The Best LGBT Movies on Netflix Right Now (April 2024)

Netflix has original LGBT comedies, dramas, and documentaries, as well as mainstream movies

By Robert Earl Wells III
Updated on April 4, 2024

So many LGBT movies are available on Netflix now, it's impossible to watch them all in one sitting. That's why we've run down the best gay and lesbian movies on the streaming service. You'll find award-winning films, historical dramas, documentaries, and coming-of-age stories on this list, all favorites of our team.

01
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Super Deluxe (2019): Best LGBT Anthology Movie

Vijay Sethupathi in Super Deluxe

IMDb Rating: 8.2/10

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama

Starring: Vijay Sethupathi, Samantha Akkineni, Fahadh Faasil

Director: Thiagarajan Kumararaja

TV Rating: TV-MA

Running Time: 2 hours, 56 minutes

This Tamil-language anthology film tells four interconnected stories about the complexities of love, gender, and sexuality in Indian society. The first segment about a transgender woman's relationship with her son earned Super Deluxe an Equality in Cinema Award at the 2019 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.

Indian anthology films are popular right now on Netflix, so if you enjoy Super Deluxe, check out movies like Ajeeb Daastaans and Ghost Stories.

02
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Eldorado: Everything the Nazis Hate (2023) - A Documentary About LGBT Persecution in WWII Germany

Eldorado: Everything the Nazis Hate

Netflix

IMDb Rating: 7.5/10

Genre: Documentary, Drama, History

Starring: Eren Güvercin, Eli Otto Kappo, Antonio Lallo

Director: Benjamin Cantu, Matt Lambert

TV Rating: TV-MA

Running Time: 1 hour, 32 minutes

Before the Nazi party's rise to power in Germany, Berlin had a thriving LGBT community. As the fascists began persecuting (and eventually executing) LGBTQ+ Germans, a club called Eldorado became a safe haven.

This timely documentary features interviews with survivors of the Nazi era as well as historians who explain in detail how a once-progressive city became a prison for many of its citizens, and how a small minority resisted the system.

03
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Nyad (2023): For Fans of Never Giving Up on the Lifelong Impossible Dream

Dyana Nyad lying in a hospital bed with a cut face.

IMDb Rating: 7.1/10

Genre: Biography, Drama, Sport

Starring: Jodie Foster, Annette Bening

Director: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

Rating: PG-13

Running Time: 2 hours, 1 minute

This biography of swimmer Diana Nyad covers her remarkable journey to achieve her life-long dream of conquering the Mount Everest for swimmers: the 110 miles of open ocean from Cuba to Florida.

Others (including her) have tried without a shark cage but, for Diana, the goal is to make the swim without one. The four-year journey explores her relationship with her best friend and coach Bonnie Stool and a team of sailors dedicated to the cause. We won't tell you how it ends but it's worth the watch getting there.

04
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Marry My Dead Body (2023): A Tale About Literally Being Haunted by Homophobia

The cast of Marry My Dead Body

IMDb Rating: 7.0/10

Genre: Action, Comedy, Drama,

Starring: Greg Han Hsu, Po-Hung Lin, Gingle Wang

Director: Wei-Hao Cheng

TV Rating: TV-MA

Running Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

While investigating a crime scene, police officer Wu Ming-Han (Greg Han Hsu) becomes haunted by the ghost of the victim, Mao Pang-Yu (Po-Hung Lin). Can he overcome his homophobia and fear of ghosts to crack the case?

Marry My Dead Body combines comedy with Chinese superstition to create an original tale of tolerance and acceptance.

05
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Dance of the 41 (2020): For Fans of History and Fancy Dresses

Alfonso Herrera and Emiliano Zurita in Dance of the 41

Netflix

IMDb Rating: 6.8/10

Genre: Biography, Drama, History

Starring: Alfonso Herrera, Emiliano Zurita, Mabel Cadena

Director: David Pablos

Motion Picture Rating: TV-MA

Running Time: 1 hour, 39 minutes

Decades before Stonewall, police in Mexico City raid a private gathering of gay men to terrorize the local gay community. Unexpectedly, law enforcement is forced to sweep the incident under the rug when one of the party-goers is revealed to be Ignacio de la Torre y Mier (Alfonso Herrera), the handsome son-in-law of President Porfirio Díaz.

Inspired by true events, Dance of the 41 is a powerful period piece with a timeless story about persecution and perseverance. If you are interested in early 20th-century history or are fascinated with fancy ball gowns, check this one out.

06
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Marco Simon Puccioni, Luca De Bei, Gianluca Bernardini in Invisible Thread 2022

IMDb Rating: 6.8/10

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family

Starring: Marco Simon Puccioni, Luca De Bei, Gianluca Bernardini

Director: Marco Simon Puccioni

TV Rating: TV-MA

Running Time: 1 hour, 49 minutes

What's it like having two dads? In The Invisible Thread, a teenage boy decides to make a movie about life with his fathers and uncovers some surprising family secrets along the way.

The Invisible Thread (Il Filo Invisibile) is an Italian drama with a positive message and a few laughs. You can watch it in English on Netflix.

07
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Operation Hyacinth (2021): Best Police Procedural About LGBT History in Poland

Tomasz Zietek in Operation Hyacinth

Netflix

IMDb Rating: 6.8/10

Genre: Crime, Drama

Starring: Tomasz Ziętek, Hubert Milkowski, Marek Kalita

Director: Piotr Domalewski

TV Rating: TV-MA

Running Time: 1 hour, 52 minutes

During the final years of communist rule in Poland, a serial killer targets gay men in Warsaw. While the secret police try to sweep the murders under the rug, Officer Robert Mrozowski (Tomasz Ziętek) goes undercover to find the culprit.

The movie's title comes from the real-life campaign of violence and blackmail enacted by Polish police to terrorize the LGBT community in the 1980s. The murder plot is fictional, but the historical reality is even darker.

08
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Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story (2022)—A Tribute to a Trailblazing Transgender Athlete

Leo Baker in Stay on Board

Netflix

IMDb Rating: 6.7/10

Genre: Documentary, Sports

Starring: Leo Baker, Melissa Bueno-Woerner, Alexis Sablone

Director: Nicola Marsh, Giovanni Reda

TV Rating: TV-MA

Running Time: 1 hour, 12 minutes

Stay on Board follows professional skateboarder Leo Baker as he prepares for the historic 2020 Olympics. On top of relentless training, Baker must endure the immense public scrutiny of being trans in the highly gendered world of competitive sports.

In addition to documenting history, Stay on Board serves as a history lesson about the rise of skateboarding from the shadows of punk culture to a serious international sport.

09
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Valley of a Thousand Hills (2023): An Untraditional Coming Out Story

Sibongokuhle Nkosi and Mandisa Vilakazi in Valley of a Thousand Hills

IMDb Rating: 6.6/10

Genre: Drama

Starring: Sibongokuhle Nkosi, Mandisa Vilakazi

Director: Bonie Sithebe

TV Rating: TV-MA

Running Time: 1 hour, 38 minutes

Nosipho (Sibongokuhle Nkosi) is betrothed to a man her traditional Zulu parents choose, but she only has eyes for someone else. Should Nosipho live a lie to please her family, or should she tell the truth and declare her forbidden love for another Zulu woman?

The Valley of a Thousand Hills takes its name from the region in South Africa where the movie was filmed and takes place.

10
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Cobalt Blue (2022): A Love Triangle Turned into a Family Feud

The cast of Cobalt Blue 2022

Netflix

IMDb Rating: 6.5/10

Genre: Drama, Romance

Starring: Neelay Mehendale, Prateik Babbar, Neil Bhoopalam

Director: Sachin Kundalkar

Motion Picture Rating: TV-MA

Running Time: 1 hour, 52 minutes

In mid-1990s India, siblings Tanay (Neelay Mehendale) and Anuja (Anjali Sivaraman) compete for the affection of a handsome houseguest (Prateik Babbar). Torn between the brother and sister, the suitor has no choice but to break someone's heart.

Based on a book by director Sachin Kundalkar, Cobalt Blue is an emotional period piece with a story that still resonates today while highlighting how much more accepting society has become in just the past few decades.

11
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Pray Away (2021): Most Heart-Wrenching Exposé on Conversion Therapy

Rainbow colored stained glass window promoting Pray Away 2021 film

Netflix

IMDb Rating: 6.5/10

Genre: Documentary

Starring: Julie Rodgers, Randy Thomas, Yvette Cantu Schneider

Director: Kristine Stolakis

TV Rating: PG-13

Running Time: 1 hour, 41 minutes

Pray Away examines the controversial practice of gay conversion therapy, which religious activists openly championed in the U.S. until recently. Survivors and practitioners of conversion therapy give harrowing accounts of how genuinely good intentions led to decades of turmoil for countless families.

The film rightfully denounces the so-called "therapy" but doesn't condemn anyone. All subjects are approached with empathy and an emphasis on healing. Pray Away is not necessarily a fun watch, but it is necessary viewing for anyone interested in the topic.

12
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Bruised (2020): Most Inspiring Redemption Story About Family and Cage Fighting

Halle Berry in Bruised

Netflix

IMDb Rating: 6.2/10

Genre: Drama, Sport

Starring: Halle Berry, Adan Canto, Sheila Atim

Director: Halle Berry

Motion Picture Rating: R

Running Time: 2 hours, 9 minutes

Former cage fighter Jackie Justice (Halle Berry) longs for a triumphant return to the octagon. She might finally get her shot after impressing a promoter at an underground fight. However, life throws her a left hook when her estranged son Manny (Danny Boyd, Jr.) comes back into her life.

As its star and director, Halle Berry makes Bruised worth watching. Same-gender romance isn't the primary focus, but Bruised belongs on this list because it portrays a strong bisexual main character.

13
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Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration (2022)—Best LGBT Standup Comedy Special

Wanda Sykes performs in Stand Out (2022)

Netflix

IMDb Rating: 6.2/10

Genre: Comedy, Documentary

Starring: Margaret Cho, Wanda Sykes, Eddie Izzard

Director: Page Hurwitz, Linda Mendoza

TV Rating: TV-MA

Running Time: 1 hour, 36 minutes

In celebration of pride month, dozens of LGBT comedians came out to Los Angeles's Greek Theatre for a nonstop laughter marathon. Hosted by Billy Eichner, Stand Out features the comedy of Margaret Cho, Tig Notaro, Judy Gold, and many more.

You'll also see other notable LGBT+ celebrities like Sarah Paulson, Stephen Fry, and Ani Difranco.

14
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Fanfic (2023): An Unconventional Coming Out Story

Alin Szewczyk in Fanfic

Netflix

IMDb Rating: 5.8/10

Genre: Drama

Starring: Alin Szewczyk, Jan Cieciara, Dobromir Dymecki

Director: Marta Karwowska

TV Rating: TV-MA

Running Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes

Tosia (Alin Szewczyk) doesn't feel comfortable in her own skin, so she draws herself how she wants to be: as a boy. When Tosia transitions to become Tosiek, his relationship with his gay best friend Leon (Jan Cieciara) takes on a new dimension.

Based on a young adult novel, this Polish Netflix original is available to watch in English, French, Spanish, and German.

15
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Dancing Queens (2021): A Gender-Bending Side Hussle

The cast of Dancing Queens on Netflix

Netflix

IMDb Rating: 5.7/10

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Starring: Molly Nutley, Fredrik Quiñones, Marie Göranzon

Director: Helena Bergström

TV Rating: TV-MA

Running Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Dylan (Molly Nutley) wants to dance professionally, but the best gig she can get is cleaning tables at a local drag bar. Fortunately for her, the struggling club needs new queens. The only problem is that she's a girl, which is something she'll have to hide from the patrons and her fellow performers.

Dancing Queens is a clever story about subverting gender norms. Some viewers take issue with a straight woman playing a drag queen, but that's the movie's point: Gender is performance.

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