To get a jump on the latter, we’ve included a handful of movies to watch for next year as well!
Some films, of course, are still making the rounds while some have wider 2017 debuts scheduled (or are yet to be announced). Here are 12 of 2016’s must-see LGBTQ films, which have screened at festivals, played at movie theaters, and/or appeared on digital streaming and on-demand services. They also represent exciting new work by both familiar filmmaker names: (André Téchiné’s Being 17) and new breakout talents ( Moonlight’s Barry Jenkins), and first-time feature directors (Andrew Ahn of Spa Night). In fact, from new twists on gay coming of age dramas to winking lesbian mystery-comedies to uplifting documentaries, these films serve as a virtual travelogue traversing Europe, South America, Asia, and of course, North America. The year 2016 contained some tragic twists and turns, but it’s also been a mighty fine year for LGBT cinema, with true diversity represented in subjects, themes, and the countries of origin.