanon

25. Whirlpool (1970) Bisexual Denmark



A model agrees to spend the weekend at the country villa of an up-and-coming photographer who lives with adoptive aunt in this bizarre thriller. It soon comes to light that the photographer and aunt's previous houseguest mysteriously vanished. The aunt and nephew also get up to some increasingly out-there sex games with their latest houseguest. Compelling as Vivien Neves is, however, it never rings true how she keeps brushing aside every manipulation as part of the nephew's creative process. With some neat neon red darkroom scenes, and so many power-play dynamics, the film is seldom boring though.

[Fergenaprido]

I'm in the "not a queer film" camp on this one, though I do love it so. A byproduct of there being so few mainstream queer films is that we as a community clutch at straws for representation. I completely get why some folks see it as queer-coded, though.

So to be clear (because you know that I really get stuck into bonus challenges), am I able to claim the Q+ point for the film under the "Allies" column?

Sure.

[Mulholland]

20. Luca (2021) Allies United States [Rainbow Mafia]

I had put this one off for a while because I didn't think I would like it, and I was unfortunately correct. Sure, there are some funny moments as they have to keep drying themselves off, but mm, I don't want to be overly negative about these personal recs, so I'll just leave it at that. LGBT content? Sure, the film could read as about acceptance of being gay or trans, but it could also be read as a film for acceptance of refugees or any foreigners really. I'm going for the "Allies" tag because the film seems very LGBT friendly overall and all of the characters are pro-acceptance in the end, but nobody is overtly queer.

I'm in the "not a queer film" camp on this one, though I do love it so. A byproduct of there being so few mainstream queer films is that we as a community clutch at straws for representation. I completely get why some folks see it as queer-coded, though. I just personally don't want every story of two boys/two girls who have close relationships to automatically be queer... I want to live in a world were straight friends can form close and affectionate platonic relationships too, as I think it makes the world a safer and more hospitable place.

I was in two minds about putting this on my list, but my little gay heart wept at the ending. Plus the following short was similarly sweet. I agree that not every close relationship between members of the same gender should be 'oh they were roommates wink wink'. But I think their close relationship with the outcast status... I get that it can also be read as any group of 'other'. But this was the best we got in mainstream animation until Strange World - and I never saw that coming.

[Good_Will_Harding]

3 - 6. Never Have I Ever: Season 4 (2023)

I'm not usually the binge-watching sort of viewer, and yet here I finished the entire ten episode final run of this Netflix sitcom (albeit every episode runs about thirty minutes each - which totals to about seven entries worth of time for this challenge) in just two days. A very strong conclusion to this series, one of the few Netflix originals that I've been consistently keeping up with during the last couple of years, at least since the pandemic started. It fits into this challenge due to one of the protagonist's close friends being queer, as well as there being a handful of queer coded supporting players all throughout the series, although most of them aren't given as much screentime as the central three characters.

They seem to be good friends

1. Desert Hearts (1985) #Lesbian #1980s #NorthAmerica #Personal
2. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) #2020s #Transgender

[Fergenaprido]

3 - 10. Never Have I Ever: Season 4 (2023)

I'm not usually the binge-watching sort of viewer, and yet here I finished the entire ten episode final run of this Netflix sitcom (albeit every episode runs about thirty minutes each - which totals to about seven entries worth of time for this challenge) in just two days. A very strong conclusion to this series, one of the few Netflix originals that I've been consistently keeping up with during the last couple of years, at least since the pandemic started. It fits into this challenge due to one of the protagonist's close friends being queer, as well as there being a handful of queer coded supporting players all throughout the series, although most of them aren't given as much screentime as the central three characters.

They seem to be good friends

1. Desert Hearts (1985) #Lesbian #1980s #NorthAmerica #Personal
2. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) #2020s #Transgender

The math doesn't add up there GWH.

10 episodes x 30 minutes each = 300 minutes ÷ 80 minutes per point = 3.75 points

[Good_Will_Harding]

3 - 10. Never Have I Ever: Season 4 (2023)

I'm not usually the binge-watching sort of viewer, and yet here I finished the entire ten episode final run of this Netflix sitcom (albeit every episode runs about thirty minutes each - which totals to about seven entries worth of time for this challenge) in just two days. A very strong conclusion to this series, one of the few Netflix originals that I've been consistently keeping up with during the last couple of years, at least since the pandemic started. It fits into this challenge due to one of the protagonist's close friends being queer, as well as there being a handful of queer coded supporting players all throughout the series, although most of them aren't given as much screentime as the central three characters.

They seem to be good friends

1. Desert Hearts (1985) #Lesbian #1980s #NorthAmerica #Personal
2. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) #2020s #Transgender

The math doesn't add up there GWH.

10 episodes x 30 minutes each = 300 minutes ÷ 80 minutes per point = 3.75 points

Ahh, you're right. I think I went with 90 minutes instead of 80. My mistake!

[maxwelldeux]

1-2. Queer Eye: s7e5-7 (2023, ~150m); Ghosts s1e15,18 (2022, ~40m) Gay
New season of Queer Eye came out, and Wife and I were watching it when we needed doses of happiness; these are the episodes we watched in June. Ghosts (the American version of the British show of the same name) is one of those shows that just had a gay character in it, so I wouldn't count the average episode for this challenge. But these two episodes are actually the "coming out" episodes that actually have heart to them. It's your traditional ghost victim and ghost killer overcome their differences and fall in love story. It, and the rest of the show, is hilarious.

3. Girl (2018, Belgium, Trans) #xianjiro
Here we have a trans ballerina trying to fit in at school, deal with transitioning, starting to date, stress at home, etc. It's a tough watch due to the emotionality of the film and just how much she is going through. But definitely worthwhile.

[gunnar]

1 - Je, Tu, Il, Elle (1974) - 6/10 - A woman is having trouble dealing with a breakup so she spends a lot of time in her apartment. At first she moves the furniture around and writes (and rewrites) a letter. Then she spends a ton of time sitting or lying on her mattress in the nude, eating sugar out of a paper bag. When she finally leaves she hitchhikes and gets a ride to visit her former lover. It was okay, but I got kind of bored with it at times, especially during the trip to visit the lover.

[sol]

Spoiler

1. My Summer of Love (2004) Lesbian United Kingdom
2. The Retreat (2021) Lesbian Canada
3. The Triple Echo (1972) Trans United Kingdom REVISION
4. Death in Venice (1971) Gay Italy REVISION
5. Call Me Kuchu (2012) Gay Uganda [Rainbow Mafia]
6. Eating Raoul (1982) Asexual United States [Rainbow Mafia] REVISION
7. Taxi zum Klo (1980) Gay Germany
8. Chaos Theory (2008) Intersex United States
9. The Lobster (2015) Bisexual Ireland REVISION
10. The String (2009) Gay Tunisia
11. Rent (2005) Trans United States [Rainbow Mafia]
12. Rope (1948) Gay United States [Rainbow Mafia] REVISION
13. Fangs (1981) Trans Egypt
14. Fake (1996) Gay Japan
15. XXY (2007) Intersex Argentina REVISION
16. Bad (1977) Lesbian United States
17. Bit (2019) Trans United States
18. Bent (1997) Gay United Kingdom
19. Boys (2014) Gay Netherlands
20. Luca (2021) Allies United States [Rainbow Mafia]
21. Thirst (2019) Gay Iceland
22. Close (2022) Questioning Belgium
23. Cabaret (1972) Bisexual United States REVISION
24. Caramel (2007) Lesbian Lebanon
25. Whirlpool (1970) Bisexual Denmark

26. Go Fish (1994) Bisexual United States



The central sapphic romance that evolves here is rather sweet but relatively unremarkable and most of the supporting characters feel a bit interchangeable. Where the film gets really interesting though is in the frank philosophical discussions that the friends frequently have. From the group debating whether sleeping with a man automatically makes you bisexual, to the bisexual members of the friendship circle defending their like of both men and women, to the opening in which various characters debate the scant depictions of lesbians in the media, there is a lot of thought and intelligence here.

[jdidaco]

(Screenshot/Gif from 'Die Betörung der blauen Matrosen' & 'Omoi wa anata dake'),



21. Mi hijo no es lo que parece (My Son is Not What He Seems, Angelino Fons, 1974) 7.5/10 (Q/B) (Spain)
22. 1 Berlin-Harlem (Lothar Lambert & Wolfram Zobus, 1974) 8/10 (B/G/Q) (West) Germany))
23. Die Betörung der blauen Matrosen (The Enchantment of the Blue Sailors, Ulrike Ottinger & Tabea Blumenschein, 1975) 8.5/10 (Q/L/G/T) ((West) Germany))
24. Dimorfo (Dimorphic, Rodjara, 1980) 8/10 (B/T/G/Q) (Spain)
25. Vestida de azul (Dressed in Blue, Antonio Giménez Rico, 1983) 8.5/10 (T) (Spain)
26. Joshû ori (Female Prisoner: Caged!, Masaru Konuma, 1983) 6.5/10 (L/B) (Japan)
27. Omoi wa anata dake (I Thought About You, Yukio Kitazawa, 1997) 7/10 (G) (Japan)
28. Yasashisugiru kedamono: Omoi wa anatadake ni (I Thought About You 2: Beasts That Are Too Kind, Yukio Kitazawa, 2002) 8/10 (G) (Japan)
29. Berlin Drifters (Kôichi Imaizumi, 2017) 5/10 (G) (Japan)
30. Sei no Gekiyaku (Dangerous Drugs of Sex, Hideo Jôjô, 2020) 7.5/10 (G) (Japan)

Spoiler

1. Rara (Sylvano Bussotti, 1969) 9/10 (Q/G) (Italy)
2. Lock-Out (Antoni Padrós, 1973) 9/10 (Q/T) (Spain)
3. Miss O'Gynie et les hommes fleurs (Miss O'Gynie and the Flower Men, Samy Pavel, 1974) 7.5/10 (G/B) (Belgium)
4. Ocaña, retrat intermitent (Ocaña, an Intermittent Portrait, Ventura Pons, 1978) 9/10 (T/G) (Spain)
5. Casta Diva (Eric De Kuyper, 1982) 10/10 (G/Q) (Belgium)
6. Barâdo ni dakarete (Ballads, Naoyuki Tomomatsu, 1993) 7.5/10 (G) (Japan)
7. Wagamama sensêshon (Wagamama Sensation, Naoyuki Tomomatsu, 1995) 8/10 (G/B) (Japan)
8. Rosatigre (Tonino De Bernardi, 2000) 8/10 (T/G) (Italy)
9. Boriven nee yu pai tai karn kuk kun (This Area Is Under Quarantine, Thunska Pansittivorakul, 2009) 8/10 (G) (Thailand)
10. Homogeneous, Empty Time (Thunska Pansittivorakul & Harit Srikhao, 2017) 9/10 (Q/G/L) (Thailand)
11. Gay Girls Riding Club (GGRC) program : Always on Sunday (Ray Harrison, 1962) 7/10, What Really Happened to Baby Jane (Ray Harrison, 1963) 7.5/10, Spy on the Fly (Ray Harrison, 1967) 7.5/10 (Total: 83 min) (3xT) (3xUSA)
12. Johnny Minotaur (Charles Henri Ford, 1971) 8.5/10 (Q/G) (USA)
13. Hammam al-Malatily (The Bathhouse of Malatily, Salah Abouseif, 1973) 7.5/10 (B/G) (Egypt)
14. Mi ego está en Babia (Iván Zulueta, 1975) 9/10 (Q/G) (Spain)
15. Een vrouw als Eva (A Woman Like Eve, Nouchka van Brakel, 1979) 7.5/10 (L/B) (Netherlands)
16. Buscando el camino de tu amor (Els 5QK's (Alfonso De Sierra & Luis Escribano & Ramón Massa & Ces Marti & Enric Bentz), 1980) 8/10 (G) (Spain)
17. 51 Bar (Bar 51, Amos Guttman, 1986) 8/10 (T/Q) (Israel)
18. Amos Gutman (Amos Guttman: Film Director, Ran Kozer, 1997) 8/10 (G) (Israel)
19. Mommy Is Coming (Cheryl Dunye, 2012) 6.5/10 (L/Q) (Germany)
20. Bashtaalak sa'at (Shall I Compare You to a Summer's Day?, Mohammad Shawky Hassan, 2022) 7.5/10 (G) (Egypt)

[Fergenaprido]

9. Too Outrageous! (1987 G CAN) - 8ish
A copy of this finally surfaced on YT last year (in parts or stitched together in a single video), so I could finally watch this. Having enjoyed the first film, I read everywhere that it was more or less universally panned and ill-regarded, so I went in to this with tempered expectations, especially since the only print available looks like a bad VHS copy, replete with audio cuts and flashes of the negative.

But this was really good, perhaps even better than the original, which I don't remember all that much despite having seen it only 4 years ago for this challenge. The story picks up 8 years after the end of the last film, with Robin being a successful nightclub act in NYC. Liza and his manager are still with him when a hotshot producer spots his act and sees him as her ticket to making a name for herself. In order to make him palatable to "normal" audiences, she proposes to send him out of town for rehearsals for a few weeks, ultimately deciding on his hometown of Toronto. He and his entourage (including his pianist/composer who is also his manager's lover) relocate, where the take on a huge fan who becomes an intern of sorts (as he's writing his thesis about female impersonators), and both Liza and Robin find love in the Great White North.

I'll stop the summary there, but what really made this film work was how well everything gels (no doubt helped by the return of the core cast and crew from the original), tackling things like straight producers using and abusing queer artists for profit and personal gain and then tossing them aside when they've been used up, mental health, building your own family and staying true to yourself, and the devastating effect of AIDS on a generation of queer male artists. It never felt like a throwaway, and only one or two actors (incidentally, the two love interests) ever felt wooden or one-note - even the main antagonist felt fleshed out a little.

This one's less comedy and more drama than the first, which maybe comes with the theme of aging that permeates throughout the script. I'm so glad I finally got to see this Canadian rarity. Sadly, both the star and the director died within months of each other 3 years later.

Fun fact: One of Robin's impersonations is of Mae West, for whom the actor Craig Russell was a member of her fan club as a teenager and actually worked as her secretary for a while in the early 1970s.

Taste the Rainbow

1. Chuck & Buck (2000 B USA) - 7.5ish
2. Gun Hill Road (2011 T USA Personal) - 6.5ish
3. Lan se da men [Blue Gate Crossing] (2002 L TWN) - 8ish
x. Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015) - 6ish
4. Hustler White (1996 Q GER) - 7ish
5. Fake (1996 G JAP) - 6.5 ish
6. Born in Flames (1983 L USA) - 7ish
7. Girl (2018 T BEL Personal) - 7.5ish
8. Le fil [The String] (2009 G TUN) - 7.5ish

[xianjiro]

Quite by accident (decided to get it off the watchlist more than anything), I watched Deux (2019 - France) tonight. Of course I figured out what was going on quite quickly: basically, two women have separate apartments on the top floor of a block of flats somewhere in France. One was once married, has children and a grandchild; the other barely seems to live in her own flat. At the onset they are talking about selling up and relocating to Rome. One would have to be in very serious denial not to see they are together, but somehow this has completely escaped the adult children. And then a life challenge happens.

If this had been made in 1989 I'd be willing to cut it some slack. It plays like a thriller with the 'other woman' being treated as a stalker. It's insane to the point of being offensive. Were any queer people involved in making this?!? Seems much more like the 'arthouse gay lesbian' type crap I've got no patience for. I'm sorry, I get that older people might not wish to be out, but this just goes way beyond the pale. If nothing else, I find it completely unfathomable that, even if she didn't want to be out, the mother wouldn't even mention her friendship with the other woman. Didn't her stupid, self-involved children worry that she had no one besides them, when they had time for her? Maybe if there had been more development of the family -- were they religious? Or just so far in denial they couldn't see the grass was green and the sky blue. Nonsense! Just utter nonsense. And don't get me started on the really creepy blackmail subplot.

Technically, not poorly made or acted, just horribly written.

[xianjiro]

2. Gun Hill Road (2011 T USA Personal) - 6.5ish
I like the base story and basic premise, but there's too much crammed into an 80-minute film to make even half of it carry some weight. If it had focused more on the teenager instead of the adults, I think I would have enjoyed it more. Also, some questionable behaviour that feels like it was written just for the film and doesn't mirror real life (like the scenes with the older transwoman or with the father and his fellow prisonmate). Reminds of Saturday Church, in that it's a film with heart and a good message, but very little artistic merit. MVP was Robin de Jesús for me.

BTW, I watched this one while putting together my list (also Colette (2018) & Olivia (1951) & Tully (2018) ) as I was looking for more Bi & Trans representation. Of the four, Colette came closest to getting on my list and it was the one worked best for me.

GHR gets high marks, especially given that it's over 12 years old now, for trans representation. Not sure if Ferg is referring to the woman who does hormones and bodyform injections or I've forgotten the other older transwoman in the film. I agreed about the rest of the story, and frankly, I'd say the father is the center of the plot, makes it seem like it's only got a trans character in it: it's not really her story but her story is critical to understanding the father's. Anyway, I waffled throughout up until the ending when I had no trouble crossing it off my list (though I was kind of glad someone else had included it for the strong trans representation). For me, there was just too much cringe for me to include it.

BTW, I'll also mention that Contracorriente was on my list until I saw Ferg included it on his. While I was eager to include it for both bi/gay and Latin American representation, I was happy it just got included. Patrik 1,5 ended up making the list when that spot opened up even though it didn't check the same boxes. If I remember correctly, it was a toss up between it and Colette but I thought Colette probably had been seen by a number of forumites and I was looking for things that might have been missed.

[sol]

Spoiler

1. My Summer of Love (2004) Lesbian United Kingdom
2. The Retreat (2021) Lesbian Canada
3. The Triple Echo (1972) Trans United Kingdom REVISION
4. Death in Venice (1971) Gay Italy REVISION
5. Call Me Kuchu (2012) Gay Uganda [Rainbow Mafia]
6. Eating Raoul (1982) Asexual United States [Rainbow Mafia] REVISION
7. Taxi zum Klo (1980) Gay Germany
8. Chaos Theory (2008) Intersex United States
9. The Lobster (2015) Bisexual Ireland REVISION
10. The String (2009) Gay Tunisia
11. Rent (2005) Trans United States [Rainbow Mafia]
12. Rope (1948) Gay United States [Rainbow Mafia] REVISION
13. Fangs (1981) Trans Egypt
14. Fake (1996) Gay Japan
15. XXY (2007) Intersex Argentina REVISION
16. Bad (1977) Lesbian United States
17. Bit (2019) Trans United States
18. Bent (1997) Gay United Kingdom
19. Boys (2014) Gay Netherlands
20. Luca (2021) Allies United States [Rainbow Mafia]
21. Thirst (2019) Gay Iceland
22. Close (2022) Questioning Belgium
23. Cabaret (1972) Bisexual United States REVISION
24. Caramel (2007) Lesbian Lebanon
25. Whirlpool (1970) Bisexual Denmark
26. Go Fish (1994) Bisexual United States

27. Neptune Frost (2021) Intersex Rwanda



Set in near-future Africa, this unconventional drama circles around a runaway intersex individual who finds solidarity with a group of hackers and miners. Or something like that. With little exposition, the plot is sometimes unclear and hard to follow, but this is a thoroughly engrossing film from start to finish due to a wealth of intriguing themes and issues and some really remarkable technical aspects. Indeed, above all else, this is a visually insane movie in the best possible way with tons of neon (see above) and lots of newfangled technology despite very basic buildings and dwellings. Fantastic sound effects too.

[Good_Will_Harding]

7. Tropical Malady (2004) #2000s #Gay #Asia-Pacific

Re-watch. First saw this, as well as most of Apichatpong Weerasethakul's earlier works, around my later high school years, shortly before Uncle Boonmee won big at the 2010 Cannes festival. Been meaning to give this one (along with the rest) another watch, because while I remember liking it quite a bit, it didn't connect with me like it seemed to for many others. Well, nearly a decade and a half of time and plenty more experience with world cinema later, I was fully enraptured with this puppy. Of course, the form and tone here is brilliantly realized and unmatched in regards to 21st century cinema, but also not as the expense of the human connections present within the film either. A complaint I often see tossed at Weerasethakul's filmography is that his works are too cold or distant, which I've personally never found to be true, and especially not here, where its characters are treated with immense and deeply felt compassion and tenderness.

They seem to be good friends

1. Desert Hearts (1985) #Lesbian #1980s #NorthAmerica #Personal
2. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) #2020s #Transgender
3 - 6. Never Have I Ever: Season 4 (2023)

[xianjiro]

To keep up with my unplanned participation, have to divulge the two series I have from the library have queer, well lesbian/bi, content. Both Killing Eve and The Good Fight, which I requested before being asked to contribute a list of films for the challenge, have lesbian characters. In Killing Eve, it's a central theme while in The Good Fight, it's more used to flesh out a main character but not central to her place in the show. I started watching both series due to recommendations elsewhere and neither focused on the lesbian characters, but it's enjoyable to see queer content normalized as part of the bigger fabric of life.

I have requested a number of titles from LGBTQ lists since the challenge kicked off -- just not sure if I'll get them watched in time since I always have plenty of things to watch. But it's actually quite enjoyable to have some discussion going on.

[sacmersault]

Sorry to bother, but on the update. I'm missing a decade: 70s for Petra and I'm also missing 1 film from Europe (Patrik, Petra, Madchen) and 1 film from Asia-Pacific (Joyland, Parade of Roses, Joel Creasley, Wedding Banquet).

Thanks

[ororama]

2. The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love (1995) * 94 min.
A sweet indie romantic comedy between two high schools girls that seems to take place in a small southern town in an alternate universe where homophobia and racism don't cause people to be killed. It might have been even better if it didn't become less quirky as the story progressed.

Spoiler

1. The Birdcage (1996) * 119 min.

*First time viewing

[lineuphere]

1. L - Manji | Swastika (1964, Japan)
2. G - Crossfire (1947, USA)
3. B - Freier Fall | Freefall (2013, Germany)
4. T - Pay It No Mind: Marsha P. Johnson (2012, USA)
5. Q - Multiple Maniacs (1970, USA)

[Fergenaprido]

Sorry to bother, but on the update. I'm missing a decade: 70s for Petra and I'm also missing 1 film from Europe (Patrik, Petra, Madchen) and 1 film from Asia-Pacific (Joyland, Parade of Roses, Joel Creasley, Wedding Banquet).

Thanks

Thanks. Found the error in the spreadsheet for AP (forgot to add Taiwan, so you and I both gain a bonus point there).
Europe is correct, though, because Petra and Madchen are both from Germany. You need to hit 5 different countries each time, but you can reuse a country in each cycle. e.g. Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, and then Germany, UK, Ireland, Iceland, Norway.

And I accidentally typed in 60s instead of 70s for Petra. That's fixed now too, thanks.

[Fergenaprido]

Was too tired to write this last night after updating the OP, so the data is up to xianjiro's post about Deux.

The nephews are in bed (but not asleep yet ), and the niece is in her crib and hopefully asleep by now so I should have some uninterrupted me-time for the moment.

- - - - -

So, we're a week or so in to the month, and I think things are off to a great start! jdidaco and sol are battling for the lead, both in the regular challenge and the bonus challenges, so it should prove to be an exciting month if both can keep up the pace. The rest of us are battling for third place, and it's still close to it's still anyone's game this early on.

Participants

Rank	Participant	2023	2021	2018	2015
1	jdidaco	30	80	111
2	sol	26	59	26
3	Fergenaprido	9	34	28	27
4	sacmersault	8
5	Mario Gaborović	7
6	Good_Will_Harding	6
7	beasterne	4	29
7	Tngy	4
9	maxwelldeux	3	25	22
10	PopperTheKungFu-Dragon	2
10	blocho	2	18	3
10	xianjiro	2
13	AB537	1
13	gunnar	1
13	magnusbernhardsen	1
13	ororama	1	25		1

We already have 8 first-time participants! Welcome sacmersault, Mario Gaborović, Good_Will_Harding, Tngy, PopperTheKungFu-Dragon, xianjiro, AB537, gunnar, and magnusbernhardsen to the challenge. Fergenaprido is the only one to participate in all four challenges, so far, but hopefully 3eyes will pop in and watch a film as she's the only other person to have participated in the first three. No returning player has set a new best score yet, but most are on pace to get close to or surpass their 2021 scores.

The most-watched film so far is Girl, with 3 views, though we could get to 4 for if max can convince adwest to join in the fun.


Bonus Challenge

Participant	LGBTQ+	Pts	Decades	Pts	Regions	Pts	Personal Recs	TOTAL
sol	LGBTQx4	20	pre,70s,80s,90s,00s,10s,20s	7	eu5,af4,ap1	10	5	42
jdidaco	LGBTQx2	10	60s,70s,80s,90s,00s,10s,20s	7	eu4,af1,ap1	6		23
sacmersault	LGBTQx1	5	pre,60s,70s,80s,90s,00s,20s	7	eu2,ap4	6	3	21
Fergenaprido	LGBTQx1	5	80s,90s,00s,10s	4	eu2,af1,ap2	5	2	16
Tngy	LBT	3	70s,90s,10s	3	eu2	2	2	10
beasterne	GBT	3	60s,80s,90s	3	eu1	1		7
Good_Will_Hunting	LTQ	3	80s,20s	2			1	6
maxwelldeux	GT	2	10s,20s	2	eu1	1	1	6
Mario Gaborović	LG	2	60s,20s	2			1	5
PopperTheKungFu-Dragon	GT	2	70s,10s	2	sa1	1		5
AB537	L	1	70s	1	eu1	1	1	4
blocho	G	1	10s,20s	2	eu1	1		4
xianjiro	L	1	00s,10s	2			1	4
gunnar	L	1	70s	1	eu1	1		3
magnusbernhardsen	L	1	10s	1	eu1	1		3
ororama	G	1	90s	1				2

In the bonus challenges, we've already had our top four participants complete at least 1 LGBTQ cycle, with sol finishing 4 already. 3 users are almost finished with their first decade cycle, and on the Regions side Europe has garnered the most participation so far, with Africa and Asia-Pacific battling for second. North and South America are far behind, but it's not too late to stage a comeback. Outside of the ineligible countries, Belgium is the most-seen one with 7 participants watching at least 1 Belgian film. And we've already have 13 of the 44 Rainbow Mafia Recommendations watched (including Girl) - let's see if we can collectively hit them all this month - this particular bonus challenge is going better than expected, so thank you all for seeking out those recommendations.

Onward and upward!

[sacmersault]

Sorry to bother, but on the update. I'm missing a decade: 70s for Petra and I'm also missing 1 film from Europe (Patrik, Petra, Madchen) and 1 film from Asia-Pacific (Joyland, Parade of Roses, Joel Creasley, Wedding Banquet).

Thanks

Thanks. Found the error in the spreadsheet for AP (forgot to add Taiwan, so you and I both gain a bonus point there).
Europe is correct, though, because Petra and Madchen are both from Germany. You need to hit 5 different countries each time, but you can reuse a country in each cycle. e.g. Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, Poland, and then Germany, UK, Ireland, Iceland, Norway.

And I accidentally typed in 60s instead of 70s for Petra. That's fixed now too, thanks.

Thanks